Hawke's Bay secured a convincing 44-31 victory over Auckland in the Bunnings NPC on Saturday, extending their recent momentum with another commanding performance away from home. The result leaves the visitors in strong position as the championship phase approaches.
Hawke's Bay have won three of their last five matches, including back-to-back victories over Tasman and Wellington in August, scoring 102 points in those two games. Auckland, by contrast, have won just one of their last five, with their sole victory coming against Wellington on August eighth.
The visitors' recent form has been notably potent. They outscored Wellington 52-33 on August second and dismantled Tasman 50-19 four days later. Auckland's last win before the Wellington match came in August first, when they edged Canterbury 31-38, though that was followed by defeats to Canterbury and Otago.
This result caps a difficult run for Auckland, who have now lost four of their last five matches. Their previous encounter with Hawke's Bay in September ended 45-28 to the visitors, and Saturday's scoreline confirms the visitors have maintained their edge.
Hawke's Bay's attacking output in the last two fixtures—102 points across 100 points conceded—suggests they are building genuine confidence. Auckland's defensive frailties were on show again, conceding 44 points in addition to the 31 they managed to score.