The three performers of the week from Hilux NPC round two

Hawke’s Bay are the hottest commodity in the NPC after two rounds, posting a 50-19 win over Tasman at McLean Park in Napier, their second 50-point victory.

The Magpies led 33-5 at halftime and were collectively outstanding, with lock Hunter Morrison continuing his eye-catching form and first-five Harry Godfery finding his feet after a long spell injured.

North Harbour aren’t going to be easybeats after thrashing Counties Manukau 59-19 on Thursday for just their fifth win since the start of 2024.

Elsewhere, all other matches were decided by less than a converted try.

In his 50th match for Taranaki, lock Jesse Parete was huge, scoring two tries from 13 carries and leading tackles (20) and lineouts (7).

It wasn’t enough to prevent Waikato winning in New Plymouth 38-32. Centre Michael Naitokani and winger Waisake Salabiau each scored two tries for the Mooloos. Along with Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury, who beat Otago 19-15 to capture the Ranfurly Shield, they are the only unbeaten teams through two rounds.

The biggest talking point before the round was Hurricanes captain and former All Black Du’Plessis Kirifi switching from openside flanker to second five-eighth.

It was his first time in 185 first-class matches wearing the 12 jersey. Kirifi told RugbyPass the move was born out of desperation to cover Wellington Lions injuries rather than an attempt to reinvent himself to regain All Blacks selection.

Auckland beat Wellington 34-31 at Western Springs, no fault of Kirifi. He had 14 carries for 46 metres gained with a linebreak, seven defenders beaten and three offloads, ranking him in the top five of the match in all those attacking categories.

His only linebreak resulted in a try for winger Reo Matsushita. Defensively, he made 10 tackles, though he missed three without effecting a turnover. However, he didn’t concede a penalty.

Bay of Plenty pipped Northland 34-31 in a Rotorua rumble that saw Zimbabwe-born Jason Robertson kick a last-minute penalty.

Southland, led by steamrolling lock Mitch Dunshea, rookie Jimmy Taylor with 20 points, and smart Blues Super Rugby Pacific signing halfback Nic Shearer, stuffed Manawatu for an hour. At one stage they led 28-7 but blew it in the last quarter to lose 36-35.

Turbos centre Kyle Brown was ominous throughout while the bench added zest. Was Brayden Iose in touch, stretching out to score the winning try? In a reversal of 2025, the Turbos surrendered a 22-point lead in Invercargill last year.

Who were the performers of the week in the second round of the NPC?

Rory Taylor (North Harbour)

After a four-try loss by two to Tasman in round one and a 59-19 thrashing of Counties Manukau on Thursday, North Harbour have seven championship points, nearly as many as their entire 2025 season when they earned 10 points with a 1-9 record.

North Harbour have gone local to rebuild and improve their fortunes. In their original 39-man squad, there are 20 debutants, 18 of whom have played in the North Harbour Premier competition. That contrasts with unions like Wellington who have sourced players from Australia, Fiji, Japan, Tonga and the USA to fill gaps in their roster.

The dominant force in North Harbour rugby has been the North Shore club. Since 2021 they have won 75 of 82 games, including 35 in a row at one point, and featured in five finals, winning three.

Winger Rory Taylor, originally from Rosmini College and a Blues Under-18 representative in Year 12, has been a prolific try scorer for North Shore, earning a blazer for 25 appearances. Together with fellow North Harbour selections Cam Howell, Oscar Koller, Hunter Rice and Tima Fainga’anuku, Taylor has powered “The Pride” to their best run since winning three championships between 1987 and 1992.

The 24-year-old, who also works as a Graduate Property Valuer at Seagars, has been rewarded for his perseverance and form, debuting against the Mako last Friday and cutting loose against the Steelers. Taylor scored a try, gained more metres than any player with four linebreaks, and made the third most tackles for the victors with ten in a lively and clinical performance that showed genuine chemistry with Howell and Coller, who combined for four try assists.

North Harbour cracked a half-century against Counties for the first time since a 57-28 win in 2008. In that game, James Gopperth scored 27 points. North Harbour’s biggest win against Counties was 62-6 in 1991. Legendary fullback Warren Burton scored 26 points, and winger Richard Kapa scored four tries.

Counties captain Jimmy Tupou with masterful understatement: “We put ourselves in a position where we had to play footy.”

Nikora Broughton (Bay of Plenty)

Bay of Plenty have been perennial contenders the past five seasons, making three semi-finals and losing the 2024 final in extra time to Wellington.

No.8 Nikora Broughton, celebrating his 50th match against Northland, has been a vital cog for the simmering Steamers. He’s started the last 27 games and ranks inside the top 20 for tackles and carries.

Broughton was in vintage form against the Taniwha, charging over for two tries and making the most carries (23) and metres (111) for the hosts. He added 11 tackles and four lineout catches against a side that won five matches and statistically had the best set-piece, winning the most scrum penalties and conceding the least in 2025.

With similar attributes and better attack, Northland will win more games than they lose. They came from 31-17 behind to almost pinch this one from the Bay, who’ll need more than a one-man Broughton to conquer Canterbury in a Ranfurly Shield challenge next Saturday.

There was also a proud moment for bona fide good buggers and hugely passionate Bay of Plenty fans Michael and Wayne Francis. The Rotorua-based twins have one of the most extensive and impressive rugby memorabilia collections in the country, most of it Bay of Plenty themed. They were asked to do the coin toss with captains Natoa Ah Kuoi (Bay of Plenty) and Rivez Reihana (Northland).

Jamie Hannah (Canterbury)

Canterbury captured the Ranfurly Shield for the 18th time with a 19-15 win over Otago, at one point reduced to 13 players. It was an all too familiar tale of woe for Otago, who can rank this heartache alongside the narrow defeats to Canterbury in 1950 (8-0), 1970 (16-12), 1994 (22-20), 2000 (29-26), 2002 (16-13) and 2006 (22-17). In 1954 Canterbury kept the Shield against Otago with a 9-9 draw.

Lineouts had a major bearing on the outcome. Canterbury secured 13 of 14 throws, Otago lost at least a handful, and even when they won possession it was often messy.

A try by Jamie Hannah, 23, in the corner just before halftime to make it 12-3 to the visitors came from the lineout, as did two tries scored by hooker Brodie McAlister in his 50th match. On both occasions Hannah won the throw, among his match-leading six lineout catches.  In the 75th minute he secured a vital two-handed catch as Otago pressed.

Hannah hit the rucks like a cannon, snatched two turnovers and only ranked behind Dominic Gardiner (22) and Cory Kellow (20) as the top tackler in the game. A tackle he made on Otago halfback Joel Lam saved a certain try, an intervention almost as important as Gardiner’s last turnover.

Hannah was just as influential in Canterbury’s 36-28 NPC final win against Otago in 2025. He was officially named Canterbury’s man of the match, topping the Canterbury tackle count with 20, helping the lineout secure 90 per cent of its throws and making 19 carries.

Hannah started 13 of his 15 appearances for the Crusaders in Super Rugby Pacific 2026, ranking among the top ten players in tackles (179) and lineouts (64).

He debuted for the All Blacks in their 34-32 win against Christchurch and is shaping as a vital part of New Zealand rugby’s future.