Auckland alone at top

Press, 12 September 1988, Page 32

Auckland alone at top

PA Wellington Auckland moved to a clear lead at the top of the national rugby championship table, ahead of second-placed Otago, when it beat North Harbour, 39-12 at the weekend.

While Auckland weathered a strong Wayne Shel-ford-led North Harbour challenge before eventually securing full points, its co-leader going into the week-end’s round of matches, Otago, suffered its first defeat of the season, Wellington winning 25-9. Canterbury, meanwhile, travelled to Manawatu to secure its first win in 10 years in Palmerston

North leaving its hapless' hosts languishing once again at the bottom of the table after handing out a 22-6 lesson.

Manawatu was left floundering at the bottom after Bay of Plenty, still on a high after its gallant performance last weekend against Auckland, hammered out a 34-6 win over Counties for its first full points. In the other first division match on Saturday, Waikato returned to its winning ways through a tough 18-12 win over North Auckland away at Whangarei. In the second division, relegated last year, finished

true to form as a comfortable victor over King Country, 25-15 — as a result which has it tied with Marlborough at the top of the table with four wins from four matches. Hawke’s Bay is close behind after its 39-20 victory at Timaru against South Canterbury. In the third division, Thames Valley came alive in the second half to record another comprehensive victory, 38-9, over Horowhenua.

Wanganui routed the West Coast. Wanganui, relegated from the second division last year, scored 13 tries as it notched its largest win of the season in the third division with a 68-0 win over the Coast.