North Harbour destroyed Auckland and won this year's Battle of the Bridge 57-10 at QBE Stadium on Sunday morning.
Shaun Stevenson and Tevita Li each scored a brace in this emphatic victory.
Stevenson scored inside the first couple of minutes. Harbour's Bryn Gatland slotted a 17th-minute penalty next. Auckland finally got on the board when Jono Hickey landed a penalty from 25 metres out.
Matt Duffie scored Auckland's next try. Five minutes into the second half Gatland extended their lead to 21-3 and a minute later Stevenson scored his second try after gathering Bryn Hall's box kick and beating one defender to score. George Moala did, however, score an impressive solo try in the 51st minute to give Auckland fans something to cheer about.
Gatland landed another penalty before Harbour's Li scored Harbour's fourth try, Hooker James Parsons scored a 40-metre breakaway try minutes later. Li's second try and Gatland's subsequent conversion brought up Harbour's half century and Ben Volavola's try in the 79th minute added salt to Auckland's wound by securing the 57-10 win.
The scorers:
For North Harbour:
Tries: Stevenson 2, Duffie, Li 2, Parsons, Volavola
Cons: Gatland 5
Pens: Gatland 4
For Auckland:
Try: Moala
Con: Hickey
Pen: Hickey
Auckland: 15 Pryor Collier, 14 Vince Aso, 13 George Moala, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Daniel Bowden, 9 Jono Hickey, 8 Blake Gibson, 7 Sione Havili, 6 Samuel Slade, 5 Ben Nee-Nee, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 1 Sam Prattley
Replacements: 16 Kurt Eklund, 17 Emersen Tamura-Paki, 18 Tu'ungafasi, 19 Sam Ulufonua, 20 Taleni Seu, 21 Lisati Milo-Harris, 22 TJ Faiane, 23 Otumaka Mausia
North Harbour: 15 Shaun Stevenson, 14 Matt Duffie, 13 Matt Vaega, 12 Harrison Groundwater, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Bryn Gatland, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Josh Tyrell, 7 Murphy Taramai, 6 Glenn Preston, 5 Jarrad Hoeata, 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Mike Tamoaieta, 2 James Parsons, 1 Chris Eves
Replacements: 16 Adrian Smith, 17 George Tuinukuafe,18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Brandon Nansen, 20 Hapakuki Moala-Liavaa, 21 Chris Smylie, 22 Daniel Hilton Jones, 23 Ben Volavola
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