18 July Premier Results and Match report

North Harbour
Semifinals
Massey 24 Western Pioneers 8
North Shore 32 Glenfield 15
Plate semifinals
East Coast Bays 28 Silverdale 23 (extra time)
Northcote 36 Takapuna 10

The cream has risen to the top of North Harbour premier club rugby, with Massey and North Shore, as they did in 2014, winning their semifinals and setting up a showdown on finals day.

The first Cup semi saw Massey, the front-runners all season, defeat near neighbours Western Pioneers in a true battle of the west.

On form, Massey looked too strong, but Western stayed in the fight until late into the match. Both sides had a number of opportunities in the first half but it was Massey who had the best conversion rate, taking a 17-8 lead to the break. They added one more try in the second half to finally seal Western's fate. Massey loose forward, 2014 NZ Schools rep and new North Harbour squad member Hapakuki Moala-Liava'a scored one of the four tries, while wing Tevita Li also got amongst the tryscoring action.

In the plate semifinals, East Coast Bays traded blows with an ever-improving Silverdale, requiring extra time to defeat them 28-23. Silverdale will wish the season was still alive for them as they have been the big improvers over recent weeks. Northcote easily accounted for Takapuna with a big 36-10 win in the other plate semi. Northcote is another side that is just starting to see reward in recent weeks, and they had three players who scored doubles, Blake and Bryn Hall and Curtis Reid.In the other Cup semi, North Shore beat Glenfield 32-15 after a season in which both sides have given as good as the other in their three meetings. Shore, the defending champs, scored four tries to two, hooker James Hinchco crossing for a brace, while evergreen No 10 Willie Walker scored 17 points, including a try. Glenfield's Michael Little was in top form, scoring a double. Glenfield presented some staunch defence in the first spell, in which they had a stiff breeze behind them, but Shore led 11-3 at the break and pulled away as their pack took control, before Little's late double.