Manawatu vs North Harbour Predictions - North Harbour to register fourth win in a row

Brad Newcomb

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Last updated: 2 hours ago

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Brad Newcomb 2 hours ago

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North Harbour have won 5 of last 6 matches against Manawatu. .
Manawatu have lost 3 of their last 4 home games.
North Harbour are tipped to cover -10.5 handicap.

North Harbour have had regular success against Manawatu in recent seasons (Getty Images)

Manawatu were poor in their previous NPC fixture and have been struggling to win this season. North Harbour have been having regular success lately and have often defeated Manawatu in recent clashes.

North Harbour have won 4 of their last 5 fixtures.
North Harbour have won 5 of their last 6 matches against Manawatu.
Manawatu have lost 7 of their last 8 fixtures.
Manawatu have lost 3 of their last 4 home games.

Head to Head

North Harbour have a slight edge over Manawatu, with six victories to five in 111 meetings in the National Provincial Championship.

Manawatu Form

Manawatu scored two tries and a conversion in the first half against Hawke's Bay last weekend but went into the break trailing 17-12.

The second half turned into a disaster for Manawatu, as they only managed to score a try and conceded too many points, losing 59-77 to Hawke's Bay away from home.

Earlier in their campaign, the Turbos lost 40-14 to Northland away from home and edged Southland 36-35 at home before losing 29-27 to Otago at home.

Manawatu are 12th in the National Provincial Championship table with six points after four games.

Manawatu have yet to find their footing this season, losing three of their four fixtures so far, and they have been defeated in two of their last three home matches against North Harbour in the NPC.

North Harbour Form

North Harbour scored four tries and two conversions in the first half against Auckland last weekend to lead 24-14 at half-time.

However, both teams struggled to score, but Harbour did enough to come out on top against Auckland, winning 27-19 at home.

Before that result, North Harbour lost 31-29 away to Tasman in their opening match of the season before thrashing Counties Manukau 59-19 at home and Wellington 47-7 away.

Harbour are third in the National Provincial Championship table with 17 points after four rounds.

North Harbour have been in solid form this season, winning three in a row and will fancy their chances against Manawatu, having won five of their last six meetings against their hosts.

Team News

Manawatu Turbos

Rory Woods, Taniela Filimone, and Hunter Kennedy each crossed the try line against Hawke's Bay last weekend.

George Worboys landed a conversion in the match.

Starting XV: Malakai Hala-Ngata, Mesulame Dolokoto, Logan Wallace, Taine Roirii, Robert Harley, Te Kamaka Howden (C), Mosese Bason, Brayden Iose, Jordi Viljoen, George Worboys, John Tapueluelu, James Tofa, Kyle Brown, Taniela Filimone, Reece Macdonald

Replacements: Alani Fakava, Joseph Gavigan, Feleti Sae Ta’ufo’ou, Rory Woods, Samuel Johnson, Doug Philipson, Drew Wild, Ngani Laumape

North Harbour

Israel Leota scored a brace against Auckland last weekend.

Kade Banks and Rory Taylor each scored a try in the match.

Cameron Howell slotted two conversions and a penalty.

Starting XV: Tony Tafa, Bryn Gordon, Leka Tu'ungafasi, Gus Farnan, Jack Lee, Tristyn Cook, Jed Melvin (C), George Reeves, Te Aonui Wharawhara-Muriwai, Coby Miln, Rory Taylor, Oskar Koller, Thomas Barham, Israel Leota, Kade Banks

Replacements: Moses Hafoka, Oscar Cowley-Andrea, Riley Tofilau, Victor Olaaiga, Sam Tuitupou, Bryn Hall, Iosefo Namoce, Tyler Pulini

Verdict

Manawatu v North Harbour

North Harbour have been performing well in the NPC lately and are tipped to cover the -10.5 handicap in their match against Manawatu.

North Harbour -10.5

Handicap

@1,91 - 3 Units

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Brad graduated from the University of South Africa with a Bcom-Management Accounting degree and has a financial background.

His love of sport has seen him venture down the road of researching sporting history for the past several years, specifically boxing, cricket and football.

Other sports of particular interest are golf, tennis, horse racing and motorsports.

Additionally, he spends his time researching the military history of his home country of South Africa.

He is an ardent Liverpool supporter and is known to DJ and release music on occasion.