Contents

2020 Mitre 10 Cup

2020 Mitre 10 Cup season
Countries	New Zealand
Date	11 September – 28 November
Champions	Tasman
Runners-up	Auckland
Promoted	Hawke's Bay
Relegated	North Harbour
Matches played	76
Tries scored	496 (average 6.5 per match)
Top point scorer	Bryn Gatland (North Harbour) 119 points
Top try scorer	Salesi Rayasi (Auckland) 14 tries
Official website
www.provincial.rugby
← 2019 2021 →

The 2020 Mitre 10 Cup season was the 15th season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on September 11, when North Harbour hosted Canterbury. It involved the top fourteen rugby unions of New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Mitre 10 Cup and it was the fifth season under the lead sponsor. The winner of the Championship, Hawke's Bay was promoted to the Premiership, the seventh placed Premiership team, North Harbour was relegated to the Championship.

Format[edit]

The Mitre 10 Cup standings were sorted by a competition points system. Four points were awarded to the winning team, a draw equaled two points, whilst a loss amounted to zero points. Unions could also win their side a respectable bonus point. To receive a bonus point, they must have scored four tries or more or lose by seven or fewer points or less.^[1] Each team was placed on their total points received. If necessary of a tiebreaker, when two or more teams finish on equal points, the union who defeated the other in a head-to-head got placed higher. In case of a draw between them, the side with the biggest points differential margin got rights to be ranked above. If they were tied on points difference, it was then decided by a highest scored try count or a coin toss.^[2] This seeding format was implemented since the beginning of the 2006 competition.

The competition included a promotion-relegation process with the winner of the Championship receiving automatic promotion to the Premiership, replacing the seventh-placed team in the Premiership which was relegated to the Championship for the following year. The regular season consisted of two types of matches. The internal division matches were when each team played the other six unions in their division once, home or away. The cross-division matches were when each team played four teams from the other division, thus missing out on three teams, each from the opposite division. Each union played home or away games against teams from the other division, making a total of ten competition games for each union.^[3] The finals format allowed the top four teams from each division move on to the semi-finals. The top two division winners, based on table points, received a home semi-final. In the first round of the finals, the semi-finals, the second division winner hosted the third division winner, and the first division winner hosted the fourth division winner. The final was hosted by the top remaining seed.^[4]

Standings[edit]

Source: Mitre 10 Cup standings 2020^[5]

Standings progression[edit]

Regular season[edit]

The 2020 Mitre 10 Cup played across ten weeks. The competition started on September 11, with North Harbour taking on CanterburyatNorth Harbour Stadium in Auckland.^[6]

Week 1[edit]

Otago	6–38	Auckland
Pen: Josh Ioane (2/3) 4', 20' Cards: Liam Coltman  61' Jack Regan  70' Sio Tomkinson  80'	Report	Try: Leni Apisai (2) 8', 35' AJ Lam 33' Rieko Ioane 41' Penalty try 48' Con: Harry Plummer (4/4) 9', 34', 36', 42' Pen: Harry Plummer (1/1) 17'

Northland	43–26	Manawatu
Try: Sam Caird 28' Sam Nock 32' Kara Pryor 40' Sam McNamara 41' Jordan Olsen 70' Rene Ranger 79' Con: Wiseguy Faiane (5/6) 29', 33', 42', 71', 80' Pen: Dan Hawkins (1/1) 7'	Report	Try: Sam Stewart 9' James Tofa 19' Con: Ben Wyness (2/2) 10', 20' Pen: Ben Wyness (4/5) 4', 13', 54', 65' Cards: Nehe Milner-Skudder  68'

Taranaki	36–29	Bay of Plenty
Try: Tupou Vaa'i (2) 3', 52' Ricky Riccitelli 25' Penalty try 38' Jordie Barrett 70' Con: Jordie Barrett (3/4) 4', 26', 53' Pen: Jordie Barrett (1/2) 29'	Report	Try: Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi 11' Keepa Mewett 21' Emoni Narawa 33' Fa'asiu Fuatai 76' Con: Dan Hollinshead (2/3) 12', 22' Otere Black (1/1) 77' Pen: Otere Black (1/1) 47' Cards: Aaron Carroll  38'

Week 2[edit]

Bay of Plenty	17–14	Southland
Try: Fa'asiu Fuatai 11' Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi 39' Con: Otere Black (2/2) 12', 40' Pen: Dan Hollinshead (0/1) Otere Black (1/2) 55'	Report	Try: Amanaki Nicole 26' Greg Pleasants-Tate 35' Con: Scott Eade (2/2) 27', 36' Cards: Greg Pleasants-Tate  60'

Hawke's Bay	31–17	Counties Manukau
Try: Brad Weber (2) 7', 32' Penalty try 23' Lolagi Visinia 33' Devan Flanders 67' Con: Lincoln McClutchie (2/3) 8', 34' Caleb Makene (0/1) Pen: Lincoln McClutchie (0/1) Caleb Makene (0/1)	Report	Try: Kirisi Kuridrani 40' Samuel Slade 65' Con: Baden Kerr (1/1) 41' Jason Robertson (1/1) 66' Pen: Baden Kerr (1/1) 11' Cards: Samuel Slade  15' Matiaha Martin  23'

Week 3[edit]

Wellington	32–10	Bay of Plenty
Try: Teariki Ben-Nicholas (2) 28', 47' Wes Goosen 37' Tyrone Thompson 62' Ruben Love 79' Con: Jackson Garden-Bachop (2/5) 29', 63' Pen: Jackson Garden-Bachop (1/1) 43' Cards: Xavier Numia  67'	Report	Try: Nathan Vella 1' Con: Dan Hollinshead (1/1) 2' Pen: Dan Hollinshead (1/3) 33' Cards: Fa'asiu Fuatai  67'

Southland	11–10	North Harbour
Try: Rory van Vugt 57' Con: Scott Eade (0/1) Pen: Scott Eade (1/2) 66' Greg Dyer (1/1) 80'	Report	Try: Tim Sail 18' Con: Bryn Gatland (1/1) 19' Pen: Bryn Gatland (1/1) 76' Cards: Nic Mayhew  35' Gerard Cowley-Tuioti  54'

Auckland	50–12	Manawatu
Try: AJ Lam (2) 12', 61' Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa 23' Simon Hickey (2) 32', 43' Salesi Rayasi 38' Blake Gibson 70' Jordan Trainor 73' Con: Simon Hickey (5/8) 24', 33', 39', 71', 74'	Report	Try: Adam Boult 20' Sam Stewart 80' Con: Stewart Cruden (0/1) Ben Wyness (1/1) 80' Cards: Filo Paulo  9' Tietie Tuimauga  17'

Counties Manukau	15–24	Northland
Try: Kieran Read 26' Alamanda Motuga 36' Con: Baden Kerr (1/2) 37' Pen: Baden Kerr (1/1) 54'	Report	Try: Temo Mayanavanua 49' Jordan Olsen 57' Pisi Leilua 67' Con: Dan Hawkins (3/3) 50', 58', 68' Pen: Dan Hawkins (1/1) 7' Cards: Lua Li  35'

Week 4[edit]

Northland	35–25	Taranaki
Try: Scott Gregory 26' Josh Goodhue 29' Jone Macilai-Tori 66' Kara Pryor 72' Con: Dan Hawkins (3/4) 27', 67', 73' Pen: Dan Hawkins (3/3) 12', 53', 64' Cards: Robert Rush  76'	Report	Try: Daniel Waite 40' Jayson Potroz 50' Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens 76' Con: Jayson Potroz (2/3) 40', 51' Pen: Jayson Potroz (2/4) 43', 54' Cards: Stephen Perofeta  71'

Canterbury	31–26	Wellington
Try: Mitchell Drummond 20' Ngane Punivai 38' Tom Christie 77' Isaiah Punivai 80' Con: Fergus Burke (1/4) 39' Pen: Fergus Burke (3/3) 3', 25', 66' Cards: Luke Romano  40'	Report	Try: Vince Aso 31' Naitoa Ah Kuoi 40' Peter Umaga-Jensen 43' Tyrone Thompson 62' Con: Jackson Garden-Bachop (3/4) 32', 44', 63' Pen: Jackson Garden-Bachop (0/1)

North Harbour	40–24	Tasman
Try: Jared Page 29' Luteru Tolai 63' James Little 69' Teague McElroy 77' Con: Bryn Gatland (4/4) 30', 64', 70', 78' Pen: Bryn Gatland (4/4) 11', 13', 40', 49'	Report	Try: Mark Telea 23' Finlay Christie 50' David Havili 80' Con: Mitchell Hunt (3/3) 24', 51', 80' Pen: Mitchell Hunt (1/1) 4' David Havili (0/1) Cards: Isaac Salmon  44' Sam Matenga  48'

Otago	9–28	Hawke's Bay – RS
Pen: Josh Ioane (3/3) 11', 21', 56' Cards: Vilimoni Koroi  63' Slade McDowall  72'	Report	Try: Lolagi Visinia 36' Folau Fakatava 51' Isaia Walker-Leawere 65' Kurt Baker 77' Con: Lincoln McClutchie (2/2) 37', 52' Caleb Makene (2/2) 66', 78'

Week 5[edit]

North Harbour	46–10	Hawke's Bay
Try: Jared Page (3) 12', 33', 39' Dillon Hunt 25' Murphy Taramai 61' Bryn Gatland 65' Tomas Aoake 76' Con: Bryn Gatland (4/7) 40', 62', 66', 78' Pen: Bryn Gatland (1/1) 56'	Report	Try: Marino Mikaele-Tu'u 18' Con: Connor McLeod (1/1) 19' Pen: Connor McLeod (1/2) 30' Cards: Jason Long  48'

Waikato	36–13	Counties Manukau
Try: Liam Coombes-Fabling 10' Penalty try 40' Adam Thomson 47' Steven Misa 68' Quinn Tupaea 76' Con: Fletcher Smith (1/2) 48' Rivez Reihana (2/2) 69', 77' Pen: Fletcher Smith (1/1) 43'	Report	Try: Etene Nanai-Seturo 18' Con: Jason Robertson (1/1) 19' Pen: Jason Robertson (2/2) 14', 52' Cards: Conán O'Donnell  40'

Tasman	33–7	Bay of Plenty
Try: Leicester Fainga'anuku (2) 6', 47' Mark Telea 38' Sione Havili 54' Blair Prinsep 74' Con: Mitchell Hunt (4/5) 39', 48', 55', 75'	Report	Try: Regan Ware 40' Con: Otere Black (1/1) 40' Pen: Otere Black (0/1) Cards: Chase Tiatia  49'

Northland	18–14	Southland
Try: Temo Mayanavanua 13' Sam Nock 49' Con: Dan Hawkins (1/2) 50' Pen: Dan Hawkins (2/2) 9', 21' Cards: Kara Pryor  66'	Report	Try: Tony Lamborn 35' Isaac Te Tamaki 47' Con: Scott Eade (2/2) 36', 48' Pen: Scott Eade (0/1)

Week 6[edit]

Southland	9–17	Taranaki
Pen: Scott Eade (3/3) 20', 37', 41' Greg Dyer (0/1)	Report	Try: Reuben O'Neill 12' Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens 58' Con: Jayson Potroz (2/2) 13', 59' Pen: Jayson Potroz (1/2) 45' Cards: Chris Gawler  66'

Canterbury	15–16	Waikato
Try: Luke Romano 14' Tamaiti Williams 49' Con: Fergus Burke (1/2) 50' Pen: Fergus Burke (1/1) 29' Cards: Isaiah Punivai  80'	Report	Try: Cortez-Lee Ratima 80' Con: Rivez Reihana (1/1) 80' Pen: Rivez Reihana (3/4) 7', 21', 63' Cards: Beaudein Waaka  13'

Week 7[edit]

Bay of Plenty	44–8	Canterbury
Try: Chase Tiatia (2) 9', 19' Penalty try 21' Joe Webber 56' Kaleb Trask 64' Scott Curry 72' Con: Kaleb Trask (2/4) 10', 65' Otere Black (1/1) 73' Pen: Kaleb Trask (2/2) 14', 49' Cards: Nathan Vella  58'	Report	Try: Cullen Grace 79' Con: Brett Cameron (0/1) Pen: Fergus Burke (1/1) 16' Cards: Sam Darry  21'

RS – Hawke's Bay	47–12	Manawatu
Try: Danny Toala 24' Devan Flanders 33' Caleb Makene 38' Brendon O'Connor 40' Ash Dixon 67' Neria Fomai 73' Isaia Walker-Leawere 78' Con: Lincoln McClutchie (4/4) 25', 34', 39', 40' Connor McLeod (2/3) 68', 79'	Report	Try: James Tofa 18' Ben Wyness 35' Con: Ben Wyness (1/2) 36' Cards: Tietie Tuimauga  66'

North Harbour	23–22	Auckland
Try: James Little 42' Luteru Tolai 63' Con: Bryn Gatland (2/2) 43', 64' Pen: Bryn Gatland (3/3) 5', 23', 40'	Report	Try: AJ Lam 13' Tumua Manu 17' Akira Ioane 75' Con: Harry Plummer (2/3) 14', 76' Pen: Harry Plummer (1/1) 39' Cards: Zarn Sullivan  19' Marcel Renata  61'

Waikato	27–20	Taranaki
Try: Beaudein Waaka 9' Rivez Reihana 61' Liam Messam 66' Con: Fletcher Smith (1/1) 10' Rivez Reihana (2/2) 62', 67' Pen: Fletcher Smith (2/4) 23', 40' Cards: Luke Jacobson  31'	Report	Try: Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (2) 32', 58' Daniel Rona 70' Con: Jayson Potroz (1/3) 33' Pen: Jayson Potroz (1/1) 13'

Week 8[edit]

Northland	8–24	North Harbour
Try: Scott Gregory 61' Con: Dan Hawkins (0/1) Pen: Johnny Cooper (1/1) 14' Cards: Ross Wright  33' Scott Gregory  76'	Report	Try: Luteru Tolai 29' Bryn Gatland 40' Fine Inisi 74' Con: Bryn Gatland (3/3) 30', 40', 75' Pen: Bryn Gatland (1/2) 12' Cards: Bryn Gatland  57'

Bay of Plenty	22–17	Hawke's Bay
Try: Kaleb Trask (2) 6', 65' Emoni Narawa 34' Con: Kaleb Trask (2/3) 35', 66' Pen: Kaleb Trask (1/1) 13' Cards: Jordan Lay  15' Ross Geldenhuys  79'	Report	Try: Lolagi Visinia 3' Jonah Lowe 17' Ash Dixon 28' Con: Caleb Makene (1/3) 18' Cards: Jonah Lowe  56'

Taranaki	27–31	Counties Manukau
Try: Stephen Perofeta 19' Lewis Ormond 36' Mitchell Crosswell 55' Sean Wainui 64' Con: Jayson Potroz (2/4) 20', 65' Pen: Jayson Potroz (1/1) 71'	Report	Try: Jason Robertson 34' Jonathan Taumateine 47' Kirisi Kuridrani 50' Etene Nanai-Seturo 77' Con: Jason Robertson (4/4) 35', 48', 51', 78' Pen: Jason Robertson (1/1) 40' Cards: Clinton Malolua  80+5'

Week 9[edit]

North Harbour	32–5	Counties Manukau
Try: Jared Page 11' Luteru Tolai 47' Teague McElroy 63' Tomas Aoake 69' Con: Bryn Gatland (3/4) 12', 48', 64' Pen: Bryn Gatland (2/2) 40', 73'	Report	Try: Kirisi Kuridrani 51' Con: Jason Robertson (0/1) Cards: Alamanda Motuga  65'

Week 10[edit]

Counties Manukau	25–17	Southland
Try: Sione Molia 31' Cameron Roigard 42' Zuriel Togiatama 78' Con: Jason Robertson (2/3) 32', 43' Pen: Jason Robertson (2/2) 60', 72'	Report	Try: Tevita Latu 46' Tony Lamborn 55' Talemaitoga Tuapati 80+1' Con: Scott Eade (1/2) 56' Greg Dyer (0/1) Cards: Charles Alaimalo  37'

Northland	28–17	Waikato
Try: Sam Nock 12' Lua Li 26' Jordan Olsen 50' Scott Gregory 63' Con: Johnny Cooper (4/4) 13', 27', 51', 64'	Report	Try: Luke Jacobson 2' Valynce Crosby-Te Whare 33' Con: Beaudein Waaka (2/2) 3', 34' Pen: Beaudein Waaka (1/1) 15' Cards: Quinn Tupaea  64'

Wellington	31–5	Manawatu
Try: Xavier Numia 30' Pepesana Patafilo 42' Teariki Ben-Nicholas 61' Vince Aso 66' Sam Smith 79' Con: Jackson Garden-Bachop (2/4) 31', 43' Billy Proctor (1/1) 80' Cards: Pepesana Patafilo  76'	Report	Try: Josiah Maraku 25' Con: Bryn Wilson (0/1) Cards: Drew Wild  57'

Bay of Plenty	37–33	North Harbour
Try: Kurt Eklund 32' Joe Webber 35' Jeff Thwaites 53' Emoni Narawa 55' Nathan Vella 70' Con: Kaleb Trask (3/5) 36', 54', 71' Pen: Kaleb Trask (2/2) 24', 80' Cards: Kurt Eklund  19'	Report	Try: Luteru Tolai (2) 5', 45' Tomas Aoake 14' Penalty try 19' Zane Turner 73' Con: Bryn Gatland (3/4) 6', 15', 46'