Auckland vs Bay of Plenty NPC preview: Confirmed lineups

Home team	Auckland
Away team	Bay of Plenty
Venue	Eden Park
Competition	NPC
Kick-off time	8:10 am (UK) 7:10 pm (NZ)
Watch Live in the UK	NPC Youtube Channel

Auckland vs Bay of Plenty preview as the sides meet in round five of the NPC.

The teams sit eighth and ninth in the table after four games. The Bay of Plenty have won two matches, while also picking up five bonus points, while Auckland have only won one match, but with four bonus points are sitting on eight points.

Read more match previews for all your rugby action here

Auckland vs Bay of Plenty confirmed lineups

Auckland			Bay of Plenty
Forwards
Fusitu’a		1		Kumeroa
Pole		2		Kolose
Ta’avao		3		Mafileo
Cribb		4		Ah Kuoi
Beehre		5		Knight
Clark		6		Johnston
Platt		7		Lasaqa
Nofoagatotoa		8		Broughton
Backs
Fines-Leleiwasa		9		Sinton
Harford		10		Cashmore
Saunoa		11		Van Vugt
Taele		12		Paul
Latu		13		Armstrong
Spencer		14		Ware
Simpson		15		Forbes
Replacements
Fonokalafi		16		Tupou
Ake		17		Rounds
Faleafa		18		F Vakasiuola
Cordukes		19		A Vakasiuola
Woodley		20		Felise
Arscott		21		Judd
Foliaki		22		Hohepa
Tito-Harris		23		Lea

Recent Form:

Auckland (Home team): 

Result	Date	Competition	Opponent	Score
Loss	22nd August 2026	NPC	North Harbour	27-19
Loss	15th August 2026	NPC	Hawkes Bay	31-44
Won	8th August 2026	NPC	Wellington	34-31
Loss	1st August 2026	NPC	Canterbury	38-31
Loss	3rd October 2025	NPC	Otago	17-51

Auckland have only won one game so far this year, coming in round two. In their last two matches they have lost by just outside losing bonus point range. Against North Harbour, Auckland held the lead after 33 minutes, but two tries for the opposition left them 24-14 behind at the break. Auckland would score early in the second half, but a Harbour penalty would push them past the bonus point margin. 

Bay of Plenty (Away team): 

Result	Date	Competition	Opponent	Score
Won	22nd August 2026	NPC	Taranaki	28-24
Loss	15th August 2026	NPC	Canterbury	33-28
Won	8th August 2026	NPC	Northland	34-31
Loss	30th July 2026	NPC	Waikato	38-26
Loss	17th October 2025	NPC Playoffs	Otago	41-17

Bay of Plenty bounced back from their Ranfurly Shield defeat in gameweek three, with a win over Taranaki. The Bay of Plenty were 21-7 ahead at half-time and despite two Taranaki tries shortly after the break a Nikora Broughton extended the lead out enough that a late Taranaki try would still give the Bay of Plent the victory.

Auckland vs Bay of Plenty head-to-head record (last five matches):

Date	Competition	Winner	Score
6th October 2024	NPC	Bay of Plenty	24-26
6th August 2023	NPC	Auckland	30-32
21st August 2022	NPC	Bay of Plenty	17-21
2nd October 2020	NPC	Auckland	16-20
24th August 2019	NPC	Auckland	19-13

The last five meetings between these team have been decided by less than one score with the last two games being won by two points by the away side. An away victory has taken place in the last four games.