Tasman rugby's road ahead becomes clearer

The Tasman Mako have just two more competition round robin games remaining in this season’s Bunnings NPC rugby competition.

Today the draw for the remainder of the NPC season was released, featuring the 11 provincial unions outside of the Auckland region.

There are four weeks of round robin matches, with Premiership and Championship semi-finals and finals scheduled for the second and third weekend of November.

The Mako will play Bay of Plenty, who they beat earlier in the season, in a non-competition match at Trafalgar Park in Nelson on Sunday October 17, kick-off 2.05pm.

Non-competition matches have been added to the draw to ensure teams don’t go two weeks without a match after the three Auckland region sides withdrew from the competition.

Following the Steamers match, the Mako have a week off before travelling south to meet Canterbury in Christchurch on Friday October 29, with a 7.05pm kick off.

Their final round robin game is in Blenheim, taking on Wellington at Lansdowne Park on Saturday, November 6, the match starting at 2.05pm.

Following that, on November 12-13, semi-finals will be played in both premiership and championship sections.

Both finals will take place on the weekend of November 19-20.

There will be no promotion or relegation for any teams this season.

Tasman are currently second on the premiership ladder but will likely require wins against Canterbury and Wellington if they are to be assured of a home semi-final berth.