Auckland's grip on their Mitre 10 Cup premiership defence has loosened, with a hammering at the hands of Wellington.
The team from the capital pulled off a clinical 34-15 road win at Eden Park. jumping six-points clear of third-placed Canterbury, with undefeated Tasman already qualified for the playoffs.
With three rounds to go, Auckland, Waikato and North Harbour are set to battle for fourth and a likely trip to Nelson.
Wellington were on the board early on Sunday, when Peter Umaga-Jensen benefited from a Ben Lam break to open the scoring.
The blue-and-white hoops replied at the quarter-hour mark, when impressive hooker Leni Apisai crashed over under the posts, after a sustained period of Auckland pressure.
The sides traded a further two five-pointers, before Harry Plummer gave the home side a halftime lead, when he confidently slotted a late penalty.
But those would be the last points Wellington would concede.
Garden-Bachop put them in front soon after the restart and the lead was extended to nine, after Mataeki Kafatolu's try was converted.
Another penalty took the game beyond Auckland, before Matt Proctor put the icing on the cake with a try seven minutes from time.
Newshub.
