Ruthless Taranaki clinch NPC semifinal spot after Bradley Slater hat-trick against North Harbour

Taranaki have continued their high-scoring late season form and secured a place in the NPC semifinals with a 50-31 win over North Harbour on the North Shore.

In the first meeting between these teams this season, Taranaki hooker Bradley Slater was once again the star with a hat-trick of tries in his side's eight-try rout.

Slater had also scored three tries against Harbour last season.

In a tit for tat first half, Harbour winger Rory Taylor scored in the second minute of the match when he was on the end of a move that began at a lineout, went through several sets of hands, and was sealed with him crossing the try line in the corner to give the home side a dream start.