Auckland's willingness to run the ball in difficult conditions have paid dividends with a 32-22 win over Waikato at a wet Eden Park.
The home side scored four tries, all featuring some expansive rugby.
Two of them went to two of their most dangerous attackers, fullback Charles Piutau and winger George Moala.
Waikato preferred to muscle their way up the middle and all three of their touchdowns - two of them to skipper and No.8 Alex Bradley - came from the work of their forwards.
The result lifts Auckland to among the frontrunners in the national provincial championship's Premiership with a 3-1 win-loss record, while Waikato are at 1-2 and remain in the bottom half of the table.
The first half was a tit-for-tat between Auckland's backline and Waikato's pack.
Both teams scored two tries, with Auckland's coming via Piutau and centre Malakai Fekitoa.
Piutau showed good strength to barge over after an initial burst by Moala to open the scoring.
Fekitoa's effort took Auckland out to a 15-5 lead and came from a long-range attack that featured Piutau and second five-eighths Hadleigh Parkes.
Waikato responded with two tries that came from their forwards' endeavours up-front.
Flanker Zac Hohneck grabbed their first after the forwards rumbled ahead from a lineout.
Bradley got their second when they won a tighthead with a big shunt at a scrum on Auckland's goal-line.
Up just 18-15 early in the second half, Auckland opened out the gap with quick tries to replacement No.8 Joe Edwards and Moala.
Another dominant Waikato scrum produced a second try for Bradley, and Trent Renata's conversion made it a 10-point game.
The visitors came home strongly, but couldn't close the gap further as Auckland tightened up their defence.
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