The upshot is that Northcote are tied at the top of the log with Massey, who scored a 22-9 win over Marist via two doubles to Junior and Mark Telea. Massey's set-piece laid the platform, while there was a tremendous halfback tussle between Massey's Nalu Tuigamala and Marist's Raymond Daniels.
Silverdale toasted Evan Marshall's 40th and blazer game with a 32-23 win over North Shore. Zane Turner scored a double, but Silverdale had to bring it in the second spell after trailing 18-10 at oranges. Daniel Lee scored 18 points, including two tries, for the vanquished.
Glenfield outscored Kumeu three tries to two, including a double to Brandon Payn, but the westerners won 29-22 largely thanks to 19 points from the boot of Todd Doolan.
East Coast Bays hold fifth position thanks to their 40-12 result over Mahurangi, which featured a hat-trick to Judah Moala-Liava'a. New Zealand Universities rep Harrison Groundwater, who has come up from Lincoln University in Canterbury, kicked three conversions.
Auckland
(Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield)
Suburbs 24 Pakuranga 19
Ponsonby 40 College Rifles 20
University 33 Eden 22
Grammar TEC 36 Manukau Rovers 19
(Portola Trophy)
Waitakere City 37 East Tamaki 19
Marist 40 Papatoetoe 24
Waitemata 25 Otahuhu 15
Suburbs are now 2-0 in the Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield, but they know they survived a torrid encounter to edge Pakuranga 24-19 at Shadbolt Park.
In the final analysis, the home side did score four tries to one and had one try disallowed, so they will feel they had the better of the game, especially when they exerted control and monopolised field position in the pivotal final quarter.
Pakuranga relied on some aggressive work by their forwards, led by blindside flanker Ezra Meleisea and Blues and Northland loosehead prop Namatahi Waa, plus the boot of Wiseguy Faiane, who kicked four from five before he had to limp off.
Suburbs had the better of the opening quarter, however, racing to a 12-0 lead after some weak Pakuranga defence allowed No 7 Leif Schwencke to score, while fullback Lolagi Visinia scored a fine solo try from a chip and regather counter-attack. The visitors did well to claw back the initiative, Waa scoring near the posts. They led 16-12 at the break.
But Suburbs tightened up their game, halfback Rameka Paraki darting over on the short side before No 6 Jamason Fa'anana-Schultz ploughed over from a lineout drive to complete the scoring.
Elsewhere, Ponsonby gave one of their better displays of the season in beating College Rifles 40-20, scoring six tries to three including one to former Samoan Sevens and Under 20 player Danny Tusitala. First five Will Talataina-Mu scored 15 points, including a try.
University, with a Brenton Helleur double, beat Eden 33-22 at Gribblehirst Park, while Grammar TEC did well to repel a fast-finishing Manukau Rovers 36-19. Brendan Ward crossed for two tries for the 2016 Gallaher Shield finalists.
In the Portola Trophy, Waitakere City won an impressive 37-19 victory over East Tamaki. Marist beat Papatoetoe 40-24, with leading tryscorer Salesi Rayasi adding a five-pointer for Marist. Sam Aolele's brace helped Waitemata to a 25-15 result over Otahuhu. - Campbell Burnes
Counties Manukau
(McNamara Cup)
Pukekohe 27 Papakura 8
Bombay 22 Ardmore-Marist 3
Manurewa 27 Te Kauwhata 13
Patumahoe 24 Onewhero 5
Karaka 29 Waiuku 12
Three pushover tries, two of which were scored by halfback Liam Daniela, highlighted Bombay's 22-3 victory at Bruce Pulman Park over Ardmore-Marist.
The victory sees Bombay maintain the Counties Power Cup and a one-point lead over Patumahoe in the race for the McNamara Cup. The Bombay pack laid the platform for the win, with their scrum, in particular, a dominant force.
Patumahoe fullback Jonny Wilkinson celebrated his 100th game for his club, at the tender age of 24, with two goals in the 24-5 victory over Onewhero. Wilkinson, who leads all scorers, did receive a yellow card for his trouble, while hooker Joe Royal scored a brace.
Patumahoe's defence was one of their most admirable traits.
Karaka remained in the battle for a top two spot and a home semifinal with a solid 29-12, five tries to two, win over Waiuku.
They took advantage of a 14-0 halftime lead to bank a four-try bonus point in the second half to ensure they remain in third place and within a win of the competition lead.
Pukekohe made it three wins on the bounce, defeating Papakura 27-8, with Steelers Gafatasi Su'a (2) and Cameron Skelton among the tries. However, it was not quite the performance Pukekohe was after, and if they are to maintain their slim semifinals hopes, they will need to up the ante over the next month.
Manurewa overturned a 13-12 halftime deficit to finish on top of Te Kauwhata 27-13.
In a tight round for the premier competition, no club scored more than 30 points over the five games.
Thames Valley
Cobras 17 Waihou 15
Hauraki North 22 Thames 3
Waihi Athletic 22 Mercury Bay 20
Bay of Plenty
(Baywide premier)
Te Puke Sports 53 Whakarewarewa 17
Te Puna 43 Tauranga Sports 37
Rotoiti 17 Mt Maunganui 16
Rangataua 24 Greerton Marist 24
Waikato
Hautapu 19 Fraser Tech 17
Hamilton Old Boys 42 United Matamata Sports 9
Melville 31 University 27
King Country
Taumarunui Eels 36 Taupo United 5
Piopio 23 Taumarunui Districts 22
Taupo Sports A 89 Bush United 5
Tongariro 77 Kio Kio 9
Waitete 10 Waitomo 0
Poverty Bay
HSOB 37 YMP 18
Waikohu 26 Wairoa Athletic 8
Pirates 36 OBM 22
Hawke's Bay
(Tui Maddison Trophy)
Napier Old Boys-Marist 44 Havelock North 12
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 22 Central 19
Hastings Rugby and Sports 36 Taradale 22
Clive 28 MAC 24
Napier Tech 83 Tamatea 21
Taranaki
Spotswood United 23 Southern 18
Clifton 34 Stratford-Eltham 20
Coastal 31 Inglewood United 17
Tukapa 22 NPOB 13
Wanganui
Ngamatapouri 30 Marist 28
Pirates 18 Border 18
Taihape 45 Kaierau 20
Ruapehu 29 Utiku Old Boys 3
Manawatu
Feilding 16 Varsity 14
Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 36 Linton 26
Old Boys-Marist 48 Kia Toa 13
College Old Boys 66 Freyberg 3
As Manawatu senior one club rugby nears the playoffs, there is still an upset of two to be had.
Kia Toa are battling at present as their injury tally moves into double figures and Old Boys-Marist are desperate to start making things click. Therefore it was no surprise to see OBM get the better of Kia Toa in a match where defence looked optional. The flipside of this is there were tries aplenty with OBM leading 26-13 at halftime and almost doubling their score in the second half.
Varsity faced their bogey team Feilding at the university and that was by no means going to be a stroll in the park. The students were behind early and trailed at the break 16-7.
The only points in the second half came from the students. However, discipline and an accurate Ben Wyness boot meant that the Challenge Cup will now rest in Feilding for at least week.
Linton were also looking to upset the applecart by spoiling the Feilding Old Boys-Oroua party. They led 21-19 at the break, however the young Stags managed to run them down in the second half with Tom Stewart having a good day with the boot, keeping FOBO in touch throughout.
College Old Boys looked to have the wood over Freyberg early on and continued to apply pressure as they press towards the playoffs, racking up a big 66-3 score to round out the results.
Horowhenua KapitiShannon 20 College Old Boys 18
Foxton 32 Athletic 7
Waikanae 46 Wanderers 10
Paraparaumu 38 Rahui 19
Wairarapa-Bush
Marist 34 East Coast 24
Pioneer 33 Martinborough 31
Greytown 27 Eketahuna 24
Gladstone 23 Carterton 14
Wellington
(Jubilee Cup)
Marist St Pat's 19 Petone 17
Wainuiomata 19 Tawa 8
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 24 Oriental-Rongotai 15
Old Boys-University 36 Northern United 10
(Hardham Cup)
Wellington 22 Avalon Wolves 12
Johnsonville 48 Paremata-Plimmerton 12
Upper Hutt Rams 35 Poneke 16
Tasman
(Marlborough)
Moutere 42 Harlequins 28
Waitohi 24 Central 21
Renwick 41 East Coast 27
(Nelson Bays)
Marist 28 Waimea Old Boys 21
Stoke 27 Nelson 17
Wanderers 28 Kahurangi 23
(Queen's Birthday Monday)
(Tasman Trophy final)
Waimea Old Boys 31 Nelson 28 (et)
Buller
White Star 45 Ngakawau-Karamea 10
West Coast
Wests 46 South Westland 24
Blaketown 73 Grey Valley 12
Kiwi 37 Marist 17
Canterbury
(Metro)
Sumner 48 Marist Albion 23
HSOB 35 Linwood 34
Burnside 34 Belfast 19
Lincoln University 38 Shirley 12
Christchurch 26 New Brighton 12
Sydenham 27 University 22
(Canterbury Country/Mid Canterbury)
CRSC Trophy:
Saracens 22 Celtic 12
Plate:
Burnham/Dunsandel/Irwell 39 Hornby 3
Plaque:
Ohoka 62 Hampstead 7
Playoffs:
Lincoln 35 Darfield 17
Glenmark 42 Prebbleton 21
Waihora 28 Oxford 14
Kaiapoi 16 Southern 15
South Canterbury
(Hamersley Cup)
Pleasant Point 46 Waimate 26
Temuka 38 MacKenzie 31
Celtic 34 Geraldine 21
North Otago
Kurow 38 Valley 34
Maheno 33 Athletic 31
Old Boys 29 Excelsior 22
Otago
(Dunedin Metro)
Zingari-Richmond 27 University 24
Kaikorai 17 Taieri 8
Harbour 32 Dunedin 0
Green Island 31 Alhambra-Union 29
(Central Otago)
Cromwell 48 Matakanui Combined 31
Maniototo 16 Clyde-Earnscleugh 8
Wakatipu 50 Alexandra 13
Arrowtown 32 Upper Clutha 26
(South Otago)
Toko 32 Clinton 19
Clutha 36 Heriot 21
Lawrence 20 Crescent 15
Clutha Valley 41 Owaka 6
Southland
Woodlands 36 Pirates-Old Boys 7
Eastern-Northern Barbarians 21 Blues 3
Star 33 Marist 7
