Takapuna's unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt at the hands of a hot to trot Massey, unleashing their best performance of the season in winning 43-17 at Onewa Domain.
Massey thus clinch the Willie's Cup, in honour of the late Willie Halaifonua, a former Takapuna, who tragically died in 2013.
Glenfield will be delighted with their 54-8 performance against an honest Mahurangi side which has worked hard all season without much reward. Tanimoa Samoa scored two of the eight Glenfield tries, with David Halaufia racking up 19 points from his six goals and a try.
North Shore enjoyed the sun on their backs and a fast, hard track at Marist, running in 10 tries as they consolidated their position at the top of the table and consigned Marist to a winless streak after round one. Tevita Tonga'uiha scored a hat-trick, with Daniel Lee a brace.
Silverdale showed their desperation as they battled to a high scoring 34-24 win over Western. The Pioneers were equally desperate, and stayed in the battle for the 80, but ultimately were run over by a classy side that showed their depth and clinched the Country Cup for their trouble. Former Poverty Bay and East Coast five-eighths Clayton Kiwara was among the five tryscorers and kicked a goal for good measure. The score was locked at 19-all at one stage before Silverdale came home strong.
Auckland
(Blue pool)
University 32 Mt Wellington 25
Marist 36 Papatoetoe 19
Waitemata 31 Suburbs 23
East Tamaki 27 Waitakere City 26
(White pool)
Ponsonby 27 Eden 3
(Sir Fred Allen Memorial Challenge Cup)
Pakuranga 33 Te Papapa-Onehunga 26
College Rifles 25 Manukau 21
Grammar TEC 52 Otahuhu 3
Waitemata are sitting pretty, unbeaten at the top of the Blue pool, and with the Best of the West Trophy still in their possession, after a deserved 31-23 victory over Suburbs at Waitemata Park.
In unseasonally hot conditions, Waitemata led 16-9 at halftime, but we were yet to see their best work. Both teams were error-ridden and especially frail under the high ball. But when Waitemata passed well and used midfielders James Tamatoa and Jerome Sio effectively on the cut, they made inroads into a Suburbs side that had the dominant scrum. Wing Karl Siemsen was first to benefit, scoring in the corner after just five minutes. A superb pass in the tackle by flanker Malu Fuimaono saw halfback Filo Lepou dive over out wide to take the home side to a seven-point advantage after the boot of Suburbs captain Carl Perry had kept the visitors in touch.
Waitemata left wing Sam Aolele was the dominant figure of the second spell, scoring two nice tries with pace and guile. The first can be partially attributed to solid lead-up work by hooker Bruce Simpson, while the second stemmed from a counter-attack where Sio laid on the final pass. That brace was matched by Suburbs No 11 Bruno Tuivai, his first from a bust by fullback Pisi Leilua and the second with three minutes to run which reduced the margin to eight.
Elsewhere in the Blue pool, University struggled to put away Mt Wellington 32-25, needing 22 points from the boot of Tyrone Elkington to edge the fixture. A brace to William Raea helped Marist to a good 36-19 victory over Papatoetoe. Waitakere City secured two bonus points, but fell just short of their first win of 2016, in the 26-27 loss to East Tamaki. There are six very competitive sides vying for four round two berths in this cut-throat pool.
In the White pool, Pakuranga had to fight hard to retain the Sir Fred Allen Memorial Challenge Cup, beating Te Papapa-Onehunga 33-26, with five tries to four. Ponsonby defeated Eden 27-3, while leaders Grammar TEC smashed hapless Otahuhu 52-3. College Rifles can thank a double to wing Joseva Ravouvou and another try to 2015 Northland halfback Kurt Davies for the 25-21 win over Manukau Rovers. - Campbell Burnes
Counties Manukau
(Challenge Cup)
Bombay 45 Ardmore-Marist 25
Papakura 18 Te Kauwhata 13
Karaka 32 Patumahoe 18
Manurewa 40 Weymouth 10
Onewhero 17 Waiuku 7
Karaka are now the holders of the Counties Power Cup after a fine 32-18 performance to hand Patumahoe their first defeat of the Challenge Cup.
Not only do Karaka win the Power Cup, but they take the Trevor Wymer Memorial Cup and rise to the top of the Challenge Cup standings.
The highlight was a hat-trick to former North Otago wing Tenina Sauileoge and a try to hooker Sione Anga'aelangi to mark his 100th match. Patumahoe's Sam Furniss ran in a double as his side slips to third on the log.
Bombay proved too strong for Ardmore Marist, winning 45-25 at Bruce Pulman Park. A solo brace to centre Sam Vaka and some accurate goalkicking by Ki Anufe were some of the highlights as Bombay flexed their muscle to sit second, on points differential. The Bombay bench also offered maximum impact while the scrum was solid.
Onewhero held off another solid defensive effort from Waiuku to win 17-7 at Waiuku.
Reginald Sikivou and Luke Makris scored Onewhero's tries, while Jeff Tupu scored for Waiuku. Steelers prop Sean Bagshaw was Onewhero's player of the day, while lock Kieran Whyte was also outstanding.
Papakura picked up their second win of the season, with an 18-13 victory over Te Kauwhata. It was tight at halftime, with the score locked at 10-all. Halfback Shirley Halasima scored a fine solo try, which proved critical for Papakura.
At the Laurie Gibbons Domain, Manurewa defeated Weymouth 40-10, with Manurewa running in six tries to one, building on a 26-3 halftime lead to record their third victory and rising to seventh.
Drury have now withdrawn from both the premier and reserves competitions, hence one less game being played in this round.
Thames Valley
(Silcock Shield)
Tairua 26 Hauraki North 23
Mercury Bay 24 Te Aroha COBRAS 22
Waihou 55 Paeroa West 0
Waihi Athletic 62 Thames 5
Bay of Plenty
(Baywide)
Whakatane Marist 45 Whakarewarewa 18
Te Puke Sports 43 Paroa 17
Greerton Marist 42 Opotiki 3
Rotoiti 25 Tauranga Sports 18
Te Puna 29 Mt Maunganui 27
Rangataua 45 Arataki 14
Waikato
Hautapu 38 Hamilton Marist 21
Melville 50 Morrinsville Sports 5
University 77 United Matamata Sports 19
Otorohanga 39 Fraser Tech 30
Hamilton Old Boys 30 Te Awamutu Sports 29
King Country
Taupo Sports 32 Waitete 20
Taumarunui Districts 46 Taupo Sports B 26
Waitomo 113 Kio Kio 5
Taumarunui Rugby and Sports 24 Pio Pio 19
East Coast
Uawa 28 TVC 8
Tokararangi 114 Tawhiti 14
Tokomaru Bay United 32 Hicks Bay 24
Poverty Bay
YMP 14 Ngatapa 12
HSOB 18 OBM 6
Waikohu 20 Pirates 8
Hawke's Bay
(Tui Nash Cup)
MAC 79 Tamatea 10
Clive 33 Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 22
Napier Technical 23 Hastings Rugby and Sports 20
Havelock North 24 Napier Old Boys-Marist 12
Taradale 23 Central 14
Taranaki
Southern 29 Spotswood United 23
Clifton 20 Inglewood 19
Tukapa 20 Coastal 18
NPOB 32 Stratford 19
Wanganui
Marist 62 Ratana 13
Kaierau 46 Utiku OB 22
Ruapehu 34 Pirates 20
Taihape 36 Border 30
Manawatu
Old Boys-Marist 41 Kia Toa 38
College Old Boys 17 Varsity 15
Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 32 Linton 20
Te Kawau 25 Freyberg 14
Wairarapa-Bush
(Moose Kapene Cup)
Marist 35 East Coast 27
Gladstone 26 Martinborough 17
Eketahuna 20 Greytown 13
(Nunn Shield)
Carterton 48 Pioneer 3
Horowhenua Kapiti
Levin College Old Boys 40 Waikanae 40
Paraparaumu 22 Shannon 10
Foxton 44 Athletic 8
Toa 16 Levin Wanderers 16
Wellington
(Swindale Shield)
Old Boys-University 45 Hutt Old Boys-Marist 38
Avalon Wolves 36 Johnsonville 18
Marist St Pat's 64 Northern United 15
Poneke 35 Petone 17
Tawa 25 Wainuiomata 23
Oriental-Rongotai 50 Upper Hutt Rams 25
Wellington 43 Paremata-Plimmerton
(April 27)
Wainuiomata 20 Avalon Wolves 8
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 34 Paremata-Plimmerton 8
Upper Hutt Rams 53 Johnsonville 15
Oriental-Rongotai 54 Marist-St Pat's 21
Old Boys-University 34 Northern United 29
Wellington 16 Petone 9
Tawa 10 Poneke 9
Tasman
(Tasman Trophy)
Marist 57 Moutere 17
Stoke 23 Waitohi 20
Kahurangi 24 Harlequins 20
Wanderers 57 Renwick 36
Nelson 47 Central 24
Waimea Old Boys 28 East Coast 13
Buller
Ngakawau/Karamea 44-14 Westport
White Star 36-17 Reefton
West Coast
(New Forrest Trophy)
Blaketown 41 Marist 12
Wests 48 Grey Valley 13
Kiwi 24 South Westland 10
Canterbury
(Metro)
HSOB 23 Lincoln University 21
Sydenham 77 Belfast 0
Christchurch 48 Shirley 0
University 51 Burnside 19
New Brighton 28 Sumner 8
Linwood 31 Marist Albion 14
Mid Canterbury/(Canterbury Country)
Hampstead 22 Methven 17
Southbridge 32 Glenmark 23
Saracens 13 Burnham/Dunsandel/Irwell 10
Lincoln 53 Rolleston 27
Kaiapoi 26 West Melton 3
Waihora 43 Oxford 6
Ashley v Celtic: abandoned with injury
Darfield 22 Prebbleton 7
Rakaia 31 Hornby 20
Southern 55 Ohoka 18
South Canterbury
Celtic 96 Geraldine 0
Pleasant Point 19 Old Boys 13
Harlequins 26 Temuka 18
Waimate 23 MacKenzie 21
North Otago
Old Boys 49 Athletic Marist 5
Kurow 40 Valley 12
Maheno 27 Excelsior 17- Clyde
Otago
(Metro)
Dunedin 32 Southern 23
Taieri 68 Pirates 19
Kaikorai 27 Alhambra-Union 25
University A 44 Green Island 24
Harbour 66 Zingari-Richmond 24
Southland
Woodlands 25 Marist 6
Pirates-Old Boys 33 Blues 13
Eastern-Northern Barbarians 39 Star 10
