Against the form guide, East Coast Bays were deserved 35-30 winners against previously unbeaten North Shore. The visitors failed to take advantage of a strong breeze in the first half and trailed 15-17 at halftime. In the second spell, Bays made better use of the elements with young first five Matt Hodgson directing play well, with strong support in the midfield from former Bay of Plenty ITM Cup player Cory Aporo. The Bays forward pack were well led by Zac Judge, who also had good support from veteran Slade McFarland, playing his 184th game for the club.
Eight-eight points were scored in the game between Mahurangi and Takapuna, won 53-35 by Taka. Helped by the superb weather and field conditions, it made for a real try-fest, but neither coach - Koen McGee for Mahurangi nor Blair Urlich for Takapuna - will be happy with the tries their respective sides leaked. Balancing this though, referee Chris Martin commented in his after-match speech that rugby in North Harbour is in great heart when such spectacular tries are being scored.
Massey continued their impressive start to the season, going past 120 points in just their third game. Once again opposition coaches will be thinking hard on how they can contain this talented group in future weeks. There were doubles to Niko Ratumaitavuki and Tito Sufia. Glenfield, this season's surprise package, with Walter Little at the helm, are showing they are the real deal - proving what a bit of self belief, a solid game plan and some front-foot ball can do, running in four tries in a 35-24 defeat of Northcote.
Auckland
(Blue pool)
University 23 Waitemata 14
Suburbs 83 Maungarua 20
Otahuhu 20 Waitakere City 0
(Sir Fred Allen Memorial Challenge Cup)
Pakuranga 30 Papatoetoe 15
(White pool)
Manukau 20 College Rifles 16
Ponsonby 44 Eden 15
Marist 32 East Tamaki 25
Manukau Rovers cracked the top eight last season and they have designs on that status again in 2015.
They have a made a promising start towards achieving that goal by edging College Rifles 20-16 on their home turf of Williams Park.
Manukau, with the bigger pack, opened the scoring when an offload by prop Alex Vaai freed space for second five Aki Kaumavae. But Rifles, who had first use of the wind, pegged the score back and indeed took the halftime lead at 8-7 after wing Matt Considine crossed for the first of his double from a sweet 8-9-14 scrum move.
His second was a well-taken team try. Rifles were well marshalled by the energetic and penetrative play of No 8 and skipper Hayden Edwards, but he found his equal in his Manukau counterpart Siosiua Kaifa, who scored Manukau's second try from a charge-down. Manukau first five Calvary Fonoti, who was 100 percent off the tee, controlled play astutely in the dying throes. Rifles hauled back the margin to four when Piero Dominguez, son of the great Italian pivot Diego Dominguez, slotted a penalty, but Rovers hung on for a precious win.
The most significant result of the day came at Papatoetoe, in the blue pool, where the home side relinquished the Sir Fred Allen Challenge Cup to Pakuranga 30-15. The east Aucklanders won that silverware for the first time, using the first half wind to good effect and via 15 points from pivot Mitch Hunt.
Elsewhere in the blue pool, Suburbs dispatched Maungarua 83-20, scoring 13 tries. First five and captain Carl Perry racked up 23 points, while Angsta Sae and the speedy Gavin Williams-Spiers scored doubles. Otahuhu opened with a 20-0 win over Waitakere City, while University, led by outstanding flanker Mitch Karpik, defeated Waitemata 23-14, for whom No 8 Ari Hunt led the way.
In the other two white pool games, Marist relied on a late try to overcome a resurgent East Tamaki 32-25, and Ponsonby beat Eden 44-15, with the veteran first five Murray Williams scoring 16 points.
Counties Manukau
(Challenge Cup)
Pukekohe 89 Drury 0
Onewhero 80 Weymouth 0
Waiuku 50 Te Kauwhata 0
Karaka 74 Papakura 5
Ardmore-Marist 28 Patumahoe 24
Bombay 38 Manurewa 19
Ardmore Marist beat hosts Patumahoe 28-24 and did it by keeping their starting 15 on the field for the whole 80 minutes.
Patumahoe scored four tries, including a converted one at the death to Jonny Wilkinson, but the boot of Jonathan Taumateine was decisive for the victors. He and flanker Richard Mariota were outstanding for Ardmore-Marist. Taumateine combined well with captain and halfback Jason Guthrie, who directed the game well in the second half. For Patumahoe, their forward pack were strong and it was a good day for the Furniss clan, with young lock Will playing well and centre Sam being awarded the player of the day honour.
Bombay kept their noses in front of Ardmore-Marist on the log with a bonus point 38-19 victory over Manurewa. Centre Sam Vaka scored a brace, while Reece Joyce was flawless off the tee. Prop Kalolo Tuiloma was in fine form.
The other matches were all blowouts. Onewhero posted 12 tries in an 80-0 drubbing of Weymouth, three players recording doubles.
Pukekohe sit at the top of the table and remain the only unbeaten team, after their 89-0 victory over Drury. Maama Vaipulu was released by the Chiefs and scored a try, while former Auckland hooker Gafatasi Sua also got on the scoresheet.
Waiuku was the third team of the week to keep their opposition scoreless when they racked up 50 against Te Kauwhata. Armyn Sanders picked up a brace of tries.
Karaka are second on the table after their 74-5 victory over Papakura. The latter's Tevitamoeaki Pupu put his side on the board when he scored 15 minutes into the second spell. But it was all Karaka the rest of the time. In his first run for Karaka, new lock Mike Lawrence had an impressive work-rate on defence and cleaning out rucks. Other standouts were Sione Molia, who scored four tries, and Desma Liaina.
Thames Valley
Te Aroha COBRAS 20 Hauraki North 15
Paeroa West 19 Waihou 17
Mercury Bay 17 Waihou 5
Thames 62 Ngatea 16
Bay of Plenty
(Western BOP)
Te Puke Sports 32 Greerton-Marist 24
Tauranga Sports 60 Rangataua 22
Mt Maunganui 22 Te Puna 21
(Central BOP)
Whakarewarewa 29 Waikite 8
Rotoiti 78 Marist St Michael's 7
Kahukura 10 Ngongotaha 0
(Eastern BOP)
Opotiki 37 Te Teko 10
Paroa 44 Ruatoki 8
Whakatane Marist 38 Poroporo 31
In the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Opotiki continued their standing as genuine Baywide contenders with a solid victory over Te Teko in the extremities of the sub-union.
The 37-10 win cemented the Opotiki lead at the top of the Eastern Bay championship standings. Whakatane Marist had an arm-wrestle with Poroporo before posting a hard-fought 38-31 win. The Marist team's latest victory puts them in the box seat to take the last Baywide premier berth up for grabs in the Eastern Bay. Paroa won their first game of the season when they got past Ruatoki 44-8.
Tauranga Sports continue to lead the Western Bay of Plenty premier competition, with an unbeaten record, after beating Rangataua 60-22 at the Tauranga Domain. The home side ran in nine tries, with John Dodd adding six conversions and a penalty goal. One Tauranga Sports player to impress was 18-year-old flanker Tomas Allen in his first season of premier rugby.
A genuine arm-wrestle took place at Maramatanga Park, where Mount Maunganui sneaked home by a solitary point from hosts Te Puna. Mt Maunganui opened the scoring early in the game, courtesy of try from flying winger Danny Kayes. However, the home side came back to lead 8-5 at the halftime break. The visitors led by eight late in the encounter, before Te Puna replied with a converted touchdown, with the final scoreline of 22-21 to the visitors reflecting a real tussle.
Te Puke Sports posted their first win of the local competition, after a couple of narrow defeats, when they got past Greerton-Marist 32-24.
Rotoiti and Whakarewarewa warmed up for their top of the table clash in the Rotorua Banner competition next weekend, when they both posted wins. Whakarewarewa had to fight for their win over Waikite, before kicking away for a 29-8 victory. The Whaka touchdowns were awarded to Hayden Baird, Te Rangi Fraser, Tysone Stephens and Tim vant Leven.
It was mostly one-way traffic at Emery Park, where Rotoiti ran over Marist St Michael's 78-7. Kahukura ground out their first success of the Rotorua championship, in a 10-nil win against Ngongotaha.
Waikato
Melville 20 Morrinsville Sports 9
Hamilton Marist 23 Fraser Tech 16
Hamilton Old Boys 27 United Matamata Sports 12
Otorohanga 29 Te Awamutu Sports 14
University 50 Hautapu 44
King Country
Taumarunui 19 Waitete 8
Waitimo 29 Tongariro 10
Taupo Sports 29 Coast 14
Kio Kio 52 Taumarunui Districts 18
East Coast
Hikurangi 27 Waiapu 25
Hicks Bay 82 TVC 0
Tokomaru Bay United 13 Tawhiti 10
Tokararangi 22 Ruatoria City 16
Poverty Bay
HSOB 22 Ngatapa 10
OBM 42 Pirates 7
Hawke's Bay
(Tui Nash Cup)
MAC 51 Tamatea 11
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 22 Havelock North 10
Taradale 45 Hastings Rugby and Sports 3
Napier Technical 44 Clive 19
Napier Old Boys Marist 60 Central 21
Taranaki
Spotswood United 19 Inglewood 13
Clifton 28 Stratford 15
NPOB 56 Coastal 12
Southern 19 Tukapa 17
Wanganui
Utiku OB 34 Ruapehu 31
Taihape 17 Marist 0
Pirates 22 Ratana 5
Manawatu
Varsity 20 Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 15
Kia Toa 48 Linton Army 18
Feilding 30 Te Kawau 18
College Old Boys 93 Freyberg 6
Horowhenua Kapiti
Athletic 23 Shannon 18
Waikanae 81 Levin Wanderers 13
Foxton 25 College Old Boys 19
Wairarapa-Bush
Gladstone 19 Carterton 11
Eketahuna 13 East Coast 10
Greytown 59 Martinborough 5
Marist 17 Pioneer 13
Wellington
(Swindale Shield)
Old Boys-University 72 Johnsonville 13
Wellington 47 Paremata-Plimmerton 8
Oriental-Rongotai 35 Wainuiomata 28
Northern United 30 Poneke 24
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 38 Upper Hutt Rams 25
Marist St Pat's 43 Petone 33
Tawa 54 Avalon 12
Tasman
(Tasman Trophy)
Marist 14 Nelson 6
Waimea OB 35 Stoke 13
Wanderers 39 Kahurangi 0
Central 50 Renwick 0
Harlequins 28 Waitohi 11
Buller
(Albion Cup)
Ngakawau/Karamea 49 Old Boys 7
White Star 32 Westport 26
Canterbury
(Hawkins Cup)
Lincoln University 44 Burnside 8
Marist Albion 40 Belfast 10
Christchurch 26 HSOB 11
Sydenham 29 Sumner 23
New Brighton 48 Shirley 22
University 51 Linwood 17
Mid Canterbury/Canterbury Country
(Section one)
Rakaia 43 Lincoln 27
Prebbleton 51 Kaiapoi 31
Celtic 68 West Melton 5
Glenmark 25 Oxford 15
Southbridge 76 Hornby 7
(Section two)
Methven 52 Ohoka 10
Burnham/Dunsandel/Irwin 20 Hampstead 18
Southern 27 Darfield 24
Waihora 27 Saracens 12
Ashley 25 Rolleston 12
South Canterbury
Celtic 43 Harlequins 20
Waimate 43 Geraldine 15
Pleasant Point 18 MacKenzie 16
Temuka 40 Old Boys 22
North Otago
(Citizens Shield)
Old Boys 99 Maheno 12
Athletic Marist 19 Valley 18
Kurow 27 Excelsior 8
Otago
(Metro)
Dunedin 43 Alhambra-Union 24
Taieri 22 Kaikorai 21
Harbour 39 Zingari-Richmond 7
Southern 29 University A 18
Pirates 37 Green Island 35
(Central Otago)
Upper Clutha 13 Wakatipu 9
Arrowtown 55 Upper Clutha B 0
Maniototo 54 Roxburgh 0
Alexandra 32 Cromwell 14
Matakanui Combined 42 Wakatipu Wanderers 31
(South Otago)
Clutha 57 Owaka 3
Clinton 20 Heriot 18
Toko 30 Clutha Valley 27
