On Thursday night, Takapuna bounced back from a heavy defeat in round one to defeat Silverdale 23-17. The difference between the two sides was Takapuna's ability to hold onto the ball for longer periods. First five Jon Elrick used all his experience to keep the ball in front of the Takapuna pack and kick the points on offer. Silverdale showed patches of why they will still be a force to reckon with and could have snuck a win in the dying minutes, however their control of the ball at crucial moments let them down.
Glenfield went 2-0, also on Thursday night, with a 25-17 win over East Coast Bays, partially thanks to a Matt Peri double, with Michael Little chiming in with four goals.
Northcote stormed back from being blanked on opening weekend with a 54-14 crushing of Marist. Renata Roberts-Tenana, son of former North Harbour, Wellington and NZ Sevens wing Karl Tenana, picked up a hat-trick and kicked six goals to lead the way for 'Cote.
On Good Friday, North Shore retained the Les Pearce Memorial Shield with a 41-12 defeat of a spirited Mahurangi. After a solid first 40 minutes, Mahurangi turned with the breeze 22-9 down and managed to hold North Shore scoreless for the first 25 minutes of the second half, but the home side laid on 19 unanswered points to close out the encounter.
Counties Manukau
(Challenge Cup)
Ardmore-Marist 20 Manurewa 14
Bombay 65 Drury 3
Karaka 32 Patumahoe 13
Pukekohe 50 Onewhero 29
Te Kauwhata 50 Weymouth 10
Waiuku 42 Papakura 0
Ardmore Marist stayed in touch with the Challenge Cup premier leaders via a tight 20-14 victory on their home ground over Manurewa.
Tries to lock Viliame Rarasea, from a 30m burst, and Cameron Flavell, were decisive for Ardmore-Marist, while 'Rewa relied heavily on the boot of Teina Tiavare and a try to Lachlan Collier.
Bombay ran in 10 tries in a 65-3 pummeling of Drury, with Joshua Stol crossing for a hat-trick. One of the other tryscorers was 2013 NZ Schools rep George Taina.
Waiuku moved up to fifth with a 42-0 shutout of Papakura, while Te Kauwhata over-ran Weymouth 50-10.
Pukekohe stayed top of the table, and toasted Codie Newscome's blazer match, with a 50-29 win over Onewhero. In an entertaining tussle, Pukekohe led 25-8 at halftime.
Onewhero weren't going to give up the fight, however, and within 10 minutes had pulled the deficit to within 10 points. But Pukekohe kept them at arm's length through a Jarrod Stevenson hat-trick and 20 points off the tee by Nathan de Thierry, although the visitors did have the final say, scoring a late try.
Karaka had another good clash with Patumahoe before eventually coming away with a 32-13 victory. Jamie Gilbert-Clark was impressive, with two of the side's four tries, while Peni Buakula was dangerous with the ball each time he got his hands on it. Orbyn Leger kicked three goals.
Bay of Plenty
While Western Bay premier rugby took an Easter weekend break, the Eastern Bay of Plenty and Rotorua championships continued during the holiday weekend.
While Whakarewarewa and Rotoiti both posted big wins over the holiday break, they are headed for what should be the Rotorua title decider, in two weeks' time. On Thursday evening, Whakarewarewa posted 57 unanswered points against Marist St Michael's, to easily retain the Tai Mitchell (Rotorua Challenge) Shield and the Sonny Smith Memorial Trophy played between the two clubs. Whaka led 31-0 at the halftime break, with Te Rangi Fraser dotting down three tries and former Rotorua Boys' High youngster Maake Taulahi scoring two tries. Mo Pou Poasa came off the bench to dazzle the crowd in the last 15 minutes, including setting up a Hayden Baird touchdown.
Rotoiti cut loose in the second spell against Kahukura, at Kuirau Park, on Friday afternoon. After holding a relatively narrow 19-9 advantage at the halftime break, Rotoiti upped the ante in the second spell to run out 52-9 victors. Waikite, who are also headed for the Baywide premier competition, re-inked their credentials with a solid 56-13 win over Ngongotaha, at the Ngongotaha Domain.
Over in the Eastern Bay, where there is a battle to take the third Baywide premier place alongside Opotiki and Paroa, Whakatane Marist showed that they were deadly serious about the Baywide berth, taking Opotiki to the wire, before Opotiki claimed a hard-fought 21-18 win.
Paroa lost their second successive encounter when they were beaten by former Baywide premier contenders Te Teko 37-12, while Poroporo got home 36-22 against a game Ruatoki side.
(Central BOP)
Whakarewarewa 57 Marist St Michael's 0
Waikite 56 Ngongotaha 13
Rotoiti 52 Kahukura 9
(Eastern BOP)
Opotiki 21 Whakatane Marist 18
Te Teko 37 Paroa 12
Poroporo 36 Ruatoki 22
Waikato
Hamilton Marist 22 Morrinsville Sports 17
Te Awamutu Sports 23 Hautapu 20
Otorohanga 62 United Matamata Sports 22
Melville 41 University 3
Hamilton Old Boys 20 Fraser Tech 19
King Country
Tongariro 69 Bush 0
Taupo Sports 26 Pio Pio 13
Waitete 18 Kio Kio 15
Taupo United 19 Taumarunui Districts 0
Hawke's Bay
(Tui Nash Cup)
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports Club 34 Hastings Rugby and Sports 22
Havelock North 55 Tamatea 0
Napier Tech 50 Central 20
Taradale 39 Clive 7
Napier Old Boys-Marist 56 MAC 22
Taranaki
Clifton 17 Tukapa 12
NPOB 55 Stratford 7
Inglewood 25 Southern 20
Coastal 38 Spotswood United 22
Wanganui
Pirates 27 Marist 23
Utiku OB 35 Kaierau 29
Border 17 Ruapehu 14
Manawatu
Feilding 24 Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 17
Old Boys-Marist 50 Freyberg 7
College Old Boys 29 Varsity 10
Linton Army 27 Te Kawau 18
Wellington
(Swindale Shield)
Oriental-Rongotai 38 Old Boys-University 27
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 25 Avalon 10
Upper Hutt Rams 41 Paremata-Plimmerton 22
Petone 26 Northern United 11
Marist-St Pat's 23 Poneke 10
Tawa 14 Wellington 10
Wainuiomata 35 Johnsonville 7
Tasman
(Tasman Trophy)
Wanderers 27 Nelson 7
Marist 41 Stoke 30
Waimea OB 48 Kahurangi 10
Central 13 Harlequins 6
Moutere 18 Waitohi 16
Canterbury
(Hawkins Cup)
University 25 Sumner 25
Linwood 27 HSOB 26
New Brighton 43 Marist-Albion 19
Lincoln University 45 Sydenham 10
Christchurch 43 Belfast 3
Mid Canterbury/Canterbury Country
(Section one)
Glenmark 44 Lincoln 20
Oxford 26 West Melton 19
Kaiapoi 28 Hornby 26
Celtic 18 Southbridge 12
Rakaia 13 Prebbleton 10
(Section two)
Burnham/Dunsandel/Irwell 22 Ashley 7
Methven 47 Rolleston 3
Darfield 27 Ohoka 12
Waihora 14 Hampstead 10
Southern 30 Saracens 24
Otago
(Metro)
University A 35 Pirates 21
Zingari-Richmond 28 Kaikorai 22
Southern 48 Alhambra-Union 31
Dunedin 30 Green Island 27
Taieri 31 Harbour 31
(South Otago)
Clutha 18 Clinton 18
Crescent 29 Heriot 24
Toko 24 Owaka 12
Southland
Pirates-Old Boys 21 Eastern-Northern Barbarians 19
Marist 18 Woodlands 17
Star 65 Blues 0
