Kaikorai nearly gave University A a shock as well, scoring two tries in the last quarter of the game. But the students held on to win 28-25 and have confirmed a place in the semifinals.
The other three games were blowouts. Harbour trounced Green Island 99-7. Taieri was too classy for Alhambra Union, winning 67-7, and Southern recovered from a slow start to beat Zingari Richmond 60-28.
Pirates 36
Dunedin 17
So much for round 17 being predictable. Pirates was meant to put up some minor resistance before Dunedin strolled away with the win and the Larry Salmon Memorial at Kettle Park.
That script was revised at halftime with Pirates ahead 24-5. Pirates loose forward Josh Clark had scored after six minutes.
He grabbed a lineout win and was driven towards the line. He popped up on the blindside moments later and took the pass from the ruck to score in the corner.
Fullback Adam Gavegan then swooped on some scraps to help set up a try for George Wigley, who sidestepped a couple of would be tacklers.
Stung into action, Dunedin attacked for a spell and finally broke through with winger Henry Scott scoring.
Pirates responded by running the ball out from behind its own line through Wigley. It was spun wide to Luke Maker, on his premier debut.
He scampered 40m up field and shovelled it back inside to Gavegan, who drew the fullback and passed to Will Scorgie, who scored out wide. On the stroke of halftime, lock Hayden Fleury scored to give Pirates a commanding lead.
Dunedin rallied in the second spell with tries to Greg Dyer and Scott. But the game slipped away when Hamish Clapp scored following a charge down. Gavegan completed the win with a try on fulltime following a period of forward domination for Pirates.
University A 28
Kaikorai 25
Fullback Tony Ensor's sparkling second half effort just failed to bring a gallant Kaikorai team home at the University Oval.
University A had control in the first half and scored two tries to lead 18 8 at the break.
Ensor worked his magic early in the second spell to score a brilliant individual try to reduce the gap to five points.
He was the fastest player on the paddock and used his speed to dive on the ball over the line after he had chipped ahead on the students' 22m.
The students came back strongly and stretched the lead to 15 points with a 35m try to winger Gavin Stark and a conversion and penalty by Stephen Fenemor.
It was another Ensor break that led to a try by winger Sean Conner as Kaikorai scored two tries and 12 points in the last 12 minutes.
First five eighth Matt Te Tana scored a superb individual try for Kaikorai after a 23m angled run in the first half.
Kaikorai openside flanker Theo Commissaris was a workhorse, and was well supported by blindside Johnny Appleby.
Matt Faddes had pace in the midfield and was the best University A back while No 8 Sione Teu was the best forward.
Loose forwards Jack Wolfreys and Dillon Hunt and hooker Sam Sturgess had strong games for the students.
Harbour 99
Green Island 7
Sorry to say it, but the most interesting aspect of this game was whether Harbour midfield back Ewan Brumwell could drill the last conversion from near the sideline to break 100 points.
He missed, to a few groans from a Watson Park crowd that had kept count and stayed to the end despite the game delivering on its promise to underwhelm.
Green Island, for its part, gave an exhibition in how not to tackle. Its midfield was more turnstile than backline. But in its defence, Harbour was very good.
The Hawks needed just 40 seconds to post their opening try and had a four try bonus point in the bank midway through the first half. They scored 15 tries in all.
Green Island had perhaps one foray into Harbour territory in the first half and emerged with a try through Shane McNoe. It was completely against the run of play and Harbour shook it off and continued on its merry way.
Elusive centre Jerome Harimate ran in three tries in the second half, and all three starting front rowers nabbed a try, with prop Solomon T Pole bagging two.
Fullback Logan Allen made some telling breaks. He scored a try and knocked over eight conversions. Winger Sala Halaleva and halfback Tala Fagasoaia were constant threats as well. Harbour loosies Hadleigh May and Elton Charles brought up 50 games for the club.
Southern 60
Zingari Richmond 28
The Southern forward pack proved too powerful in broken play to set the side up for victory at Bathgate Park.
Despite the scoreline, Zingari Richmond offered strong resistance. Its forward pack held its own in the set piece, and its backline offered plenty of flair and defensive capability, particularly the midfield combination of Taylor Fiddes and Lachie Moore.
The two combining to put winger Stephen Scoles away for two tries, the first after just 57 seconds.
Banking two tries and holding the lead for the first 20 minutes, Zingari appeared as if it was on track for an upset.
But the Southern pack, through excellent work in broken play, exposed gaps in Zingari's defence.
At the heart of the Southern pack, prop Mike Mata'afa scored two tries and hooker Joe Weatherall one, as one off runners close to the line.
Locks Ryan Thompson and Alex Dalzell and flanker Adam Knight gained good ball from the lineout and had a high work rate in general play, and Bryce Hosie's touch finders led to a decisive territorial advantage.
Halfback Josh Gordon cleared the ball well and provided Southern with plenty of variation, which in turn pressured Zingari into mistakes.
Taieri 67
Alhambra Union 7
Taieri winger Glen Beadle scored five tries and team mate Josh Casey nabbed three in a 60 point thrashing of Alhambra Union for the Johnson Family Memorial at the North Ground.
Casey also slotted seven conversions and a penalty in a 32 point haul, lifting his season tally to 259 points. The first five eighth needs just two more points to overhaul Daniel Soper's record tally of 260 points for Dunedin in 1997.
Taieri's pack dominated the set pieces, particularly the scrum. Loosies Willis Scott and Charlie O'Connell exploited their side's dominance and the pace at which Taieri was able to play the game set was quite thrilling.
Beadle was the main beneficiary. He kept popping up to finish off some wonderful moves and could easily have had six tries but bundled one opportunity. Only 10 players have scored six tries in a Dunedin premier game.
Casey was more creative and showed great pace and some fine footwork, while Michael Collins was a constant threat and looked back to his best form.
For Alhambra Union, winger Peni Quaqua Dodds showed lots of endeavour and fullback Noah Cooper gave a good account of himself.
