Everyone and no-one stood out for Taieri.
Defending champion the Eels strengthened their grip on pole position with a dominant 37-0 win over Alhambra-Union at the North Ground.
It was a typically organised and disciplined effort up front, and Alhambra-Union struggled to find a way to combat its opponent.
Taieri was able to break the defensive line a little too easily.
The Eels kept it close and recycled the ball quickly and it worked out rather well.
Openside flanker Leroy Ferguson scored three tries and centre Hunter Dickson scored a brace of tries before he left the field with a serious leg injury.
Taine Craig-Ranga had a comfortable ride at first five and had all the time he needed to make good percentage plays.
Hooker Brady Robertson and veteran lock Brodie Hume had solid games.
For its part, Alhambra-Union gave up too many penalties. The Broncos lacked discipline at the breakdown and got offside too often.
Alhambra-Union was missing a few key players. Lock Levi Turoa and Highlanders utility back Vilimoni Koroi were absent. They make a big difference when they are available.
AU first five Ben McCarthy provided one of a few bright spots for the Broncos. He put in a good honest shift, as did loose forward Tom Frood.
But Taieri’s forward pack was just too good. The Eels have four bonus-point wins from four games and will be tough to beat.
Southern 20 Green Island 3
Southern first five Jack Leslie mastered the breeze at Bathgate Park to help steer his side to a 20-3 win over Green Island.
The Grizzlies led 3-0 at the break.
Travis Cashmore knocked over a penalty in 34th minute. Considering it had battled into the wind, Green Island was pretty happy with its position with 40 minutes remaining.
But the wind swirled around more in the second spell and Leslie took control of the game with some fabulous positional kicking.
Southern swung on to attack and hooker Jake McEwan, who had a strong game, drove over from a rolling maul in the 52nd minute.
The score stayed 5-3 until midway through the second half, when winger Dylan Hook crossed for a lovely try.
It was a terrific backline move considering the challenging conditions.
Blindside Harry Taylor, who scored one of two late tries, had a wonderful match in the loose.
He led the forward pack well and ran hard. McEwan made some telling tackles around the fringe of the ruck, and Leslie put in a cross kick to set up the final try and had a big impact on the match.
Prop Shane Fikken and No 8 Tom Marshall stood out for Green Island in a losing effort.
University 17 Zingari-Richmond 12
University triumphed in an error-riddled bottom-of-the-table clash at the University Oval.
Zingari-Richmond, playing with a strong wind at its back, set the game alight in the opening minutes when first five Shaun Driver charged down a University clearing kick and regathered the ball for an unimpeded run to give his side an early 7-0 lead.
Then, despite maintaining a decisive territorial advantage, Zingari-Richmond kept University in the game with a string of unforced errors and penalties.
University replied in the 27th minute. It cleared from a penalty kick, but the ball bounced back in field instead of going into touch and winger Thomas Rance gathered and scored. Zingari-Richmond kept up the string of unforced errors, leading to a try by openside James Fairbairn.
University led 14-7 at the break.
The second half became a drawn-out affair, each side showing plenty of promise but keeping each other in the game through errors.
There was a scoring spree of sorts in the final minutes. Jacob Wakari-Jones landed a 45m penalty for the students and Michael Cordtz gathered in a cross kick to score in the corner for the Dragons.
Harbour 5 Dunedin 0
Given the near sub-zero conditions with severe wind chill, driving rain and 80kmh crosswinds, kicking needed to be very accurate at Watson Park, and Harbour halfback Nathan Hastie produced just that.
Dunedin had no kicking game at all and that was the difference.
Both packs were outstanding defensively and tenaciously slogged it out all day. The backs, apart from tackling, were frozen spectators.
The only scoring came 30 minutes into the game when Harbour hooker Austin Atiga strolled through a ruck and cantered 20m to the line.
The first half was very even, both sides having periods on attack but not getting far due to handling difficulties.
Harbour crucially controlled the territory in the second half through Hastie. Dunedin’s kicking game in this period was poor, and nobody stepped up to take responsibility, so the Sharks remained pinned in their own territory.
In the dying minutes, Dunedin finally had the chance to save the game.
It bashed away at the Harbour line on the back of a string of penalties but coughed up possession, and the heroic defending team cleared to safety.
Hastie was outstanding for Harbour, and Atiga and prop Solomon Pole were into everything.
For Dunedin, loosies Josh Retter, Oliver Griffin and Hame Toma were at the heart of the team’s attack and defence.
The game won’t last long in the memories but the welcome from the Port weather is indelibly etched.
- ODT rugby writers
