Taieri scored five tries when it beat Dunedin 42-20 and it has a seven-point lead over Alhambra-Union with just one more game in the first round to be played.
The Eels lead the competition with 37 points, followed by Alhambra-Union 30, Southern 28, Dunedin 26, Kaikorai 21, Pirates 14, Zingari-Richmond 13, Green Island 12, University A 11 and Harbour 8.
Fullback Liam Edwards scored 15 of Dunedin's points and leads the premier competition scoring with 111 points.
He is followed closely by Cam Rutherford, who has 110 points after scoring 22 of Kaikorai's points when Green Island was beaten 49-42 in a game at Bishopscourt that produced 11 tries and 91 points.
Taieri winger Kieran Moffat has scored the most tries with eight.
Taieri 42
Dunedin 20
Taieri was a tiger poised to pounce and it punished Dunedin for its mistakes in the last 20 minutes at Kettle Park.
Dunedin led 17-11 at the break and was still in front 20-14 when Dunedin's defensive screen snapped and Taieri ran in four converted tries.
Fullback Liam Edwards opened the floodgates with two glaring errors that gifted Taieri two tries. He missed a one-on-one tackle that let wing Kieran Moffat in for a try.
His loose pass at the other end blew a certain Dunedin try when Ben Nowell made the intercept and galloped away for the 80m try.
Taieri was buoyed with confidence and produced the best try of the game close to fulltime when it won a turnover close to its own line.
The ball passed through 10 hands on the 90m dash to the other end before midfield back Michael Collins scored.
Loose forwards Charlie O'Connell and Nathan Young and hooker Will Hurst put pressure on Dunedin in the first 30min, and the Eels led 11-3 after Hurst scored a try.
Dunedin had its chances but frittered away scoring opportunities with bumbled passes and knock-ons.
In the last 10 minutes of the spell Dunedin centre Tumua Ioane, the best player on the paddock, unleashed his attacking genius and it led to two tries. Dunedin led at halftime.
Moffat and O'Connell stood out for Taieri and first five-eighth Andrew Reid kicked seven goals and scored 17 points.
Taieri 42 (Kieran Moffat, Michael Collins, Ben Nowell, Willis Scott, Will Hurst tries; Andrew Reid 4 con, 3 pen), Dunedin 20 (Liam Edwards, Ashton Tuck tries; Edwards 2 con, pen). Halftime: Dunedin 17-11.
Kaikorai 49
Green Island 42
Fullback Tony Ensor showed his great speed to score the first and last second-half tries that took the game out of Green Island's reach at Bishopscourt.
Ensor scored a try in the first minute of the second spell to stretch Kaikorai's lead to 35-13, and when Green Island came close late in the spell he scored his second try to make the game safe.
The other key player for Kaikorai was second five-eighth Cam Rutherford, who brought belief back to his team with an intercept try when Green Island threatened to put a stranglehold on the game by scoring an early try.
Rutherford also kicked seven goals from nine attempts to score 22 of Kaikorai's points.
Kaikorai controlled the lineout through lock Andy Brun, who made seven clean takes, and No 8 Lee Allen, who made four at the back.
Flankers Adam Hill and Nathan Hull were effective in the loose and their accurate tackling stifled the Green Island attack. Prop Jim Stevenson was effective in the tight with his driving play and pick-and-go.
Kaikorai took an iron grip on the game when it scored 17 points in 7min late in the first spell to lead 30-13 at the break.
Flanker Tala Moli used his strength to score a try to lead Green Island's revival after 5min in the second spell. \
Green Island scored 15 points in 9min to reduce the gap to seven points, 35-28.
Powerhouse No 8 Junior Sala kept Green Island in touch when he scored his second try after 23min.
In the second spell Green Island concentrated its attacking moves through its powerful pack, leading to four tries and two bonus points.
First five-eighth Joe Bartlett kicked seven goals from 10 attempts to score 17 points.
Kaikorai 49 (Tony Ensor 2, Logan Moore 2, Matt Te Tana, Cam Rutherford tries; Rutherford 4 con, 3 pen), Green Island 42 (Junior Sala 2, Tala Moli, Josh Beer, Andre Clarke tries; Joe Bartlett 4 con, 3 pen). Kaikorai 30-13.
Southern 28
Harbour 19
Southern fullback Joe Hill used his express speed to break the hearts of Harbour supporters and help the Magpies retain the Speight's Challenge Shield at Bathgate Park.
Harbour dominated the first half but butchered two scoring opportunities with 50-50 passes and inept handling.
The strong Southern defence held tight and when a scoring opportunity came, Hill raced down the blindside to score the try to give Southern a 13-6 lead at the break.
Hill added another try after 25min in the second spell when he broke out of his own 22m.
The movement passed through 10 hands before Hill was up in support to score the try.
Harbour had its chances and remained close but it was guilty of too many mistakes that let Southern off the hook.
Southern centre Apelu Alapati was dynamic with the ball in hand and was supported in the midfield by Luke Herden, who was a rock on defence.
Lock Sam Gibson was effective in the lineout and flanker TJ Ioane was superb in the loose with his ability to grab ball at the breakdown and break tackles.
Ben Patston kicked five goals and scored 13 points.
Harbour halfback Johnny Legg was dangerous when running down the short side and flankers Hadley May and Angus Duckett worked hard to tidy up Harbour mistakes.
Southern 28 (Joe Hill 2, Hamish Buick tries; Ben Patston 2 con, 3 pen), Harbour 19 (Ollie Cuthill, Damien Keen tries; Cuthill 3 pen). Halftime: 13-6.
Pirates 19
Zingari-Richmond 14
Pirates proved more committed in the forwards and to the breakdown, when it overcame Zingari-Richmond in the Centennial Trophy match at Montecillo.
In a game of fluctuating fortunes, pack leader Josh Clark again proved an inspiration to the Pirates side.
His general play and speed to the breakdown complemented the skills of No 8 Solomon T-Pole and lock Brad Ross, with all three never far from the action.
Zingari-Richmond started well, scoring through second five-eighth Paul Pelesa in the third minute.
But, while enjoying a significant territorial advantage, the Colours failed to turn this into any points.
The long clearing kicks of Pirates fullback Kieran Fowler proved costly, as Zingari-Richmond infringed on defence and allowed Pirates back into the game with two handy penalties.
The Pirates forward pack then began to take control at the set piece and gain as endless supply of ball at the breakdown.
This, combined with the clearance kicks from first five-eighth Craig Sneddon and Fowler, kept Zingari-Richmond on the back foot and led to two well-executed tries, one to Fowler and one to winger Poamo Aiiloilo.
Zingari's start to the second half mirrored the first, but it succumbed to the Pirates forward pack and was unable to capitalise on the great work from flanker Chris Bell and locks Tom Rowe and Brady Carmichael.
Pirates 19 (Poamo Aiiloilo, Kieran Fowler tries; Fowler 3 pen), Zingari-Richmond 14 (Paul Pelesa, Brady Carmichael tries; Christian Walker 2 con). Halftime: 11-7.
Alhambra-Union 28
University A 16
Prop Scott Manson had a storming game as Alhambra-Union y broke down University A's resistance to gain a bonus-point win at the North Ground.
The students competed admirably in the first half, which ended 10-10, but Alhambra-Union dominated the second spell to win by four tries to one.
Alhambra-Union is now second with 30 points but University A has just two wins from its first eight games.
Manson was a dominant figure, not only at scrum time but in driving ahead, linking and tidying up loose ball, and he was at the heart of a strong display by the Alhambra-Union pack.
No 8 Regan Turoa had a busy game, captain Matt Kissick drove strongly and was effective in the lineouts, locks James Willocks and Jeremy McKee played well and Ben Pereira was a livewire hooker.
Kurt Baker was a mixture of good and not-so-good at first five-eighth in the absence of Peter Breen, Matt Dalley ran and supported well from centre and Tili Puloka ran strongly on the wing.
University A played some fine rugby in the first half but went in fits and starts in the second.
Paul Grant invariably breached the advantage line from No 8, Jack Wolfreys was a tigerish openside flanker and Paddy Ryan was an all-action hooker.
The backs created one lovely try for winger Sam McLernon but otherwise lacked rhythm.
Alhambra-Union 28 (Regan Turoa, Ben Pereira, Kurt Baker, Matt Dalley tries; Dalley con, 2 pen), University A 16 (Sam McLernon try; Stephen Fenemore con, 3 pen).
Halftime: 10-10.