Taieri cemented its place at the top of the standings with a bonus-point victory over Southern which now sits perilously close to missing the cut to make the playoffs.
The result, and its five tries, reflect Taieri's ability to make the most from small beginnings and turn the scoreboard in its favour. However, as both teams walked off Peter Johnstone Park on Saturday, they will have reflected on opportunities lost given the high number of unforced errors.
As the game moved from one error to another in the first quarter, it took a touch of brilliance from Taieri wing William Ngatai to spark his side into top gear.
Making a telling break down the left flank, he fell just metres short of the line. From there the ball was spread wide for right wing Glen Beadle to score in the corner. From the restart, Taieri surged on to attack for Ngatai to break through three defenders for the try.
From that moment the Taieri pack exerted its control with the tight five and loose forward trio working in tandem and the inside backs complementing the efforts, probing gaps and locking up the midfield in defence.
Southern backs Mitch Taylor and Josh Buchan were constant threats.
Harbour 36 Kaikorai 10
Harbour’s slow start to the season is a distant memory.
The Hawks have strung impressive back-to-back performances together to claw their way into second place.
The men from Watson Park produced a clinical display to beat Kaikorai 36-10 at Bishopscourt on Saturday.
Seemingly every time the visitors got in the red zone they managed to score points.
Kaikorai opened the scoring through a try to in-form prop Jonah Aoina. But a mistake at the back gifted Harbour an opportunity to strike back.
The Hawks inched the ball forward until winger Max Brown went through a gap and scored from close range.
But the defining moment in the game came five minutes before halftime when loose forward Christian Lio-Willie was yellow-carded for tackling a player in the air.
He realised his mistake almost immediately and tried to catch the player as he fell.
While he was off, Harbour scored twice to lead 22-10 at the break.
The Hawks ran in two late tries to stretch the final margin.
Harbour prop Abraham Pole carried strongly, loose forward Joseph Aldrich-Williams enhanced his reputation as a fine player and Toka Sopoaga drilled some tough sideline conversions and generally controlled the game nicely.
For Kaikorai, Lio-Willie blotted his copy book with the sin-binning but he was good value while on the field.
Aoina is looking fit and in fine form as well.
Dunedin 53 University 12
It was an amazing turnaround by Dunedin at Kettle Park.
After losing its last two games, it put a 50-pointer on high-flying University to retain the Johnathon Keogh Memorial Trophy and give itself a good chance of making the top six.
The Dunedin scrum and lineout was nearly flawless. The ball-carrying was powerful and it dominated the loose exchanges and finished with ease.
It was four tries up by halftime to one to the students and the game was as good as over. Electric winger Freedom Vahaakolo scored two tries and made life tough for Highlanders winger Scott Gregory. Fiery openside flanker Tom Florence scored one in each half and was into everything. Dunedin missed only one shot at goal to rack up 53 points.
There were only flashes from University and the students’ loose forwards, highly talked about all season, were not sighted.
Taylor Haugh, at fullback, was far and away the best for University and he sparked all its counter attack.
For Dunedin, locks Jack Regan and Ben Freschini were dominant all round the park. Hooker Naryan Strickland and Florence were good with ball in hand. Tim Hogan was solid at halfback, midfielder Keenan Christian-Goss was a destructive force while Vahaakolo and fullback George Witana were an absolute menace out wide.
Alhambra-Union 27 Zingari-Richmond 24
Two minutes before halftime, Alhambra-Union was in the box seat against Zingari-Richmond at Montecillo — up 24-10 and with a bonus point in the bag already. Its outside backs were causing mayhem and a comfortable win appeared in sight.
But it ended up having to fight for a victory against a gallant home team.
Winger Tevita Nabura managed to score right on the break for Zingari-Richmond, and with 15 minutes left replacement hooker Bailey Matoe scored from a drive to put the side three points behind.
But it could not land the knockout blow as it lost composure in the last minutes. The ball was dropped near the tryline, while at the death it was kicked away.
Alhambra-Union was all speed and dash in the opening period. Vilimoni Koroi displayed his skill and pace from the back while right winger John Tapueluelu helped himself to two tries.
On the other wing, Pecili Malanicago combined with Koroi to score a 100m try.
Best for the victor were the outside backs, while Zane Kapeli and Sebastian Potgeiter worked hard up front. The home team had good performances from No8 Aron Einarsson, halfback Logan Crowley and Nabura.
- ODT rugby writers