The winning streak continued for the Otago Spirit on Saturday when it upset the Auckland Storm at Western Springs Stadium.
Otago remains unbeaten after four games and leads the national women's championship.
Otago has 18 points and is followed by Canterbury 14, Auckland 13, Manawatu 12, Waikato 9, Wellington 7, Counties-Manukau 6, Taranaki 0.
It was only the second time Otago had beaten Auckland since the national provincial championship started in 1999. It was the first time Auckland had been beaten at home.
Otago's only other win against Auckland was in 2006, when it won 15-6 at Dunedin. It was Auckland's first loss for three years.
Otago won the JJ Stewart Trophy, which is the women's equivalent of the Ranfurly Shield. It is at stake for home games by the holder. Auckland has held the trophy since 1994.
The win pleased Otago coach Marty Gray.
''I'm very proud of the girls. They had to dig deep to hold on in the last 20 minutes. It was a team effort,'' he said.
The coaching and management staff have developed a positive culture in the team in the past two years.
''The girls wanted to win today and kept to our structure and systems,'' Gray said.
''They were a very disciplined team.''
Black Fern Anika Tiplady returned to the Otago team at fullback and played a key role in the win. She scored 24 points with a try, two conversions and five penalty goals.
Tiplady, who was named the University of Otago sportswoman of the year last week, kicked seven goals;
her line kicking was also of a high standard.
She was dangerous on the counterattack and found gaps in the Auckland defence when she ran the ball out.
Otago played with the wind at its back in the first half and led 20-6 at the break.
A feature of the first spell was the dominance of the Otago scrum and the cohesion of the pack as it drove forward. Prop Pip Love stood out in the front row and was backed by hooker Lucy Emery and tighthead prop Gemma Tuhega.
Lock Syreeta Norris had her best game of the season. No 8 Angie Sisifa kept breaking the advantage line and had an outstanding game.
The midfield combination of Greer Muir and Lucy Anderson always looked dangerous with the ball in hand and tested the Auckland defence.
Otago controlled possession and territory for most of the first half and two quick tries late in the spell gave the Spirit a 20-6 lead at the break.
The first was scored by Lucy Anderson when she ran a direct line, cut through the Auckland defence and scored under the bar. Tiplady was at the end of an overlap and dived over in the corner.
The team did not sit on its lead. It continued to attack and was dominant for the first 10 minutes of the second spell. Tiplady added three penalty goals.
The big Auckland forwards came back into the game in the last 20 minutes, took control, and tested the Otago defence.
First five-eighth Sheree Hume made some big tackles to stifle the Auckland attacks.
The midfield backs and the loose forward trio of Sisifa, Leyhana Van Vugt and Rachel Scott also put their bodies on the line.
The JJ Stewart Trophy will be at stake when Otago plays Canterbury in Dunedin this Saturday.
In other games, Wellington beat Taranaki 49-3, Counties Manukau beat Manawatu 21-18 and Canterbury beat Waikato 25-18.
Spirit v Storm
The scores
Otago Spirit 29
Lucy Anderson, Anika Tiplady tries; Tiplady 2 con, 5 pen
Auckland Storm 23
Claire Richardson, Aldora Itunu, Fiaoo Faamausili tries; Emma Jansen con, 2 pen
Halftime: Otago 20-6
