The Otago Daily Times has kept a detailed record of premier club rugby since 1976 and this was only the seventh time that 90 points had been scored in a game.
The highest score came in 2008, when University A beat University B 99-3. The A side also beat Southern 97-6 in 1993. Dunedin beat University B 96-0 in 2003.
Greg Dyer scored 17 points for Dunedin when Zingari-Richmond was beaten 53-37 to become the second player to score 100 points this season. Peter Breen (Alhambra-Union) is on 122 points and Dyer has 105.
Taieri leads the table after the first round with 40 points, followed by Southern 38, Dunedin 37, University A and Alhambra-Union 27, Kaikorai 22, Harbour 21, Zingari-Richmond 18, Pirates 5, Green Island 0.
Taieri 96 Green Island 0
Taieri secured first-round honours with a drubbing of Green Island at Miller Park, winning the Speight's Mug, Bezett Trophy and Robb Cup, but coming up just short of two other milestones.
It fell three short of the record score of 99 achieved by University A in 2008, and the 14 tries were one short of the 15 achieved by University A (twice) and Dunedin.
Individually, Henry Parker's 34-point haul was eight shy of the 42 scored by Guy Curtis for University A against Southern in 1993. Parker was subbed off with 15 minutes to go, after scoring two tries and missing just one of his 13 conversion attempts.
Taieri simply proved too big and powerful in the forwards, particularly with the exceptional skills of prop Aki Seiuli, who was hard to stop with ball in hand.
Locks Mike McKee and Matt Davidson were always on hand in support play, while in the loose, Charlie O'Connell and Brodie Hume were useful links between the forwards and backs.
Shannon Young and Kieran Moffat were superb in midfield. Out wide, Todd Ford had a hunger for work and scored a brace of tries in the final minutes of the first half.
Green Island had some consolation when it kept Taieri scoreless over the final 10 minutes. Openside flanker Luke Johnston, in his 50th premier game for Green Island, led by example, while second five-eighth Sam Eriepa was the pick of the backs.
Taieri 96 (Brodie Hume 2, Kieran Moffat 2, Henry Parker 2, Todd Ford 2, Mike McKee, Aki Seiuli, Matt Davidson, Shannon Young, Nick McLennan, Glen Beadle tries; Henry Parker 12 con, Michael Collins con), Green Island 0. Halftime: 45-nil.
Southern 65 Pirates 8
Southern's big win over Pirates at Hancock Park was epitomised by the efficient play of first five-eighth Ben Patston.
His long touch-finders gained large hunks of territory, his goal kicking was accurate and his long passes created space for his outsides.
Pirates put up a sound fight in the forwards. No 8 Solomon T-Pole was aggressive with the ball in hand and flankers Clinton Garrity and Travis McIntosh were efficient. Halfback Scott Emmerson had a gutsy game under pressure.
But when the ball went wide, the Southern backs had the pace to create tries.
Fullback Bryce Hosie was dangerous when entering the line and his tricky footwork made him difficult to stop. Wingers Josh Gordon and Byron Dodge were efficient finishers and Tei Walden had penetration in the midfield.
The support play of flankers Ryan Thompson and Andrew Sanders and locks Tim Ferguson and Adam Knight kept pressure on the Pirates defence.
Southern led 8-3 after 30 minutes. But the floodgates opened after that, as Southern added nine tries and 57 points in the last 50 minutes.
Southern 65 (Josh Gordon 2, Bryce Hosie, Tei Walden, Byron Dodge, Ben Patston, Mika Mafi, Ryan Thompson, Tom Scanlan, Nathan Cargo tries; Patston 6 con, pen), Pirates 8 (Solomon T-Pole try; Craig Sneddon pen). Halftime: Southern 20-3.
Harbour 25 University 21
Fullback Mateo Malupo played a dominating role in Harbour's upset win over University A at Watson Park.
His counterattacking ability upset the student defence and he linked with midfield back Seilala Mapusua in some telling runs up the centre.
Malupo's most telling run came at the end, when he broke out of his own half, ran wide deep into the University 22m and No 8 Hale T-Pole was on hand to score the winning try.
First five-eighth Nick Ealey controlled play efficiently and his cut-out passes created space out wide.
No 8 Charles Elton made ground on attack, and flanker Ratu Dawai, lock T-Pole and hooker Pete Mirrielees had solid games. Harbour was on top early and led 10-0 after 20 minutes and 15-8 at halftime.
University came back after the break and took the lead after 35 minutes, 21-20, when flying winger Sam McLachlan scored wide out.
No 8 Sione Teu was a powerhouse with the ball in hand and was the best forward on the paddock.
Mobile lock Josh Dickson dominated the lineout and centre Matt Faddes was dangerous with the ball in hand and scored a brilliant solo try late in the first half.
Harbour 25 (Hale T-Pole 2, Charles Elton, Pete Mirrielees tries; Nick Ealey con, pen), University A 21 (Matt Faddes, Sam McLachlan, Max O'Brien tries; Fletcher Smith 2 pen). Halftime: Harbour 15-8.
Alhambra-Union 33 Kaikorai 27
Alhambra-Union took its opportunities more efficiently and made fewer mistakes to beat Kaikorai in an entertaining match at Bishopscourt.
Alhambra-Union had the better of the first half but it was not reflected on the scoreboard until No 8 Ben Pereira scored in the final moments to stretch the lead to 19-10.
But it was in command for the third quarter, during which centre Noah Cooper scored two tries, both converted by Peter Breen, to take a 20-point lead.
Kaikorai was not finished and stormed back with two converted tries which gave it a deserved losing bonus point.
Pereira had a fine game for Alhambra-Union, lock Mike Colville again played well and openside flanker Ben Johnson and prop Tom Viggo were energetic in their respective roles.
Breen directed play with authority from first five-eighth and Cooper took his opportunities well, as Alhambra-Union clinched one of its most important wins of the season.
Kaikorai made mistakes at crucial times but it lacked nothing in endeavour or spirit. Simon Grant was outstanding at lock, Marcus Balchin was a terrier from the openside flank and No 8 Nathan Hull turned in a solid game.
Josh Renton showed his quality at halfback and Cam Rutherford was his reliable self at second five-eighth, but the loss was a blow to Kaikorai's chances of making the top four.
Alhambra-Union 33 (Noah Cooper 2, Ben Johnson, Ben Pereira, Ken Hellier tries; Peter Breen 4 con), Kaikorai 27 (Bryce Morgan, Jarrod Goodson, Rob Jordan tries; Cam Rutherford 3 con, 2 pen). Halftime: Alhambra-Union 19-10.
Dunedin 53 Zingari-Richmond 37
Zingari played structured rugby and scored tries through its monstrous pack from close range. Dunedin, with its still dysfunctional lineout, operated on limited ball but soon realised Zingari was pedestrian out wide and cut some merry capers, scoring seven tries in the process.
Zingari scored the opening try, to flanker Steve Roberts off a Lachie Moore break. But Dunedin replied with tries to flanker Nick Peacock, who outpaced most of the Zingari backs, Greg Dyer and Sione Pulu out wide.
Dunedin should have gone to the break with a 20-point advantage but, inexplicably, ran the ball from deep with time up and gave an intercept to Seremia Tagicakibau to lead by only 11.
Dunedin scored two tries early in the second half, Peacock getting his second from a stolen lineout and lock Richard Thompson benefiting from a stunning Peacock pass and George Vance break.
Zingari then took over for the next 20 minutes with a glut of possession, and crashed over for three tries from close range to lock Joe Latta, Roberts again and replacement lock Tom Rower. Dunedin awoke late in the piece and impressive No 8 Hame Toma and the diminutive Sam Weber scored.
For Dunedin, loosies Peacock and Toma were outstanding, replacement halfback Vance had an impressive second spell and hooker Sam Anderson Heather was as industrious as ever.
Latta and Roberts were into everything for Zingari, and Moore and Tagicakibau were far and away the best of the backs.
Dunedin 53 (Nick Peacock 2, Sam Weber, Sione Pulu, Greg Dyer, Hame Toma, Richard Thompson tries; Dyer 3 con, 2 pen, Pera Gibbs 3 con), Zingari-Richmond 37 (Steven Roberts 2, Seremia Tagicakibau, Joe Latta, Tom Rowe tries; Shaun Driver 2 con, Michael Paulin con, 2 pen). Halftime: Dunedin 27-16.
