Taieri beat University A 32-29 on Saturday to consolidate its top spot. Southern, in second place, beat Dunedin 29-20 to win the Ron Reggett Memorial Trophy for only the fourth time this century.
Taieri leads the Gallaway Trophy competition with 55 points and is followed by Southern 52, University A 39, Dunedin 37, Alhambra-Union 36, Kaikorai and Harbour 32, Zingari-Richmond 23, Pirates 5, Green Island 1.
Lock Joe Latta played a key role when Zingari-Richmond beat Pirates 34-10 at Hancock Park to gain its fourth win of the season.
Ben Patston (Southern) and Cam Rutherford (Kaikorai) both reached 100 points for the season. The leading points scorers are Peter Breen (Alhambra-Union) 135, Greg Dyer (Dunedin) 116, Patston 111 and Rutherford 102.
Dunedin lock Elliot Adamson was taken to Dunedin Hospital by ambulance after suffering a suspected neck injury against Southern. He was later cleared of serious injury.
The game at Bathgate Park was transferred to an adjoining field at Bathgate Park for the rest of the second spell.
Southern 29
Dunedin 20
This was a game that Southern was predicted to win comfortably and with the sun and wind at its back it looked in control at halftime with an 11-point lead.
Dunedin scored an early try off a lineout drive to prop Will Henry but Southern controlled possession and territory to score 16 unanswered points. Dunedin was on the wrong side of a lopsided penalty count and Ben Patston slotted three penalties and a conversion.
Southern scored the one try off a huge Mika Mafi break and flanker Adam Knight was driven over. For all its glut of possession the Southern backs - apart from Tei Walden - looked pedestrian and unimaginative.
The winning of the game was a converted try to Tei Walden early in the second spell when he stepped and went through untouched. This was crucial as Southern was playing into the elements.
TJ Ioane and Mafi had departed in the first spell with injuries so Hugh Blake, the Dunedin flanker, was dominant in the loose and it turned the possession tide and came back into the game strongly.
Bizarrely, Blake was pulled, on instructions from Otago, as they are playing in four months, and that proved crucial in the outcome. Dunedin scored through fullback Rowan Mckenzie off a Tumua Ioane break and it was back in the contest.
Patston and Greg Dyer swapped penalties and Dunedin was behind by 11 points with 20 minutes to go.
Then fate intervened again. Dunedin lock Elliot Adamson went down with a suspected neck injury and the game was restarted 10 minutes later, on another field. Southern was given the elements back because it was the home team.
Dunedin put that behind it and Sione Pulu went over out wide after a sustained attack. Patston, with the breeze back behind him, had three long-range attempts and was successful with one to make the game safe.
For Southern, Tim Ferguson and Ryan Thompson won their share of ball and were solid workhorses. Mike Mataafa was tradesman like up front. Walden was Southern's best out wide and Patston kicked the goals to win the game.
For Dunedin, Blake and Mitch Zandstra dominated in the loose and Martin Swaffield was powerful with the ball in hand.
Kaituu Kaufana and Rowan Mckenzie were good in the backs. Just for good measure the ambulance got stuck twice getting Adamson to hospital and the Dunedin pack had to vacate the showers to assist.
Southern 29 (Tei Walden, Adam Knight tries; Ben Patston 2 con, 5 pen), Dunedin 20 (Rowan McKenzie, Sione Pulu, Will Henry tries; Greg Dyer con, pen). Halftime: 16-5.
Taieri 32
University A 29
Competition leader Taieri only just withstood a second half rally by University A to continue its winning way at the University Oval.
Taieri was rampant in the first spell as its forwards overwhelmed the students for it to lead 24-0 after 26 minutes and 24-5 at halftime.
But University A struck back with a vengeance in the second as it scored 24 points to eight and eventually outscored Taieri five tries to four.
It came down in the end to goal-kicking. Henry Parker kicked five from seven for Taieri while the students kicked only two from six.
The Taieri pack steamrolled University A in the first half with some precision driving and it was complemented efficiently by the backs.
But University A worked its way into the game in the second spell as it lifted the tempo and Taieri, for a large part, seemed to be in cruise mode.
Kurt Hammer was excellent at halfback for Taieri, probing around the fringes and kicking intelligently, while Michael Collins, Kori Rupene and Shannon Young were all threats at times.
Big prop Nick McLennan barrelled over for two tries, fellow front-rower Aki Seuili had a strong game and captain Charlie O'Connell and fellow loosie Willis Scott were good value throughout.
Centre Matt Faddes was a constant danger for University A and ended the game with a brilliant individual try and halfback Nick Annear gave good service and sniped at the Taieri defence.
Locks Angus Cameron and Hamish Walker had fine games for University A, particularly in the second half, as did hooker Sam Sturgess while No 8 Sione Teu and openside flanker Jack Wolfreys showed their ability at times.
Taieri 32 (Nick McLennan (2), Willis Scott, Kori Rupene tries, Henry Parker 3 con, 2 pen); University A 29 (Matt Faddes, Gavin Stark, Fletcher Smith, Angus Cameron, Jack Wolfreys tries, Smith 2 con). Halftime: 24-5.
Harbour 27
Alhambra-Union 13
The game was full of niggle when Harbour beat Alhambra-Union 27-13 in wet and boggy conditions at the North Ground.
Referee Chris Hart sent four players to the sin bin in a game in which ground conditions were a leveller and prevented exciting back play.
The game was punctuated by numerous infringements and off-the-ball play.
Harbour gained the advantage at the breakdown with its loose forwards getting the better of Alhambra-Union.
The standout player for Harbour was blindside flanker Ratu Dawai who was always close to the ball and was hard to stop on his driving runs. His hard tackling upset the rhythm of the Alhambra-Union backline.
Harbour had the superior pack and was still able to dominate the game when two of its players were in the sin bin in the second half and it was reduced to 13 men.
Other players to excel in the Harbour pack were lock Elioti Tonga and hooker Pete Mirrielees.
The best Harbour back was fullback Mateo Malupo who was always dangerous when entering the line. He gave Harbour the lead when he pushed off several tackles to score his team's second try after 30 minutes.
Harbour had the game sewn up with its halftime lead of 20-8. It was made safe when replacement lock Sione Misiloi scored after 34 minutes in the second spell.
The best Alhambra-Union forwards were No 8 Ben Pereira in his 100th game, flanker Brandon Olsen and props Scott Manson and Tom Viggo.
Harbour 27 (Mateo Malupo, Seilala Mapusua, Hale T-Pole, Sione Misiloi tries; Ollie Cuthill 2 con, pen), Alhambra-Union 13 (Colin Davies, Tom Viggo tries; Viggo pen). Halftime: 20-8.
Zingari-Richmond 34
Pirates 10
Zingari-Richmond took its chances, scored five tries, and beat Pirates 34-10 at Hancock Park.
The first try came after three minutes, when wing Nick Loan intercepted a long Pirates pass on his own 22m and ran 80m down the touch line.
The fourth try was scored by prop Chris Preddy when he found himself in the clear and sprinted 40m to the line.
The final Zingari try came from a piece of individual brilliance by halfback Josh Botting when he put a kick over the defenders, gathered it, and crashed over the line.
The other two Zingari tries came from sustained forward pressure inside the Pirates 22m when the pack drove to the line with a series of pick-and-goes for No 8 Chris Bell and lock Joe Latta to score the tries.
The Zingari forwards hunted as a pack and kept the pressure on Pirates and were dangerous with the ball in hand inside the 22m.
No 8 Chris Bell and flanker Steve Roberts had strong defensive games and caused problems for the Pirates backs.
Locks Tom Rowe and Joe Latta monopolised lineout ball in the second spell.
Latta had an outstanding game with his strength with the ball in hand, his hard tackling and his mobility around the paddock.
Zingari led 15-3 at halftime and then took control with three second-half tries to lead 34-3 after 30 minutes in the second spell.
The scrum was the one area of the game in which Pirates had control. They were able to push Zingari off the ball. The standout players for Pirates were No 8 Solomon T-Pole, who scored a late try and prop Hisa Sasagi.
Zingari-Richmond 34 (Nick Loan, Josh Botting, Chris Bell, Joe Latta, Chris Preddy tries; Shaun Driver con, pen; Christian Walker 2 con), Pirates 10 (Solomon T-Pole try; Craig Sneddon con, pen). Halftime: 15-3.
Kaikorai 38
Green Island 11
Kaikorai celebrated coach Andy Hunter's 100th premier game as coach with a hard-fought 38-11 victory over Green Island in the Ken St Clair Newman Trophy match at Bishopscourt. Despite the scoreline, it was a match in which Green Island made Kaikorai battle for every point as it, too, was looking to honour the services of its captain, Jamie Waller, who was playing his 100th premier game for his team.
Despite playing into a strong wind in the first half, Green Island competed with a passion and for the most part kept Kaikorai pinned inside its own half.
Resolute Kaikorai defence limited Green Island to just two penalty goals. Kaikorai, on the other hand, made the most of its time in Green Island territory and scored two tries, which allowed it to turn with a 10-6 advantage at the break.
Although Green Island continued to attack and exploit a weakness in the Kaikorai midfield defence, sin-binning offences either side of the break, and the impact of super-sub Shane Calder allowed Kaikorai to dominate.
Calder, who came on following the break, had an immediate impact on the game with his high work rate, which in turn led to his scoring two tries and complementing the excellent work put in by fellow forwards such as Willie Miller, Simon Grant, Jared Goodson and Ben Martin. Matt Te Tana proved inspirational and at times explosive from halfback.
Prop Lausei Pritchard, along with Waller, put heart into a solid performance from the Green Island pack.
Kaikorai 38 (Shane Calder (2), George Hendry, Danny van der Voort, Cam Rutherford, Nathan Hull tries; Cam Rutherford 4 con), Green Island 11 (Lausei Pritchard try; Shane McNoe pen, Hayden McBride pen). Halftime: 10-6 .
