The students scored 13 tries when they outclassed Zingari-Richmond 85-14.
Noakes scored two tries and added 10 conversions to take his points for the season to 74 after just four of the 16 games and he should be the first to reach the ton.
The return of experienced first five-eighth Glenn Dickson from the United Kingdom gave confidence to a Pirates team that caused the upset of the day when it beat Southern 17-13.
It was Southern's first loss of the season and means that University A is the only unbeaten team in the competition.
Southern and University A meet this Saturday on the final day of the first round.
The other surprise was the win by Kaikorai over Harbour, 20-7.
Dunedin won the match of the day when it narrowly beat Alhambra-Union 20-17.
Taieri is the team to watch after its polished display when it scored seven tries to beat Green Island 42-10.
The points after four rounds are: University A 19, Southern 15, Pirates 13, Kaikorai 12, Taieri 11, Harbour 10, Dunedin 8, Alhambra-Union 7, Zingari-Richmond, Green Island 0.
Taieri 42 Green Island 10
A polished Taieri team scored seven tries to dominate the game and outclass Green Island at Miller Park.
The loose trio of Charlie O'Connell, Jeremy Corliss and Rowan Beadle controlled the break down and a pacy back four counter-attacked with venom.
Green Island displayed some individual enterprise with Josh Beer having a strong game at No 8 and Kiel Spooner making ground on the left wing.
But it was just individual efforts.
The big difference was that Taieri played as a team and kept to its game plan.
Taieri had gained its bonus point when it led 25-3 at halftime and added three more tries in the second spell.
Fullback Mike Kerr was the catalyst for the counter-attacking moves that tested the Green Island defence.
He also gained large hunks of territory with his punting.
Tom Davie had lightning speed on the left wing and scored two tries himself and set up another one.
Centre Blake Korteweg was a strong runner in the midfield and Jack Stewart a lively halfback with a quick delivery.
Lock Steve Green gathered clean ball in the line-out and hooker Charlie Harrex was lively around the paddock.
Taieri 42 (Mike Kerr, Todd Ford, Tom Davie 2, Jack Stewart, Dean Collins, Charlie Harrex tries; Stewart conversion, penalty goal, Blake Korteweg conversion), Green Island 10 (Andre Clarke try; Chris ONeill conversion, Shane McNoe penalty goal).
Halftime: Taieri 25-3.
Referee: Tim Baker.
Pirates 17 Sothern 13
Southern fell to its first loss of the season to a determined Pirates side at Bathgate Park.
Ahead 7-3 at the break, Pirates defended stoutly against a rather one-dimensional Southern unit, and then took their chances when they came along.
Pirates first five-eighth Glenn Dickson, having just arrived back from playing in England, and a few days in Australia, used his big boot to good effect and kicked a crucial sideline conversion near the end to put Pirates ahead.
He also scored the first try of the day when he picked up a dropped Southern ball and ran 30m to score.
The Pirates line-out competed well against a Southern side, which spilled too much ball.
Southern also tended to keep the ball too close in and that was meat and drink for the Pirates defence.
Pirates centre Marshall Suckling ran hard while halfback Steve Bruce fed his backline well.
Up front, flanker Josh Clarke got through plenty of work, and lock Nic Wilson got round the paddockBest for Southern were halfback Harry Uffindell and lock James Stevenson.
Pirates 17 (Marshall Suckling, Glenn Dickson tries; Dickson 2 conversions, penalty goal), Southern 13 (Carl Anderson, Warren Moffat tries; Julius Glasson penalty goal).
Halftime: Pirates 7-3.
Referee: Ross Barnett.
Kaikorai 20 Harbour 7
Kaikorai's inside backs and loose forwards were key contributors to a convincing win over Harbour at Watson Park.
Kaikorai scored three tries to one, dominated play territorially, and would have won by more had its passing been more accurate.
It led 8-7 in an intensely-contested first half and would have been ahead by more had last passes stuck, but two good tries in the second spell made the match safe.
Tomasi Palu was a mercurial runner from halfback, scored one try and several times opened up the defence while Cam Rutherford was a steadying influence at first five-eighth.
Kensak Palepoi was dynamic from No 8 and blindside flanker Jamie Williams was almost as effective, their strong running testing Kaikorai defence.
Seko Kalou and Shaun Thomas gained good line-out ball, Matt Direen was strong in midfield and fullback Danny van der Voort was especially dangerous with his elusive running from fullback.
Harbour lacked the intensity it shows at its best and it missed the leadership of hooker Peter Mirrielees, who had been called into the Highlanders.
Johnny Legge was an accomplished halfback and Siaosi Folau was a hard runner at centre but the Harbour forwards did not win enough ball to achieve much fluency or continuity.
Kaikorai 20 (Tomasi Palu, Kensak Palepoi.
Jamie Williams tries; Cam Rutherford conversion, penalty goal), Harbour 7 (Siaosi Folau try; Craig Sneddon conversion).
Halftime: Kaikorai 8-7.
Referee: Doug Rodgers.
Dunedin 20 Alhambra-Union 17
Flanker Gareth Evans gave a dynamic display and was the catalyst for Dunedin's narrow win over Alhambra-Union at the North Ground.
Evans was quick to the breakdown, a demon tackler and was dangerous with the ball in hand.
He energised the loose trio that gave Dunedin the edge.
Alhambra-Union flew into the game from the start and Dunedin was shell shocked when wing Ben Qauqau scored after two minutes and Alhambra-Union led 7-0 playing into a strong breeze that was worth 10 points.
Dunedin clawed its way back into the game and evened the scores when halfback Robbie Smith scored after 22 minutes and took the lead 12-7 when Rawiri Tapiata scored late in the spell.
By this time the Dunedin scrum was dominant and took two tight heads late in the spell.
Kelsey Miller and Will Henry were having strong games in the front row.
This dominance continued in the second spell, and was only eased when Golden Oldie scrums were played in the last 20 minutes.
This kept Alhambra-Union in the game.
There was a hiccup for Dunedin midway through the spell when flanker Brad Rapley intercepted and ran 70m to give Alhambra-Union the lead, 17-15.
The Dunedin backline was energised when wing Tumua Ioane came on in the second spell and made the break that led to the winning try by Simon Luke who was up in support when Ioane was caught short of the line.
Dunedin 20 (Rawiri Tapiata, Robbie Smith, Simon Luke tries; Shaan Davis conversion, penalty goal), Alhambra-Union 17 (Scott Stevens, Brad Rapley tries; Luke Reihana 2 conversions, penalty goal).
Halftime: Dunedin 12-7.
Referee: Liam Scanlon.
University A 85 Zingari-Richmond 14
First five-eighth Chris Noakes thrived on the game-breaking and ball-winning skill of the University A forward pack to score 30 points in his side's victory at the University Oval.
Noakes blossomed and his confidence grew as the game progressed.
Most memorable was a 70m run that off-footed a Zingari-Richmond side running forward to attack a kick up field only to be brought down just metres short in what would have been a spectacular individual try.
However, his off-load to lock Nick Grant still turned the movement into a seven-pointer, with Noakes adding the conversion.
Despite a 50-point deficit at halftime, Zingari-Richmond players kept their heads in the game and remained competitive, particularly in the scrums, where they had the measure of University A.
Hooker Sammi Charad was outstanding in his first premier game, and was not afraid to compete for the loose ball.
He also won a tight head against the experienced Simon Forrest mid-way through the second half.
The competitive nature of the Zingari-Richmond forward pack arrested the scoring spree of University A, and led to the side's two tries.
University A 85 (Hoani Matenga 3, Simon Forrest 2, Chris Noakes 2, Brad Cameron, Nick Grant, Ryan Grant, Phil Young, Peter Butterworth, Logan Collins tries; Noakes 10 conversions), Zingari Richmond 14 (Stephen Bird, Steve Roberts tries; Ben Bradley 2 conversions).
Halftime: University A 50-0.
Referee: Todd Pullar.
