Te Awamutu earned the favourites tag for the 2015 Stan Meads Cup after returning home with a hard fought 27-17 victory over Eastern Bay of Plenty.
With a home semifinal and the Peace Cup on the line, both teams entered the match at Princess Street Reserve in Opotiki on Saturday with a fierce determination to win.
The defending champions, Te Awamutu had a handy 14-3 lead at halftime, and despite Eastern Bay scoring 14 points in the second spell the visitors knuckled down to take victory.
Meanwhile, Central Bay of Plenty won their first match in the competition on Saturday, beating King Country B in Te Kuiti.
The Rotorua-based team also picked up their third bonus point in a row when they triumphed 26-12.