Kumeu won their fifth match of the season, moving up to sixth on the table, with a narrow 17-13 result over Marist. The westerners were good for their 17-3 halftime lead, but some stern words from the Marist coaching staff at the break sparked a second half comeback in which the likes of youngsters Hauwai McGahan and Josh Hilton-Jones, who scored one of the two tries, shone. Marist have won just two of 10 games but have proved competitive in most outings this season.
Takapuna were untroubled to beat Mahurangi 54-7, running in eight tries, augmented by 14 points off the tee by Jon Elrick.
Massey kept the heat on Northcote with a 34-15 victory over North Shore in which Jordan Jacobs scored 14 points, including a try, while Harbour reps Adrian Smith and Hapakuki Moala-Liava'a also crossed the whitewash. Dan Sinclair scored a brace for Shore.
Auckland
(Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield)
Eden 27 Ponsonby 17
Suburbs 17 University 10
Pakuranga 19 Manukau 15
(Sir Fred Allen Memorial Challenge Cup)
College Rifles 21 Grammar TEC 20
(Portola Trophy)
East Tamaki 33 Waitemata 14
Otahuhu 29 Mt Wellington 21
Marist 53 Waitakere City 0
Commitment and taking your opportunities can carry you a long way in club rugby.
Eden found this in a sterling second half to lower Ponsonby 27-17 in the first round of the Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield.
It was Eden's first foray into the second round top flight since 1987 and made for a memorable day for the old-timers at Gribblehirst Park, who were blowing out 95 candles on their birthday cake.
Ponies, missing three of their Blues backs, who were in Samoa, led 7-0 at the break on the back of a try to centre Tili Puloka and some industrious, effective loose forward play by Presley Tufaga, Aleks Dabek and captain Waha Waitohi. But Eden were up for the fight and benefitted from Ponies' mystifying decisions to turn down shots at goal.
Seven minutes into the second stanza, the tide slowly began to turn with Eden replacement Tain Lam bursting forth to score between the uprights and first five Rodrigo Costa finishing off a Max Leanna break. Eden tightened up, worked field position, introduced the lineout drive and tackled like demons. All this whilst losing two men - Lux Funaki and Sione Koloamatangi - to the bin for high tackles.
But Ponies hit back with just three minutes to play when wing Freedom Vaha'akolo slipped out of some tired tackles to reduce the margin to 20-17. However, Eden wing Brody Lam sealed a significant victory with a last minute intercept try to kick off the club celebrations in earnest.
In other action, College Rifles just edged Grammar TEC 21-20 to retain the Sir Fred Allen Memorial Challenge Cup, and Pakuranga had a similarly tough job in repelling Manukau Rovers 19-15.
University, missing key men Kurt Eklund, Tyrone Elkington-MacDonald and Marcel Renata, the latter to the Barbarians, fell to their first competition defeat of the season, 17-10 to Suburbs.
In the second tier Portola Trophy, Timoteo Iosua scored 16 points to help East Tamaki beat Waitemata 33-14, Marist hit some form, blanking Waitakere City 53-0, with David Afamasaga and Salesi Rayasi scoring doubles. Otahuhu beat Mt Wellington 29-21.
- Campbell Burnes
Counties Manukau
(McNamara Cup)
Bombay 26 Manurewa 24
Pukekohe 28 Ardmore-Marist 22
Karaka 44 Onewhero 33
Patumahoe 50 Te Kauwhata 0
Waiuku 82 Papakura 0
Bombay endured a scare before edging Manurewa 26-24 in premier one action.
The Counties Power Cup holders secured the bonus point, helped by a brace to David O'Connell, while Steelers reps Matt Vaai and Viliami Taulani were among the Manurewa tryscorers.
Pukekohe had their best win of the season, 28-22 over Ardmore-Marist, and could partially thank former Steelers fullback Jared Page, who scored 18 points from a try and five goals.
Patumahoe retained second position with a 50-0 whitewash of Te Kauwhata, Mason Hohepa, Sam Furniss and Jonny Wilkinson running in doubles, with the latter chalking up 18 points in all.
Karaka are in third position following a 44-33 victory over Onewhero after leading 12-11 at halftime.
Waiuku heaped more misery on hapless Papakura, crushing the cellar dwellers 82-0. Tevita Nabura scored four tries and Christian Walker a double, plus five conversions.
Steelers loose forward Dan Hyatt scored a brace, while Grant Henson wound the clock back in a cameo appearance, the current Steelers assistant coach scoring a try for his old club.
Thames Valley
Hauraki North 33 Cobras 26
Mercury Bay 15 Waihou 7
Waihi Athletic 18 Thames 7
Bay of Plenty
(Baywide premier)
Te Puke Sports 32 Te Puna 26
Rotoiti 30 Tauranga Sports 8
Greerton Marist 26 Whakarewarewa 20
Mt Maunganui 38 Rangataua 33
Waikato
Hautapu 55 Otorohanga 22
United Matamata Sports 20 University 12
Hamilton Marist 24 Melville 17
Hamilton Old Boys 27 Fraser Tech 7
Poverty Bay
No play
Rep game: Poverty Bay 38 East Coast 23
Hawke's Bay
(Tui Maddison Trophy)
Hastings Rugby and Sports 16 Havelock North 6
Taradale 45 Tamatea 17
Napier Old Boys-Marist 54 Central 10
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 20 MAC 16
Napier Tech 44 Clive 27
Taranaki
Southern 32 NPOB 23
Coastal 31 Tukapa 18
Spotswood United 31 Stratford-Eltham 3
Inglewood United 26 Clifton 14
Wanganui
Taihape 40 Pirates 24 (Challenge Shield)
Marist 35 Kaierau 14
Border 55 Utiku OB 12
Ruapehu 60 Ratana 19
Manawatu
College Old Boys 29 Old Boys-Marist 28
Te Kawau 45 Linton Army 25
Kia Toa 30 Feilding 17
Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 76 Freyberg 0
Wellington
(Swindale Shield)
Old Boys-University 43 Avalon Wolves 10
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 36 Northern United 31
Oriental-Rongotai 34 Johnsonville 19
Marist St Pat's 50 Wellington 3
Petone 43 Upper Hutt Rams 32
Poneke 50 Paremata-Plimmerton 13
Tawa 24 Wainuiomata 12
*Old Boys-University win the Swindale Shield.
Canterbury
(Metro)
HSOB 28 Marist-Albion 22
Sumner 36 Belfast 7
Christchurch 27 Burnside 14
Sydenham 25 Lincoln University 20
University 15 New Brighton 8
Shirley 31 Linwood 10
(Canterbury Country/Mid Canterbury)
Semifinals:
Rakaia 27 Darfield 20
Southbridge 26 Lincoln 24
Playoffs:
Prebbleton 45 Oxford 17
Glenmark-Cheviot 89 Waihora 17
Celtic 20 Southern 10
Saracens 37 Kaiapoi 16
Methven 73 Hornby 3
Burnham/Dunsandel/Irwell 21 West Melton 12
Rolleston 26 Hampstead 24
South Canterbury
(Hamersley Cup)
Harlequins 59 Old Boys 17
North Otago
No play
Country 33 Town 29
Otago
(Dunedin Metro)
Dunedin 43 Zingari-Richmond 35
Taieri 15 Green Island 15
Southern 41 Alhambra-Union 5
Kaikorai 25 Harbour 17