Results from club rugby played around New Zealand this weekend.
Northland
Old Boys-Marist 48 Waipu 9
Mid Northern 42 Wellsford 40
Western Sharks 19 Hora Hora 19
Otamatea 44 Mid-Western 34
Hikurangi 24 Kamo 5
Auckland
(Waka Nathan Challenge Cup)
Marist 17 Grammar TEC 12
Pakuranga 37 Ponsonby 17
Papatoetoe 33 Manukau 22
Waitemata 17 University 10
(Pollard Cup)
East Tamaki 25
Waitakere 0
Eden 32 Mt Wellington 17
Suburbs 60 Otahuhu 0
College Rifles 41 Te Papapa-Onehunga 3
Counties Manukau
(Challenge Cup)
Ardmore-Marist 74 Te Kauwhata 15
Waiuku 36 Drury 0
Pukekohe 60 Papakura 8
Bombay 31 Karaka 20
Onewhero 41 Manurewa 27
Patumahoe 69 Weymouth 6
The cream already appears to be rising to the top of Counties Manukau club rugby after two rounds of the Challenge Cup.
Ardmore-Marist are at the top of the standings, having defended the Counties Power Cup with a crushing 74-15 victory over first round winners Te Kauwhata.
Fullback Luteru Laulala, back from Canterbury, and younger brother of former All Blacks centre Casey Laulala, showed his class at fullback, running in three of the 12 tries.
Waiuku blanked Drury 36-0 and have yet to concede a point in two games, which will please the coaches as much as the bonus point wins. Former New Zealand Under 20s wing Armyn Sanders scored a double and flanker Ethan James led the way at the breakdown.
Patumahoe went two from two with a 69-6 shellacking of Weymouth, scoring 11 tries, with two pairs of braces to Jonny Wilkinson and Fotu Lokotui.
Pukekohe bounced back from their opening round reverse to hammer Papakura 60-8, crossing for 10 tries, including a hat-trick to Mathew Berry. Pukekohe were bolstered by the return of flanker Sam Henwood from Chiefs duty.
Luke Makris continued his good early form with 19 points for Onewhero in their 41-27 win over Manurewa. But second five Teina Natti won the basket of vegetables as man of the match from AS Wilcox & Sons.
Bombay got themselves back in the winner's circle, defeating Karaka 31-20 at Bombay.
They welcomed back five Cavaliers, missing in round one, and toasted halfback Liam Daniela's 50th game for the premiers with a bonus point win. Daniela marked the occasion with a try in a strong display.
Five-eighths Piers Francis returned from injury and the Blues with three goals, while Chiefs centre Sam Vaka also enjoyed his outing.
Waikato
Otorohanga 36 Hamilton Marist 24
Hamilton Old Boys 32 University 20
Hautapu 28 Fraser Tech 17
Melville 46 United Matamata Sports 14
Te Awamutu Sports 30 Morrinsville Sports 17
King Country
Waitomo 49 Taumarunui Districts 10
Kio Kio 60 Bush United 0
Taupo United 43 Pio Pio 28
Taumarunui Rugby and Sports 39 Tongariro 13
Manawatu
College Old Boys 62 Freyberg 12
Old Boys-Marist 21 Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 12
Varsity 40 Feilding 7
Te Kawau 43 Linton 22
Tasman
(Tasman Trophy)
Marist 29 Waimea Old Boys 7
Nelson 62 Stoke 0
Wanderers 33 Kahurangi 22
Central 25 Waitohi 19
Moutere 33 Harlequins 17
Renwick 16 East Coast 8
(Central Otago)
Clyde-Earnscleugh 18 Cromwell 17
Maniototo 8 Matakanui Combined 0
Arrowtown 12 Upper Clutha 5
Roxburgh 10 Alexandra 3
*On Easter Weekend, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Canterbury Country, Mid Canterbury and Otago kick off their premier club seasons.