On a wet Thursday night at Massey Park, McNamara Cup champions Bombay upped the ante, running in nine tries in a 66-5 demolition of home side Papakura. Bombay raced to a 45-0 halftime lead before the greasy conditions adversely affected the handling.
Steelers and Blues first five Piers Francis was on fire, racking up 24 points including one fine solo try.
Bombay debuted 18-year old Mua Tuumaialu on the left wing. Fresh out of Manurewa High School's Counties Manukau champion First XV and having already appeared for the Cavaliers, Tuumaialu scored two tries and kicked the last conversion from the sideline.
Te Kauwhata picked up their second win of the Challenge Cup season with a close 13-7 win over Drury. Te Kauwhata put points on the board through a penalty kick from Vilitati Sabani, and they took a 3-0 lead into the break. Sabani and Whakawhiti Kingi scored two tries in the second half to seal the victory, while blindside flanker Maaka Vaimohea was their man of the match.
Onewhero now sit atop the Challenge Cup table after a crushing 104-7 win over Weymouth.
From the moment 19-year old blindside flanker Lachlan Foote made a break and put a chip in for the opening try, the floodgates opened. Nathan Langsford scored 19 points, while Vatiliai Turuva ran in a hat-trick.
Karaka bounced back from last week's loss to Bombay with a 48-11 win over Manurewa.
Manurewa scored first with a sweet try in the left hand corner, but Karaka built a 29-11 halftime lead. Karaka No 8 Lemipetimalo Lauese was dangerous with the ball in hand and created plenty of havoc, while lock John Fifita and centre Cardiff Vaega were handfuls in the midfield. Antonio Lavemai ran in two tries.
Pukekohe defeated Waiuku 26-5 in their battle at Waiuku, inflicting Waiuku's first defeat and indeed the first time they had conceded points in three games. Steelers hooker Gafatasi Sua scored a double for Pukekohe.
Bay of Plenty
Mount Maunganui 28 Arataki 10
Te Puna 26 Greerton Marist 5
Rangataua 25 Te Puke Sports 15
Whakatane Marist 71 Paroa 7
Tauranga Sports 52 Opotiki 12
Whakarewarewa 36 Rotoiti 26
Waikato
United Matamata Sports 36 Morrinsville Sports 23
Otorohanga 17 Te Awamutu Sports 14
University 24 Fraser Tech 13
Hamilton Old Boys 24 Hamilton Marist 8
Hautapu 21 Melville 16
Hawke's Bay
(Tui Nash Cup)
Clive 26 Hastings Rugby and Sports 17
Taradale 22 Havelock North 17
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 13 Tamatea 8
Napier Technical 26 Central 25
Napier Old Boys-Marist 33 MAC 29
Manawatu
Feilding 22 Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 5
Old Boys-Marist 56 Freyberg 0
Kia Toa 48 Varsity 26
College Old Boys 48 Te Kawau 26
Wellington
(Swindale Shield)
Wellington 32 Tawa 19
Poneke 28 Wainuiomata 26
Northern United 32 Petone 28
Marist St Pat's 33 Paremata-Plimmerton 23
Old Boys-University 39 Upper Hutt Rams 5
Avalon Wolves 11 Oriental-Rongotai 11
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 64 Johnsonville 7
Tasman
(Tasman Trophy division one)
(Nelson Bays)
Wanderers 41 Marist 0
Nelson 33 Waimea Old Boys 8
Kahurangi 21 Stoke 17
(Marlborough)
Central 41 Renwick 15
Harlequins 24 Waitohi 22
Moutere 51 East Coast 14
Canterbury Country/Mid Canterbury
Saracens 18 Kaiapoi 14
Ashley 25 Oxford 24
West Melton 20 Methven 13
Burnham/Dunsandel/Irwin 14 Glenmark 6
Lincoln 26 Hampstead 10
Southbridge 53 Rolleston 3
Waihora 56 Hornby 0
Rakaia 10 Darfield 3
Ohoka 25 Prebbleton 12
Celtic 35 Southern 15
(Central Otago)
Upper Clutha 17 Matakanui Combined 12
Maniototo 20 Wakatipu 14
Cromwell 26 Alexandra 15
Clyde-Earnscleugh 94 Roxburgh 0
Otago
(Metro)
Pirates 27 Green Island 26
Dunedin 36 Harbour 34
Taieri 55 Zingari-Richmond 24
Southern 33 Kaikorai 7
University A 63 Alhambra-Union 7
*On April 2, North Harbour, Thames Valley, East Coast, Poverty Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Wairarapa-Bush, Horowhenua Kapiti, Buller, West Coast, Canterbury, South Canterbury, North Otago and South Otago kick off their premier club seasons.
