Northland
(Southern Districts)
Otamatea 29 Western Sharks 28
Mid-Western 50 Hikurangi 19
Mid Northern 70 Hora Hora 5
Old Boys-Marist 95 Kamo 0
Waipu 46 Wellsford 7
(Bay of Islands)
Moerewa beat Kaeo by default
Ohaeawai 32 Kaikohe 7
Kerikeri 48 Okaihau 0
United Kawakawa 57 Otiria 29
(Mangonui)
Awanui 62 Panguru 3
Te Rarawa 42 South Hokianga 10
North Harbour
(Buck Shelford Shield)
Northcote 20 North Shore 17
Glenfield 19 Western Pioneers 17
Takapuna 30 Silverdale 17
Mahurangi 29 Marist 19
East Coast Bays 19 Massey 12
It was a big Saturday for Northcote, who annexed the Buck Shelford Shield as first round winners and the Les Pearce Memorial Shield with a tight 20-17 victory over North Shore.
The weekend also saw the trialling of new laws, relating to the tackle, and breakdown, which will be used in the Mitre 10 Cup. This is solely implemented in North Harbour premier one rugby.
The feature match lived up to its billing. North Shore kicked into gear early, running the scoreboard out to 14-3 with a double to Cody Mackie before Northcote stiffened their defence and applied pressure of their own, yielding tries to Aaron Tunui and Jason Young.
This was the 100th fixture between the two clubs since they first clashed in the Auckland competition back in 1947.
Northcote also claimed the Sel Speight Cup, played for between the two clubs.
Another cliffhanger just a few kilometres up the road at Glenfield saw a last minute penalty goal to David Halaufia clinch the 19-17 win for the home side over Western. The Pioneers played with great intent but an equally desperate Glenfield made for a very physical clash. As in the Shore v Northcote game, there were a number of unaccustomed penalties as the games were played under the new laws which reward the attaching sides at the breakdown. Blues squad member and North Harbour No 12 Michael Little scored one of Glenfield's two tries.
Takapuna got their campaign back on track after an indifferent performance last week, accounting for a competitive Silverdale 30-17. Takapuna paced this match well, taking points as opportunities and mistakes were made, and never really give Silverdale a sniff. Former Waikato No 10 Bryn Gatland made his Takapuna debut.
East Coast Bays defeated Massey 19-12 at Windsor Park to officially mark the feat of 200 premier games over 25 years from Slade McFarland. Rep players Irwin Finau and Lewis Gjaltema were among the tryscorers for Bays, who lie fifth on a congested table.
Mahurangi battled hard for their 29-19 win over Marist, only easing away in the final quarter for their first positive result of the season. Veteran Haden Kose was one of four tryscorers.
As for the new laws, it was clear that teams with the ball were attacking for longer periods of time. The new laws change the ruck, effectively taking away the rights of the defender over the ball. This clearly helped those sides that had a strong set-piece as the continuity they were able to generate enabled them more time to manipulate their opponents. It caused a number of penalties that had many spectators scratching their heads, but the talk was that the game sped up, mostly rewarding the fitter sides.
Auckland
(Blue pool)
Ponsonby 40 Grammar TEC 33
Pakuranga 31 Eden 31
College Rifles 77 Otahuhu 0
Manukau 20 Te Papapa-Onehunga 10
(White pool)
Papatoetoe 45 Waitemata 22
Marist 27 University 17
Suburbs 29 Waitakere City 7
East Tamaki 45 Mt Wellington 34
The first round tension is ramping up for some of the teams on the cusp of securing a top four berth in each of the two pools, but Ponsonby released some of that tension with a free-flowing, yet aggressive, 40-33 win over Grammar TEC at Orakei Domain.
Ponies ripped into their work in what proved to be a seesaw battle, the highlight being a hat-trick to centre Pryor Collier and some real industry from the pack. First five William Talataina-Mu kicked five from six and took the ball to the line effectively, setting up Collier for his second with a sweet offload. Locks Jamie Lane and Leo Ngahe got through a power of work, but the most extraordinary moment came from a grubber after a Dane Coles-like break by hooker Willie Uili, which resulted in Collier's third.
Grammar TEC roared back into the contest, led by the industrious No 6 Scott Scrafton, relishing the game time away from the Blues, and No 7 Robert Harris, who scored a try. When Michigan Lam snapped a dropped goal, Grammar TEC had taken an improbable lead. But Ponies were far from done. A turnover sparked a counter-attack from which Joseph Beckett scored down the left flank.
Elsewhere in the White pool, College Rifles continued their unbeaten run with a 77-0 hiding of Otahuhu. It featured a hat-trick to skipper Hayden Edwards among the 11 tries.
Eden continued their competitive, if winless, form, with a 31-all home draw against Pakuranga. Hooker Blake Hull scored a double, while No 8 and skipper Stuart Taavao, who scored a try, and fullback Rowan Hurinui, who kicked three conversions, both celebrated 50 premier games for Eden. Pakuranga, for whom centre George Emosi scored a brace, secured three competition points, but it was at least one or two short of what coach Pita Alatini was seeking. Manukau Rovers are still in the top four hunt after a 20-10 win over Te Papapa-Onehunga.
In the even more congested Blue pool, there are now six teams with it all to play for, which does not go into the four second round places. The heat is now very much on University, who lost 27-17 to Marist and with it the Dave Grace Memorial Trophy, back in the hands of the Catholics for the first time since 2010. Marist captain and flanker David Afamasaga scored two tries.
East Tamaki and Mt Wellington shared 12 tries, but the south Aucklanders triumphed 45-34. Suburbs stayed at the top with a 29-7, bonus point win over fellow westies Waitakere City. The most significant result was Papatoetoe's decisive 45-22 win over Waitemata, which brings the south Aucklanders right back into contention. - Campbell Burnes
Counties Manukau
(Challenge Cup)
Karaka 46 Onewhero 9
Patumahoe 36 Papakura 5
Pukekohe 52 Te Kauwhata 14
Manurewa 23 Ardmore-Marist 18
Waiuku 65 Weymouth 9
Manurewa produced a huge result at Mountfort Park on Saturday, defeating Ardmore Marist 23-18 in their Challenge Cup premier fixture to clinch the Yates Family Memorial Trophy.
It was Ardmore Marist, however, who got off to a flying start, scoring a try off the first kickoff. The score was tight at halftime, with the visitors leading 12-10. Standouts for Manurewa were Mark Selwyn, prop Lachlan Collier, who scored one of the two tries, and halfback Jordan Ah Chong, who kicked 13 points.
Counties Power Cup holders Karaka defeated Onewhero 46-9. The home side ran in seven tries, including one to the competition's leading tryscorer Desma Liaina, who now has 10. Onewhero's Luke Makris, now leading all comers with 106 points, kicked three penalties. Karaka remain at the top of the Challenge Cup premier standings, with Patumahoe in second, Bombay third and Onewhero fourth.
At Colin Lawrie Fields, Pukekohe beat Te Kauwhata 52-14. The home side only led 12-0 at the break, but pulled away, scoring eight tries, including two to Gary Dalbeth.
Waiuku finally got their attacking game going to down Weymouth 65-9. The home side shot out to a 33-6 lead at halftime, and built on that in the second stanza. The highlight was four tries to Fijian wing Tevita Nabura, while openside flanker Ethan James and stand-in captain Daniel Fitzharris were to the fore.
Patumahoe returned to winning ways, with a 36-5 result over a spirited Papakura.
Thames Valley
(Silcock Shield)
Waihou 22 Te Aroha COBRAS 19
Waihi Athletic 21 Mercury Bay 17
Tairua 38 Paeroa West 8
Hauraki North 54 Thames 5
Bay of Plenty
(Baywide)
Mt Maunganui Sports 33 Te Puke 14
Rotoiti 27 Whakatane Marist 17
Rangataua 27 Paroa 12
Tauranga Sports 38 Te Puna 19
Greerton Marist 20 Arataki 19
Whakarewarewa 57 Opotiki 17
Waikato
Melville 26 Otorohanga 24
Hautapu 43 University 38
Hamilton Marist 34 Morrinsville Sports 15
Hamilton Old Boys 48 United Matamata Sports 19
Fraser Tech 42 Te Awamutu Sports 20
King Country
Waitete 109 Taupo Sports B 0
Pio Pio 35 Kio Kio 0
Taupo Sports A 22 Waitomo 17
Taumarunui Districts 58 Bush 10
East Coast
TVC 58 Hicks Bay 6
Hikurangi 32 Waiapu 24
Tokomaru Bay United 66 Tawhiti 0
Uawa 32 Ruatoria City 12
Poverty Bay
Ngatapa 28 Pirates 8
Waikohu 10 HSOB 8
OBM 26 YMP 22
Hawke's Bay
(Tui Nash Cup)
Napier Old Boys-Marist 66 Hastings Rugby and Sports 28
Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports 26 Taradale 19
Napier Tech 28 Clive 27
Havelock North 18 Tamatea 9
MAC 28 Central 16
Taranaki
NPOB 36 Coastal 12
Tukapa 49 Southern 27
Spotswood United 52 Clifton 40
Inglewood 26 Stratford 15
Wanganui
Pirates 35 Utiku OB 14
Border 26 Marist 17
Kaierau 36 Ruapehu 33
Taihape 22 Ratana 12
Manawatu
Varsity 12 Old Boys-Marist 10
Freyberg 25 Linton Army 22
College Old Boys 61 Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 28
Kia Toa 45 Feilding 19
Wairarapa-Bush
(Moose Kapene Cup)
Eketahuna 12 Gladstone 10
Marist 23 Carterton 20
Greytown 16 East Coast 10
Pioneer 30 Martinborough 8
Horowhenua Kapiti
Levin College Old Boys 22 Paraparaumu 8
Shannon 28 Levin Wanderers 22
Foxton 36 Toa 32
Athletic 24 Waikanae 12
Wellington
(Swindale Shield)
Poneke 62 Avalon Wolves 18
Hutt Old Boys-Marist 37 Northern United 16
Petone 44 Johnsonville 37
Marist St Pat's 31 Tawa 20
Old Boys-University 45 Wainuiomata 7
Oriental-Rongotai 52 Wellington 15
Upper Hutt Rams 48 Paremata-Plimmerton 18
Tasman
(Tasman Trophy)
Nelson 80 East Coast 7
Wanderers 70 Moutere 0
Waimea Old Boys 36 Central 22
Marist 31 Waitohi 24
Kahurangi 17 Renwick 11
Harlequins 27 Stoke 20
West Coast
(Muir Trophy)
Wests 28 Marist 13
Kiwi 57 Blaketown 19
South Westland 38 Grey Valley 21
Canterbury
(Metro)
HSOB 87 Belfast 10
Christchurch 37 Burnside 26
Lincoln University 43 Marist Albion 26
New Brighton 27 Shirley 17
University 35 Linwood 22
Sydenham 45 Sumner 32
Mid Canterbury/Canterbury Country
Saracens 43 Methven 18
Kaiapoi 38 Rolleston 29
Burnham/Dunsandel/Irwell 61 Hampstead 15
Southbridge 39 Lincoln 10
Glenmark beat West Melton by default
Waihora 33 Prebbleton 3
Darfield 16 Oxford 14
Celtic 53 Ohoka 12
Ashley 43 Hornby 26
Southern 21 Rakaia 13
(May 3)
Ashley 16 Celtic 13
South Canterbury
Celtic 30 Harlequins 20
MacKenzie 25 Geraldine 5
Temuka 29 Old Boys 5
Pleasant Point 39 Waimate 20
North Otago
Excelsior 36 Athletic Marist 29
Old Boys 60 Valley 14
Maheno 11 Kurow 5
Otago
(Metro)
University A 137 Zingari-Richmond 0
Green Island 43 Dunedin 20
Kaikorai 42 Taieri 15
Alhambra-Union 40 Pirates 23
Harbour 24 Southern 17
NB. There was no play in Buller, South Otago and Southland due to the start of duck shooting season.