Grammar Carlton will need to be more disciplined if they are to be serious contenders for a place in the Gallaher Shield semifinals next month.
In the fourth round of qualifying matches on Saturday, they beat Teachers Eastern 21-15, but they should have bolted in after leading 21-5 at the break
and turning with the brisk wind at their backs.
Every time Grammar mounted an attack it foundered through either the whistle of referee Brett Saxon, or from mishandling and poor support play.
Grammar conceded 14 second-half penalties and Teachers just one after a first 40 minutes in which just five penalties and five free kicks were shared evenly.
Grammar ran in three first-half tries through a well-structured build-up led by second five-eighths Tane Tuipulotu and an ability to finish moves, while Teachers hammered away more in hope than certainty.
But with hooker and skipper Steve Bowden leading from the front and backed up by a strong running game from fullback Olago Epa, as well as Grammar's poor discipline, Teachers bounded back in the second spell and deserved the bonus point they gained from a last-second drop goal by Epa.
Discipline was also a big problem at Fergusson Park, where University did not have everything their own way against the all-Tongan home side, Te Papapa Onehunga.
Both sides had two players ordered off early in the second spell when referee Tony Carey sought to bring order to the game. Te Papapa also had players sinbinned early in the game and there were far too many stoppages for the altercations between players.
University had to work hard to win 32-8 and retain third place on the ladder, a point behind leaders Waitemata and Ponsonby.
Waitemata scored eight tries to two in beating East Tamaki 50-14, while Ponsonby, who fielded former London Irish prop Richard Kirke, downed Suburbs 34-7 in a game that was a good deal closer than the score indicated.
Marist trailed Otahuhu 13-3 at the break but finished best to win 20-18 to leave both sides in the middle of the table.
Eden beat Manukau 30-12 to lead the premier two division, a point head of Waitakere City, 42-10 winners over East Tamaki, and Pakuranga who beat Mt Wellington 25-5.