Rugby: Grammar take sting out of Eden

Grammar Carlton took half an hour to realise that Eden's yellow-and-black swarm did not have a sting in their tails, going on to win the Auckland club clash 21-11.

The skill and strength of Blues loose forward Samiu Vahafolau helped Grammar Carlton to break Eden's early grip.

Eden's big pack did not yield an inch to their more experienced opponents, but they lost because their defence out wide was porous.

Grammar Carlton were able to set up tries for wingers Rocky Havili and Siaose Taufa, and fullback Ben Allen.

Waitakere City caused the upset of the season by scoring four tries to three in beating University 26-25.

Former Auckland and Manu Samoa midfielder To'o Vaega was in menacing form and promising teenage lock Joseph Tekori had an edge in the lineouts.

Ponsonby withstood a bashing from the Otahuhu tight forwards and, after being locked up at 17-17 with 10 minutes to go, ran away to win 39-17.

Suburbs reversed their first-round loss to Waitemata 25-13.

Promoted College Rifles held Marist to 3-3 at halftime, but 17 unanswered points in the second spell gave Marist a 20-3 victory.

In premier two, demoted Papatoetoe got back into winning mode with a 29-18 result over Manukau but the other demoted side, Pakuranga, staggered to a 11-11 draw against unpredictable East Tamaki.

* North Shore and East Coast Bays beat Mahurangi and Navy respectively to join Takapuna, Massey, Northcote and Silverdale in the North Harbour championship round, starting June 15.

North Shore alone mastered the wet, windy conditions in an 11-try bonanza, beating Navy 73-15. Wing Mu Mataafa scored a hat-trick.

Takapuna, now within a bonus point of taking the first-round trophy, were flattered in beating Silverdale 26-7.

The big Silverdale pack battled away and took the initiative for a period in the second half. But the effort was short-lived when Takapuna No 8 and skipper Matt Lord returned to the fray to shake up his side.

Northcote also were flattered by the 20-0 scoreline against Helensville.

Massey came from 7-3 down at halftime to beat Glenfield 15-12 in a nailbiter marred by basic errors. It was two tries and a conversion apiece, the stalemate broken by Tusi Pisi kicking a penalty.

Minus eight frontline troops, the Bays relied on the kicking skills of Andrew Congleton to beat a plucky Mahurangi 16-8.