Taieri leads the Gallaway Trophy competition with 59 points and is followed by Dunedin 57, Southern 45, University A 44, Kaikorai 40, Pirates 36, Alhambra-Union 28, Harbour 26, Green Island 14 and Zingari-Richmond 11.
Taieri and Dunedin are safely into the playoffs but Southern, University A and Kaikorai are all in contention for the last two spots.
Kaikorai lost ground when it was beaten 29-13 by Dunedin. If it loses to University A next Saturday, it will be out of the race.
Southern has the most difficult run home, because it still has to play Harbour, Taieri, Dunedin and University A.
Alhambra-Union 27
Southern 26
Peter Breen master-minded Alhambra-Union's upset win at Bathgate Park.
Alhambra -Union was not put off by the wet conditions and was prepared to run the ball from all parts of the paddock. It rocked the complacency out of Southern with two tries in the first 10 minutes.
The second try began 5m from the Alhambra-Union line, when Breen ran out from a turnover. Backs and forwards combined to run the ball into Southern territory and Breen chip-kicked into the 22m and gathered the ball to score the try.
Southern was under pressure and it was only the accurate goal kicking of first five-eighth Ben Patston that gave the Magpies a 19-14 lead at the break.
A Breen try early in the second spell evened the score but lively play by No 8 Sam Crompton and rampaging runs by lock Tom Franklin took Southern back into a 26-19 lead.
A Breen penalty goal after 33 minutes sealed the win for Alhambra-Union. Patston had the chance to win the game for Southern in the final minute but his penalty attempt bounced infield off the crossbar.
The Alhambra-Union forwards were sparked by two Highlanders, flanker Joe Wheeler and prop Liam Coltman.
Alhambra-Union 27 (Peter Breen 2, Noah Cooper, Ben Qauqau tries; Breen 2 con, pen), Southern 26 (Bryce Hosie, Nathan Cargo tries; Ben Patston 2 con, 4 pen). Halftime: Southern 19-14.
Taieri 48
Green Island 10
Taieri gave a polished display of wet-weather rugby and scored seven tries in the mud at Miller Park.
Four of Taieri's tries came from clean lineout takes, followed by crisp and accurate passing by the backline.
Taieri controlled the set pieces and lock Kurt Webster made eight two-handed takes in the lineout. The powerful scrum pushed Green Island back on several occasions.
Prop Brett Anderson and aggressive lock Karl Bloxham were powerhouses in the scrum, and loose forwards Elliott Dixon and Brodie Hume were skilled at the breakdown. Dixon always looked dangerous with his aggressive runs and made some strong breaks.
Halfback Kurt Hammer handled the difficult conditions with ease and first five-eighth Hayden Parker was an efficient general.
Midfielders Ben Nowell and Kieran Moffat were strong on defence and able to blow holes in the opposition line on attack.
Taieri scored four first-half tries and led 29-5 at the break. It added three more tries in the second spell.
Strong-running centre Roma Sauileoge and halfback Dean Moeahu were the best Green Island backs. No 8 Hamish Finnie and prop Andre Clarke were the best of the forwards.
Taieri 48 (Glen Beadle, Kieran Moffat, Ben Nowell, Kurt Hammer, Elliott Dixon, Karl Bloxham, Henry Parker tries; Hayden Parker 4 con, pen, Henry Parker con), Green Island 10 (Dean Moeahu, Stu Turner tries). Halftime: Taieri 29-5.
University A 15
Zingari-Richmond 12
University A attempted to play dry-weather rugby in the rain and was lucky to hold on to its lead at Montecillo.
The students bungled three scoring opportunities with forward passes when the line was open. It was a lethargic display by a University team that was outplayed in the lineout in the first half when Zingari stole two throws.
University led 5-0 at halftime, the only points coming from a Sione Teu try.
The score remained the same for the first 25 minutes in the second spell until nippy halfback Nick Annear scored the students' second try. First five-eighth Stephen Fenemor added a penalty goal and University led 15-0.
But the Zingari forwards had not given up and the vigorous play of No 8 Chris Bell, flanker Brady Carmichael and towering lock Tom Rowe kept pressure on the students.
In the last 10 minutes Zingari started to move the ball wide and it paid dividends when centre Shaun Driver and Paul Pelesa scored tries in the last eight minutes.
Inside backs Annear and Fenemor were the best backs and flanker Dale Jarden, prop Tama Tuirirangi and hooker Sam Sturgess played well in the forwards.
University A 15 (Nick Annear, Sione Teu tries; Stephen Fenemor con, pen), Zingari-Richmond 12 (Paul Pelesa, Kelly Moore tries; Shaun Driver con). Halftime: University 5-0.
Pirates 22
Harbour 13
A committed forward pack and two sensational tries from centre Marshall Suckling set Pirates up for victory at Hancock Park.
In a match that was a virtual stalemate, Suckling's two tries were the result of individual brilliance.
His first came in the 11th minute, when he intercepted a pass in midfield and turned on the gas to run in from halfway.
His second, in the opening minutes of the second half, had class stamped all over it.
He flat-footed Harbour's first line of defence and, from 35m out, broke through four tackles to score near the posts.
Suckling combined in midfield with Finn Gormley to form a solid defensive screen, ably supported by loose forwards Solomon T-Pole, Shaun McCarroll and Josh Clark.
Clark and McCarroll were strong from the set piece and at the breakdown. Lock Travis McIntosh and prop Craig Miller also had a strong presence on the field, both defensively and taking the ball up.
Harbour competed well and at times had Pirates stretched in defence. Charles Elton, Ed Elvin, David Heffernan, Peter Mirrielees and Greg Restieaux led the pack both in defence and on attack. Heffernan displayed his versatility when he switched from hooker to No 8.
Pirates 22 (Marshall Suckling 2, Craig Miller tries; Tim Cossens 2 con, pen), Harbour 13 (Glenn Ballam try; Joe Collins con, 2 pen). Halftime: Pirates 15-6.
Dunedin 29
Kaikorai 13
Dunedin had to win this game to confirm a top four placing and did just enough, while an undermanned Kaikorai was disappointing and will need to beat University next week to stay in the race.
Dunedin built a 10-0 lead following a try to winger Ashton Tuck from a lineout turnover and a couple of Liam Edwards goals.
Kaikorai finally made its way into the Dunedin 22m after 25 minutes and second five Cam Rutherford kicked a penalty to get his side on the board.
Dunedin nailed a lineout drive late in the half and hooker Aaron Clark was driven over for a converted try. Rutherford kicked a penalty to get Kaikorai to within 11 at the break.
In the second half, Dunedin was dominating the lineouts and, with the introduction of prop Sean Smith, decimating the Kaikorai scrum.
Kaikorai tried to run the ball out from its own 22m but turned the ball over again. First five Trent Renata put halfback Brad Weber into the hole and he scampered 40m to score.
From the kick-off, Renata put a kick over the defence, regathered, ran 20m and put a kick over the fullback which flying winger Rowan Mckenzie collected for a breath-taking try.
Kaikorai lifted valiantly in the final quarter and finally, in the last minute, No 8 Nathan Hull drove over for a try.
Renata, Weber, Clark, Daniel and Gareth Evans were standouts in a solid Dunedin performance.
For Kaikorai, Hull was dynamic and Tony Ensor was the most penetrative of the backs, but the side turned over far too much ball to be competitive.
Dunedin 29 (Ashton Tuck, Aaron Clark, Brad Weber, Rowan Mckenzie tries; Liam Edwards 3 con, pen), Kaikorai 13 (Nathan Hull try; Cam Rutherford con, 2 pen). Halftime: Dunedin 17-6.
