University A had won the trophy for the last two years and was hoping for a threepeat. But Southern produced an aggressive display by backs and forwards that left the students floundering.
Kaikorai suffered its first loss of the season when it was beaten 34-7 by Taieri, and that left Alhambra-Union at the top of the table as the only unbeaten team. Alhambra-Union and Dunedin drew 9-9.
Alhambra-Union leads the competition on 21 points, followed by Taieri 20, Kaikorai 19, Dunedin and Southern 18, University A 11, Harbour 10, Zingari-Richmond 7, Pirates 5, Green Island 0.
Southern 24
University A 3
Southern was too efficient all-round as it convincingly beat University to regain the Cavanagh Memorial Trophy at the University Oval.
It scored two tries in quick succession in each half and the students were not in the hunt against a side that had more finesse on attack and whose defence was impenetrable.
Southern was more cohesive in the forwards and its backs played solid, no-nonsense rugby in the cold, damp conditions.
Southern made a statement with early tries to hooker Ricky Riccitelli and winger Byron Dodge but spent much of the remainder of the spell on defence as the students attacked without success.
The match was made safe for Southern 15 minutes into the second half when a wicked bounce eluded the University defence in-goal and centre Tei Walden pounced on the loose ball for an opportunist try.
Halfback Frae Wilson scored the bonus-point try soon after from a blindside move and University ended the game with a sole penalty goal for its efforts.
The Southern pack played well as a unit, from Riccitelli at hooker to the strong-running Lafaele Faamoe at No8.
Ryan Thompson had a strong game from the blindside flank and locks Jackson Hemopo and Tom Franklin were accurate in the lineouts.
Josh Waldron and Josh Ioane were solid inside backs who kept the ball in front of their forwards, Walden showed his class at centre and fullback Ben Patston used his strong left boot to good effect.
For University, Sam Sturgess was a tigerish hooker, No8 Sione Teu often tested the defence with his powerful runs and flankers Jack Wolfreys and Nick O'Connell worked hard.
Fullback Matt Faddes tried desperately to spark the students but there was no way through the Southern defence.
Southern 24 (Tei Walden, Ricky Riccitelli, Frae Wilson, Byron Dodge tries; Ben Patston 2 con), University A 3 (Fletcher Smith pen). Halftime: Southern 14-3.
Taieri 34
Kaikorai 7
Taieri beat Kaikorai at Peter Johnstone Park because it applied relentless pressure and made the most of its scoring opportunities.
The Taieri pack was a tight unit as it broke up field with a series of pick and goes, searching for a breach in the Kaikorai defence.
The driving play of the front row of Aki Seiuli, Henry Parker and Nick McLennan set up the platform, and loose forwards Charlie O'Connell and Willis Scott probed the gaps with the ball in hand.
Michael Collins and Kieran Moffat formed a strong midfield defensive unit that shut down Kaikorai's enterprising backline.
Taieri led 10-0 at the break after a first half in which Kaikorai was guilty of some poor kicking. Taieri then pounced with a four-phase forward drive inside the Kaikorai 22m before O'Connell scored.
Collins was the best back on the field and ran strongly with the ball in hand. He used his strength inside the 22m to score a try after 15 minutes in the second spell and make the game safe.
He broke the hearts of Kaikorai supporters late in the game, when he intercepted a Kaikorai pass on his own 22m and ran 70m up the touchline for his second try.
Kaikorai was more effective in the last 20 minutes when it attacked from all parts of the paddock, and reward came when winger Bryce Morgan scored under the bar.
Morgan was the best Kaikorai back with his strong acceleration. He made a try-saving tackle in the first half when he drove Taieri fullback Kori Rupene into touch when he was about to cross.
Cam Rutherford was solid in the midfield and workhorse No8 Nathan Hull was the best of the forwards.
Taieri 34 (Michael Collins 2, Kori Rupene, Charlie O'Connell, Mike McKee tries; Josh Casey 3 con, pen), Kaikorai 7 (Bryce Morgan try; Cam Rutherford con). Halftime: Taieri 10-0.
Alhambra-Union 9
Dunedin 9
Put simply, this was an ugly game of rugby. Alhambra-Union had more than 80% possession and territory, at least two-thirds of a 30-plus penalty count and, incredibly, could not win.
Alhambra-Union dominated the first half on the back of a combative pack and spent most of the time bivouacked inside the Dunedin 10m line, all the while playing into a very strong breeze.
Dunedin ventured into the opposition half four times and Greg Dyer kicked three penalties for Dunedin to, mystifyingly, lead 9-0 at the break.
Alhambra-Union totally dominated the second spell but could only reply with a paltry nine points through two penalties and a drop goal to Peter Breen.
The Alhambra-Union forwards were too much for an out-of-sorts Dunedin pack. They dominated the aerial battle and stole at least six Dunedin lineouts.
Ben Periera and the diminutive Brandon Olsen dominated their vaunted opponents in the loose, and Mike Colville ruled the roost in the lineouts.
Caleb Gray was the best of the backline at halfback. But Breen was predictable in trying to breach the line on his own and, considering the wealth of possession, the Alhambra-Union backline looked pedestrian.
Dunedin carried on its poor form from the Kaikorai game and was awful all over the park. The forwards could not buy a lineout and threw away possession at every opportunity with sloppy handling and adventurous offloads. The backs frittered away what scant possession they had through substandard and aimless kicking and handling.
To the Dunedin players' credit, they defended well - and they had plenty of practice. Sam Anderson-Heather, Tim Tolovae and Hugh Blake were prominent in this area.
Alhambra-Union 9 (Peter Breen 2 pen, drop goal), Dunedin 9 (Greg Dyer 3 pen). Halftime: Dunedin 9-0.
Pirates 36
Green Island 17
Pirates always had the game under control and could have won by a bigger margin at Miller Park.
The big Pirates forwards were dominant from the start. Prop Hisa Sasagi and hooker Sekonaia T-Pole were particularly aggressive with their driving play, and loose forwards Solomon T-Pole and Shaun McCarroll were ready to pounce on any Green Island mistakes.
Openside flanker Luke Johnston was the standout player for Green Island with his aggressive defence.
Pirates led 17-3 at the break and tightened their grip on the game when McCarroll scored early in the second half.
Green Island's rugged defence fell apart when Johnston spent time in the sin bin in the middle of the spell, and No8 Solomon T-Pole and fullback Adam Gavegan scored quick tries.
Two late tries by Green Island closed the gap slightly but Pirates' big lead was not in danger of being breached.
The best Pirates back was second five-eighth Opini To'omalaitai, who defended strongly and ran aggressively with the ball in hand. First five-eighth Craig Sneddon kicked five goals and his raking punts drove Green Island back.
Fullback Shane McNoe and second five-eighth Fapene Popoali'i were the best Green Island backs, and Johnston, lock Jamie Waller and hooker Sam Smith the best of the forwards.
Pirates 36 (Adam Gavegan, Opini To'omalaitai, Solomon T-Pole, Shaun McCarroll, Hisa Sasagi tries; Craig Sneddon 4 con, pen), Green Island 17 (Mike Bennett, Simon Tupu tries; Shane McNoe 2 con, pen). Halftime: Pirates 17-3.
Harbour 28
Zingari-Richmond 19
After both sides cancelled each other out in the first half, the Harbour forward pack unleashed itself soon after the break.
Flanker Ratu Dawai excelled in the go-forward created by the tight five to set the game alight early in the second half with a try under the posts.
The try capped off a solid first half from Dawai, in which he featured in all facets of play and was ably supported by fellow loose forwards Hale T-Pole and Hadleigh May.
Dawai was a dangerous runner and found space in the Zingari-Richmond defence that led to further tries to Joe Collins and Peter Mirrielees.
With Mirrielees inspiring the tight five, Collins directed play well from first five-eighth and made good use of some excellent service from halfback Nick Ealey, who contributed 13 points with his kicks at goal. Out wide, Harbour wingers Sali Levahala and Marckis Shaaf proved a force both in defence and attack.
Zingari-Richmond was again well served by its loose forward trio of Chris Bell, Joe Gregory and Tom Charteris, and lock Colin Enright. Lachie Moore proved elusive in midfield and Seremia Tagicakibau took some stopping with his strong runs up field.
Harbour 28 (Ratu Dawai, Joe Collins, Peter Mirrielees tries; Nick Ealey 2 con, 3 pen), Zingari-Richmond 19 (Lachie Moore try; Willie Ripia con, 4 pen). Halftime: 6-6.
