The win has seen it pull clear at the top of the Dunedin club competition standings after Southern fell to Taieri 15-8 in a game which was dominated by the whistle.
Dunedin kept its semifinal prospects alive with a 34-23 win against Kaikorai. University A is gathering momentum and proved too good for Zingari Richmond, running out the winner 57-10, while Alhambra Union scored six second half tries to put away Green Island 49-21.
Taieri 15
Southern 8
Ears are still ringing from the amount of whistle in this fixture. The Speight's Challenge Shield between Taieri and Southern promised to be a fascinating encounter but instead it was held prisoner by the penalty count.
Southern grew increasingly frustrated with the rulings at the breakdown but also let itself down with some silly penalties.
Taieri first five eighth Josh Casey was only too happy to kick at goal. He slotted three penalties in the second half to secure the win for his side.
He also made an important tackle earlier in the game when fullback Ryan Tongia had got on the outside of his opponent and ran the best part of 50m. Casey chased hard and brought him down in a copybook tackle.
Southern managed the game's only try. It started from a nice dart from Josh Walden. His brother, Tei Walden, beat two tacklers in the next phase and Tongia nipped into halfback and spun the ball wide to winger Eroni Sotutu, who was clear and ran 20m before crashing over in the covering tackle.
Bryce Hosie missed the conversion which left Taieri nursing a 6-5 lead at the break. The game was set up for a fabulous finale but the second spell proved to be a stop start affair, with only the penalties flowing.
Taieri prop Aki Seiuli played his 50th game for the team, while lock Kurt Webster brought up 100 games.
University A 57
Zingari Richmond 10
University A made an emphatic statement that the popular brand of student rugby is back in Otago, with its convincing 57 10 victory over Zingari Richmond at Montecillo.
All its nine tries were scored in running style familiar with many of the top University A teams of the past, forwards and backs combining in a tsunami like wave as it swept up field. Four of its nine tries were launched from deep within its own 22m.
Despite a slight territorial advantage, Zingari Richmond was let down by a high error rate, but overcame this in the final 10 minutes as it ran in two tries in quick succession, against what appeared to be a relaxed University A team with 57 unanswered points on the board.
Chris Bell was his ever reliable self in the forward pack for the home side, while in the backs, wing Stephen Scoles had some good touches and was solid in defence.
University A was once again well led by captain Sam Sturgess, and lock Hamish Walker was dominant at the lineout and around the fringes, complementing a superb performance from the loose forward trio of Sione Teu, Jack Wolfreys and Dillon Hunt.
Dunedin 34
Kaikorai 23
All the rugby was played in the first spell at Bishopscourt with both sides scoring four tries. The two conversions from Dunedin's Greg Dyer split the sides at the break.
Dunedin had two tries on the board inside seven minutes on the back of a strong forward display, and pivot Tyrone Davies and blindside Hame Toma muscled over to put it up by 12 points in the blink of an eye.
Kaikorai bounced back with a Josh Renton break to put blindside Jared Goodson away for the try to drag the gap back to seven.
Dunedin struck back with tries to big No 8 Matt Vaai, who crashed over from a forward drive, and fast hands put winger Tim Tolovae over out wide.
Not to be outdone, the home team scored three tries in nine minutes to loose forward Shane Calder and prop Jonah Aiona, who both crashed over from close range, and then fullback Sean Conner waded through some woeful defence to crash over out wide which meant both teams had a bonus point by halftime.
In comparison, the second spell was decidedly ordinary, with a glut of comical errors from both sides destroying the game as a spectacle.
The Dunedin pack dominated the spell to win the game. Vaai crashed over from close range for the only try and Greg Dyer kicked the conversion and a penalty. A solitary penalty to winger Matt Jones was the only reward for Kaikorai.
For Dunedin, Mark Grieve Dunn was their best and was indefatigable in carrying the ball up. Loose forwards Danny Underwood, Matt Vaai and Hame Toma were tireless in pursuit of the ball. Winger Tim Tolovae looked good on and off the ball in the 40 minutes he played, in only his third game of the season.
Danny vander Voort was Kaikorai's best in the midfield and was its rock. Halfback Josh Renton, who played only the first half, marshalled his side well and was sorely missed in the second half. Jared Cookson the blindside prop and Aiona stood out in a beaten pack.
Alhambra Union 49
Green Island 21
Alhambra Union posted six second half tries against Green Island to run away with the victory at Miller Park.
The home side simply ran out of puff and its defence faltered.
Three Alhambra Union players helped themselves to two tries apiece, including lock Ryan Dawson, who dotted down after he fooled what remained of the Green Island defence with a cracking dummy and galloped 40m to score.
But while the floodgates opened in the second period, the opening 40 was a rather different match.
Green Island dominated territory and deserved to be ahead.
Jackson Hemopo was a colossus for Green Island, while lock Jamie Waller and hooker Sam Smith also had tidy games. Despite Green Island's strong start, Alhambra Union scored first when speedy winger Henry Schikker nabbed an intercept and ran away to score.
Alhambra Union got into Green Island's half another couple of times but managed to score a second try, and Sam Ellis knocked over a penalty.
Against the run of play the visiting side led 17-14 at the break. But a change of game plan saw Green Island's defence exposed more and the tries mounted quickly.
Centre Tili Puloka made good use of the space, grabbing two tries. Schikker also bagged a double but Dawson's dummy was the highlight.
Harbour 42
Pirates 5
Lock Hale T Pole was the star of a Harbour team that came to life in the second spell to beat Pirates at Hancock Park.
The sliding Pirates defence upset Harbour's rhythm and restricted the lead to two points, 7-5, at halftime.
It was different in the second spell, with Harbour scoring five more converted tries. Three of them came in the last 12 minutes.
T Pole dominated the lineout and made 10 clean takes. Two of them came off Pirates throws. He demonstrated his strength close to the line by scoring Harbour's fourth try.
The strong Harbour pack pushed Pirates back in the scrums, with loosehead prop Pete Mirrielees playing a key role. He showed his strength close to the line by scoring two tries. Flanker Ratu Dawai had an aggressive game.
Twinkle toed centre Aleki Morris had the ability to slide through gaps to score two tries and Vinnie Isherwood was an efficient halfback.
No 8 Josh Clark made seven lineout takes and was the best Pirates forward. He was backed up by lock Jared Williams and flanker Jeff Evans Turner.
Hard tackling midfielder Will Young was the best Pirates back. Former All Black Paul Miller added stability as a replacement lock in the second spell.
