Green Island 40
Alhambra-Union 8
Green Island fullback Samuel Nemec-Vial piled on 25 points to help his side remain at the top of the Dunedin premier club standings.
The Grizzlies beat Alhambra-Union 40-8 at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday to remain unbeaten after five rounds.
They could be without flanker Atunaisa Katoa next week, though, after he was red-carded for a dangerous tackle in the second half.
Nemec-Vial was brilliant shifting from wing to fullback, in place of Finn Hurley, who has been called into the Highlanders as cover, and helped run GI home after a slow start.
AU had most of the ball in the opening quarter and went up 3-0 thanks to a William Thode penalty.
Green Island finally kicked into gear minutes later and big No8 Delany McKenzie scored.
Their monster forwards packed down for a scrum 5m out and were rolling forward when McKenzie peeled off under the posts.
GI scored a lovely try when second five Caleb Williams flicked the ball on to centre Levi Harmon to finish, and Daniel Smart scored a third give his side a 21-3 lead at the break.
They went further ahead when Nemec-Vial stepped the AU defence, and got his second try soon after.
AU had their chances through the middle, but just could not find the touches they needed to finish them off.
Grizzlies replacement Keisuke Yasuda was yellow-carded — leaving Green Island down to 13 players — and AU winger Oliver McKenna took advantage to score his side’s only try.
Nemec-Vial completed his hat-trick to seal the win.
— Kayla Hodge
Zingari-Richmond 36
Taieri 27
Zingari’s size and class helped them maintain their winning run at Peter Johnstone Park.
Fresh off the bye, the Colours sealed second on the table — just below the Grizzlies on points — but it was a relatively even match-up against the Eels, who pushed Zingari all the way.
Taieri led 3-0 after 13 minutes through an Alex Honey penalty. Zingari then found their rhythm and Taieri coughed up a few penalties to let prop Tofatuimoana Solia over for his first try.
Zingari found themselves in trouble when Tyree Mania was yellow-carded, and Honey banged over another penalty.
Taieri then made a brilliant break up the field, finishing with a Trey Russell try, but centre Tama Apineru hit back to help the Colours lead 14-13 at the break.
Highlanders lock Max Hicks scored for Zingari but Taieri hit back with a lovely try of their own to tighten the score.
Solia and Hicks both went over for their second of the day, before Taieri centre Sam Pearce created a brilliant counter attack that was finished off by Oscar Anderson for the Eels.
The reliable boot of Shaun Driver finished with a penalty to give Zingari a nine-point win.
For Zingari, prop Philip Taua-Ah Soon was outstanding, as was Hicks. Pearce, Honey and Brady Robertson were good value for Taieri.
— Kayla Hodge
Southern 77
Harbour 19
A rampant Southern side tore apart the Harbour midfield in a free-flowing affair at Watson Park.
Despite Southern dominating in all facets, Harbour exposed the Magpies early with a blindside break that lead to tries to No8 Noaese Foaitua and halfback Tetauru Cuthers.
With Highlanders lock Pari Pari Parkinson proving a handful on the charge for Southern, flanker Jordan Dwight snapped up a loose ball to begin a five-try second-quarter scoring spree that took the Magpies to an unassailable 50-12 lead at the break.
The Southern midfield proved a handful for the Harbour defence and the gaps opened up. Winger Truman Cuff finished the game with three tries, while centre Josh Timu bagged a brace.
Jack Leslie made a triumphant return to the black and white hooped jersey when coming off the bench midway through the second half for his first club game since the 2022 final, and he scored with his first touch.
Bailey Moody proved an ideal back-up for Wilson Driver at halfback and, with his first touch, put Timu into space for his second try.
First five Wyndham Patuawa was playing for the Hamilton Boys’ First XV last year and on Saturday played a key role in igniting what appears a potent Southern backline.
Arguably, though, the movement of the game was the 40m burst into open space from prop Naryan Strickland, who turned and outsprinted the Harbour defenders before scoring in the corner.
— Wayne Parsons
Dunedin 26
University 25
This was the game of the round for the Johnny Keogh Memorial, and while the late University player would not have enjoyed the result, he would have appreciated the spectacle.
Varsity played into a stiff breeze in the first spell and after Dunedin butchered the kick-off, midfielder Hugo Lynch strolled through non-existent defence to put winger Aaron MacMurray over for a converted try.
Dunedin regained some composure, and after two Ajay Faleafaga penalties, the pack showed strength with a 16m lineout drive, hooker Evan Blyth’s try giving them a six-point lead with 25 gone.
But Dunedin were their own worst enemies as they turned over the ball regularly, and University No8 Will Stodart marshalled his defences superbly to keep the Sharks at bay.
Replacement University loosie Lanson Randell went over after they spent time in the Dunedin 22m, and the lead was down to one as the students turned with a stiff breeze at their backs.
The game looked done when fullback Jacob Waikari-Jones sliced through some weak Dunedin tackles for a converted try to give University a six-point lead early in the second spell.
Dunedin had been guilty of kicking possession away, which you do at your peril at Kettle Park into the wind. They finally held on to the ball, went 20-plus phases and cut the lead to one through flanker Max Ratcliffe.
Both teams were playing themselves to a standstill with punishing forward drives and brutal defence as time ticked away.
Inside the last seven minutes, Faleafaga kicked a penalty to give Dunedin the lead but Mike Williams replied with two to give the students a four-point lead with 30sec to play.
Dunedin regained possession from the restart, went 40m off five phases and again ended up with numbers on the right, and winger Kyan Rangitutia went over in the corner to seal victory.
Tyro lock Josh Tengblad was a stand-out for Dunedin over 80 minutes. Rohan Wingham led the tight forwards, Dunedin had the superior scrum and Ratcliffe led the defensive effort.
For Varsity, Stodart was outstanding on both sides of the ball, prop Steve Salelea was powerful on the carry and Hugo Lynch was an absolute rock in midfield.
— Paul Dwyer
Round 6
The scores
Green Island 40 (Samuel Nemec-Vial 3, Delany McKenzie, Levi Harmon, Daniel Smart tries; Nemec-Vial 5 con). Alhambra-Union 8 (Oliver McKenna try; William Thode pen). Halftime: GI 21-3.
Zingari 36 (Tofatuimoana Solia 2, Max Hicks 2, Tama Apineru tries; Shaun Driver 4 con, pen). Taieri 27 (Trey Russell, Oscar Anderson, Alexander Honey tries; Honey 3 con, 2 pen). Halftime: Zingari 14-13.
Southern 77 (Truman Cuff 3, Josh Timu 2, Konrad Toleafoa, Lotu Solomoa, Jordan Dwight, Wilson Driver, Rewi Pomare, Wyndham Patuawa, Jack Leslie, Naryan Strickland tries; Mackenzie Palmer 5 con, Patuawa con). Harbour 19 (Noaese Foaitua, Tetauru Cuthers, Tane Vatuvei tries; Mason James con, Mosese Balelei con). Halftime: Southern 50-12.
Dunedin 26 (Evan Blyth, Max Ratcliffe, Kyan Rangitutia tries; Ajay Faleafaga con, 3 pen). University 25 (Aaron MacMurray, Lanson Randell, Jacob Waikari-Jones tries; Michael Williams 2 con, 2 pen). Halftime: Dunedin 13-12.
Standings
| P | W | L | D | BP | F | A | Pts | |
| Green Island | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 233 | 80 | 29 |
| Zingari-Richmond | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 176 | 142 | 28 |
| Southern | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 221 | 89 | 22 |
| Kaikorai | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 168 | 38 | 18 |
| Dunedin | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 159 | 129 | 18 |
| University | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 216 | 100 | 14 |
| Taieri | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 138 | 212 | 7 |
| Harbour | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 74 | 346 | 1 |
| Alhambra Union | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 327 | 0 |
