There were some blowouts in the opening round of Dunedin premier club rugby this afternoon.
University demolished Alhambra-Union 76-8 at Logan Park. Winger Jeremiah Asi ran in four tries.
Zingari-Richmond pushed Taieri for 40 minutes at Peter Johnstone Park. But its 10-8 halftime turned into a comfortable 44-10 win to the Eels.
Dunedin edged Southern 19-14 in the only close game of the round, while Kaikorai eased to a 57-15 win against Green Island at Bishopscourt.
Kaikorai scored four tries in the final quarter of the opening half to seize control of the match.
Green Island rallied with three second-half tries, but it showed all the signs of a dusty pre-season.
The club has been battling for numbers and the team played without a lot of cohesion.
Kaikorai looked a lot more polished. It has some young talent out wide in wingers Mefiposeti Tupou and Jacob Mika.
Experienced first five Ben Miller produced an almost flawless kicking game. He drilled a penalty and nailed six conversions — if would have been seven but the post denied him.
He ran the cutter nicely as well and was always present to make those passes count.
Former prop Sidney Fidow has returned to rugby as a dynamic blindside flanker. He made some ferocious tackles and barnstorming runs.
In one devastating charge up field, he threw a dummy, pulled out a side step and palmed off another. He even got the ball across the line to score, but the officials upgraded Kaikorai to a penalty try for an infringement. That helped Kaikorai to a 38-0 lead at the break.
Southland loose Hayden Michaels got on the score sheet and had a tight game as well.
Some late biffo saw three players sent to the bin — Kaikorai’s Harrison Morton and Green Island pair Benjamin Lopas and Jesse Va’afusuaga.
Otago loosie Oliver Haig was immense for Green Island and dominated the lineout when his side could get the ball in straight.
Former flanker Heath MacEwan has packed on 10kg and made the move to hooker. He had a solid game but has not quite nailed throwing the ball in yet.
The Grizzlies used powerhouse No 8 Delaney Mckenzie as a battering ram and he had a decent match in a side which was well-beaten.
Kaikorai second five Reuben Wairau made the touch of the game. Miller put in a deft chip ahead and Wairau basically trapped the ball with his legs football style and dived on it to score.
The scores
Taieri 44 Zingari 10
Dunedin 19 Southern 14
University 76 Al-Union 8
Kaikorai 57 Green Is. 15
Harbour Bye
