An organised Kaikorai side overcame injuries and a helter-skelter start by the home side to record a convincing 37-19 victory over Green Island at Miller Park.
Within the opening 5min of play, Green Island had shot to a 14-nil lead through converted tries to Jesse Toto and Telusa Veainu and appeared to be playing a free-flowing brand of rugby rarely seen.
But perhaps with redemption on its mind from its loss in the first round, Kaikorai was quick to regroup. Despite losing its complete loose forward trio through injury, it was not phased by the early excitement shown by Green Island, and through sound forward play and its inside backs playing with confidence, found themselves back in the game.
Second five-eighth Jayden Spence was again a pivotal force in mid-field, scoring two tries and being denied a third from a 65m run when the touch judge over-ruled the try through an earlier infringement. Matt Te-Tana directed play superbly from first five-eighth, and half-back Jye Cormack had a dream run with some good clean ball distributed from his forwards.
Cam Rutherford was solid on the left wing and notched up 22 of his side's points from six penalties and two conversions.
A late consolation try to Roma Sauileoge gave the scoreline for Green Island some respectability, but referee Dave Kennedy may have needed a respirator after the game given the amount of whistle and the constant infringing from a well-beaten Green Island side.
- Kaikorai 37 (Jayden Spence (2), Jye Cormack tries; Cam Rutherford 2 con, 6 pen), Green Island 19 (Jesse Toto, Telusa Veainu, Roma Sauileoge tries; Jesse Veainu 2 con). Halftime: 26-14 Kaikorai. Referee: Dave Kennedy.