It will be University A's first banner for six years if it beats Alhambra-Union in the championship final at Carisbrook.
John Leslie's team confirmed its favourite tag with a comfortable 27-17 win over Kaikorai in the semifinal at Carisbrook on Saturday.
In the other semifinal, Alhambra-Union won a nailbiter against Pirates, 24-20, after Pirates winger Jeremy Cave came within centimetres of a late game-winning try.
Pirates and Kaikorai will play off for third and fourth spot.
Taieri will play Dunedin for fifth and sixth, and Southern will play Harbour for seventh and eighth.
University A 27 Kaikorai 17
The powerful University A pack dominated the set-pieces and set the platform for its decisive semifinal win.
The big men in the student pack played a key role as they controlled the scrum and dominated the lineout.
The students won the lineout battle 18-7, giving clean ball to halfback Sean Romans.
Lock Alby Herron was the main ball-winner, but loose forwards Paul Grant, Hoani Matenga and Adam Thomson gained their share of ball.
Thomson, in his first club game of the season since being dropped from the All Blacks, played a dominant role as the students took charge and scored 11 points in the last 20 minutes to win the game.
Thomson was never far from the ball.
He teamed with No 8 Grant to take the students into the lead just before halftime.
Grant burst away from a scrum 60m out and broke through the middle and Thomson was up in support to score the try to give University a 13-12 lead at the break.
It was a gutsy display by Kaikorai, with lock Seko Kalou playing a key role.
No 8 Kensak Palepoi and flanker Alando Soakai were dominant in the first spell as the Kaikorai pack went in as a unit and controlled the breakdown.
Kaikorai scored two tries in the first 24 minutes to lead 12-5, but it ran out of steam in the last 20 minutes as it was forced to play catch-up rugby, and mistakes ensued.
The game slipped away from Kaikorai when University winger Brad Nicol grabbed the loose ball and scooted 30m for the try and the students led 24-17 with 15 minutes left.
Chris Noakes put it out of reach with a dropped goal near the end.
University A 27 (David Thompson, Brad Nicol, Adam Thomson tries; Chris Noakes 3 pen, dropped goal), Kaikorai 17 (Richard Cowley, Mark McGregor, Rob Griffiths tries; Cam Rutherford con).
Halftime: University 13-12.
Referee: Todd Pullar.
Alhambra-Union 24 Pirates 20
The blood pressure of the Alhambra-Union coaching staff rose suddenly when Pirates attacked the line in the final seconds at Carisbrook on Saturday.
Pirates speedster Jeremy Cave was hurtling toward the corner when he was bundled into touch by flanker Brad Rapley and centre Paula Kinikinilau, and Alhambra-Union won 24-20.
"These games are about heart and commitment and my boys displayed that today.
I'm proud of them," Alhambra coach Marty Gray said.
Alhambra-Union had scored an unexpected try just before halftime.
Winger Desma Liaina followed up a failed penalty attempt by Luke Reihana and pounced on the ball over the line when a Pirates defender spilled it forward.
The game was played on a tightrope and the balance shifted throughout the game.
Either side could have won.
Alhambra-Union had a 20-minute purple patch in the middle of the match, scoring three tries and 18 points to lead 21-10 after 10 minutes in the second spell.
The team was playing with a ferocious intensity at this stage and the forwards were driving up the centre.
The front row of Scott Manson, Liam Coltman and Ben Pereira were dominating the game with driving runs and the pick and go.
No 8 Regan Turoa had an aggressive game and broke the advantage line from set-pieces and the breakdown.
The game changed when he left the field injured and the balance shifted back to Pirates, which responded to the call from No 8 and captain Warren Kearney to meet fire with fire by camping inside the Alhambra-Union 22m.
Pirates reduced the gap to one point, 21-20, when centre Marshall Suckling grabbed the ball from broken play and scampered 15m for his second try with just seven minutes left.
Other players to excel for Pirates were flanker Josh Clark, lock Steve Mison and lively halfback Steve Bruce.
Luke Reihana and Paula Kinikinilau had strong defensive games in the Alhambra-Union midfield and flanker Wahari Waitohi had an energetic game in the loose.
Alhambra-Union 24 (Desma Liaina, Brad Rapley, Ben Pereira tries; Luke Reihana 3 pen), Pirates 20 (Marshall Suckling 2 tries; Glenn Dickson 2 pen, 2 con).
Halftime: Alhambra-Union 13-10.
Referee: Tim Baker.
Taieri 53 Southern 26
Taieri came out firing to score three tries in the first 15 minutes to set up a big win at Peter Johnstone Park.
The home side dominated the first half and scored five tries to lead 29-7 at the break.
It sustained the pressure to score four more tries in the second spell.
Winger Jared Campbell finished strongly to score three of Taieri's tries, and five-eighths Hayden Parker and Andrew Reid had lively games in the backs.
Loose forwards Jeremy Corliss and Kurt Webster were efficient at the breakdown and played key roles in sustaining Taieri's continuity play.
Southern was forced to play catch-up rugby and only started to put its game together in the second spell, captain and prop Warren Moffat leading the way with his strong driving game.
Flanker Simon Knight toiled efficiently and Greg Zampach looked dangerous on the wing but did not receive enough ball.
Taieri 53 (Jared Campbell 3, Andrew Reid, Tom Davie, Hayden Parker, Steve Green, Ricky Stewart, Matt Hogan tries; Reid 4 con), Southern 26 (Harry Uffindell, Lewis Hancock, Ean Griffiths, Mark Sherlock tries; Hancock 3 con).
Halftime: Taieri 29-7.
Referee: Jeff Grubb.
Dunedin 45 Harbour 14
Dunedin recovered from a slow start to score five tries in the second spell to beat Harbour at Watson Park.
Dunedin held a slender 10-7 lead at the break but put its game together in the second spell with backs and forwards making ground and applying pressure on the Harbour defence, which wilted from the constant attack.
Prop Will Henry played a key role with his driving play and his skill with the pick and go.
Loose forwards Joe Dobson and Tim Fraser were quick to the breakdown.
Halfback Robbie Smith always looked dangerous with his sniping runs, and he converted all six tries.
Fullback Sam Lawson was dangerous on the counter-attack.
Powerful centre Wayne Gibson was the best of the Harbour players, while prop Ryan Olsen had a strong game in the tight.
Dunedin 45 (Sam Lawson, Simon Davey, Joe Bradley, Simon Luke, Tom Verdonk, Josh Hamilton tries; Robbie Smith pen, 6 con), Harbour 14 (Wayne Gibson, Brad Griffiths tries; Craig Sneddon 2 con).
Halftime: Dunedin 10-7.
Referee: Adam Morrison.
Green Island 34 Zingari-Richmond 0
Zingari-Richmond was competitive for 40 minutes but numerous holes opened up in its defence in the second spell at Miller Park.
Green Island led just 7-0 at the break but added four more tries in the second spell.
The midfield combination of Sam Erepia and Chris O'Neill cut holes in the Zingari defence, and flanker Jason Bint and hooker Ricky Hollamby had strong games in the pack.
No 8 Chris Bell and lock Brady Carmichael were the best of the Zingari forwards.
Green Island 34 (Chris O'Neill 2, Sam Erepia, Paul Butson, Josh Beer tries; Shane McNoe pen, 3 con), Zingari-Richmond 0.
Halftime: Green Island 7-0.
Referee: Doug Rodgers.