Southern and Harbour are still winless in 2018, after battling to a 29-29 draw.
Taieri shocked Dunedin with a 51-11 win, signalling it will be a much tougher prospect this season.
Kaikorai wrested the Challenge Shield off Zingari-Richmond with a tense 18-17 win.
University 46
Alhambra-Union 10
University was too sharp for Alhambra-Union and has kept its spot at the top of the standings with a convincing 46-10 win at the North Ground.
The students swung into action in the opening minute, when prop Kilipata Lea got across the line.
Alhambra answered back through tighthead Tia Ratu, closing the score to 11-10 after 20 minutes.University dominated the next 20 minutes with three tries, the first to right winger Taylor Haugh after a scrappy period of play. Fullback Tom Morrison scored the best try of the game following some nice interchange work from Haugh and Sam Dickson, which resulted in quick ruck ball which University spun wide to outflank Alhambra.
Right on half time, second five-eighth Tyler Beary scored after an Alhambra attack broke down on halfway.
Haugh speculated a kick through which Alhambra bungled on the goal line and Beary pounced to give University a 32-10 lead at the break.
Both teams made multiple changes and the game lost some structure in the second spell.
Haugh scored a second try in an impressive game, while loose forward Dickson was arguably the player of the match with some strong work.Alhambra-Union flanker Conner van Turnhout and hooker Alex Frood were the best from the home side.University’s pack proved the real difference and dominated for long periods.
Taieri 51
Dunedin 11
Taieri looked to have benefited from having the bye in the first round. It came out looking organised on defence, big on ball runners and took all its opportunities when they came along.
The visitor to Kettle Park had to defend early against a directionless attack. Dunedin had only two George Witana penalties to show for its first 15 minutes on attack.
Taieri then took over and once prop Tom Hill crashed over from a turnover the game looked effectively over.
The game’s best player, halfback Kurt Hammer scored immediately after from yet another sloppy carry from Dunedin, when he scampered 65m to score.
Taieri led 26-6 at the break as Hammer dotted down again after woeful Dunedin defence and lock Josh Larsen crashed over out wide.
Taieri added three more tries in the second spell and Dunedin replied with a solitary try to No8 Morgan Reedy.
Taieri blew Dunedin off the park with aggressive defence, especially in the midfield, controlled the breakdowns and more than competed at set piece.
Conversely, Dunedin was embarrassing. Its scrum was creaky, giving up a tight head on the Taieri line.
The lineout self-destructed in the second spell, Dunedin missed touch three times from penalties and at one stage in the second half it played with 13 men.
The midfield defence was non-existent and the ball-runners were like warthogs, wallowing in mud.
Hammer was outstanding at halfback for Taieri and prop Hill devoured metres on the carry and cut a swathe through flimsy Dunedin defence. Midfielder Kori Rupene was into everything in both attack and defence. For Dunedin, the less said the better.
Harbour 29
Southern 29
Harbour appeared to open the scoring against Southern in a thrilling 29-29 draw at Watson Park. But only a handful of people gathered in the corner actually saw hooker Sekonaia Pole ground the ball on the line. No-one else seemed to notice, including the referee, touch judge and the players.
The game’s official opening score was at the other end of the field, about 10 minutes later.
Southern finally got some territory and Mika Mafi just had to fall on the ball after Bryce Hosie skilfully put through a grubber.
Harbour had the better of the opening 40 minutes but Southern struck late in the half to lead 12-8 at the break.
The second spell was back and forth. Southern would take the lead, only for Harbour to muscle its way back up field and score.
Highlanders back-up first five-eighth Josh Ioane showed his class, stepping through a gap and running in from 15m out to score the game’s best try.
But Harbour scored the most important one and it came in the dying seconds. Southern led 29-22 but was pinned in its 22. All it needed to do was get the ball out of the scrum cleanly, kill 30 seconds and kick it out.
But the ball was fumbled and Harbour pounced, Kaleb Forde-Fraser getting clear on the outside.Halfback Tala Fagasoaia iced the conversion to seal the draw.
Kaikorai 18
Zingari-Richmond 17
For the first 15 minutes Zingari-Richmond appeared a worthy holder of the Speight’s Challenge Shield. Then it all came unstuck and evolved into a shambolic game of ill-discipline, penalties, yellow cards and handling errors.
A brace of tries to centre Tevita Nabura had the home side up 14-0 in as many minutes in the match against Kaikorai at Montecillo. Nabura came within 5m of scoring a third when he gathered in the ball at the restart, and powering his way up field.Kaikorai cleared the ball to halfway.
Thern came the first of four yellow cards issued in the match, two to each side, when Zingari-Richmond lost its first player. Kaikorai backed its forward pack, and taking a scrum option scored soon after through centre Matt Jones.
This inspired the Kaikorai pack and from then on the game descended into a messy, stop-start and ill-disciplined affair. A scrum debacle resulted in a double helping of yellow cards, just after the half hour, and both sides were reduced to 14 men.
Despite an indifferent lineout, Kaikorai proved the stronger of the two sides at scrum time, and Zingari-Richmond fed this strength through countless handling errors.
An eclectic array of penalties and breakdowns marred the match as Kaikorai clawed its way back, having the final say through a 45m penalty goal on the stroke of full time by Gus Gray to secure victory and the Challenge Shield.
Round two
The scores
Southern 29 (Mika Mafi, Jono Hayes, Josh Ioane, Simon Knight tries; Bryce Hosie 3 con, pen), Harbour 29 (Alan Burling, Joketani Koroi, Sione Misiloi, Kaleb Forde-Fraser tries; Logan Allen con, pen, Tala Fagasoaia 2 con). Halftime: Southern 12-8.
University 46 (Taylor Haugh 2, Jack McHugh, Tyler Beary, Tom Morrison, Gavin Stark tries; Dominic Clapcott 3 con, 2 pen, Haugh 2 con), Alhambra-Union 10 (Tia Ratu try; Zac Porter con, pen). Halftime: 32-10.
Kaikorai 18 (Matt Jones, Terence Hepetema tries; Gus Gray con, 2 pen), Zingari-Richmond 17 (Tevita Nabura 2 tries; Thomas Johnson 2 con, pen). Halftime: 14-10 Zingari-Richmond.
Taieri 51 (Kurt Hammer 3, Kori Rupene 2, Tom Hill, Josh Larsen tries; Josh Casey 3 con, 1 pen; Brodie Flannery 2 con, 1 pen) Dunedin 11 (Morgan Reedy try, George Witana 2 pen)