Hayward (21), a member of the Highlanders squad, made his first-class debut for Taranaki last year.
Former Warriors rugby league star Michael Witt had a good day with his boot for Taieri and landed five goals from five attempts but it did not stop Pirates from winning the game 30-19.
University A won a tense battle with Dunedin, 26-24, when Dunedin's Josh Hamilton missed a penalty goal in the final minutes.
The students are the only unbeaten team and lead the Speight's Cup competition with 12 points, followed by Alhambra-Union 11, Southern 10, Kaikorai 9, Zingari-Richmond 9, Harbour 6, Dunedin 6, Pirates 6, Taieri 4, Green Island 2.
Zingari-Richmond 14 Alhambra-Union 13
Constant pressure and determined tackling enabled Zingari-Richmond to beat Alhambra-Union at the North Ground.
Defence was the key and Zingari-Richmond rattled the more favoured Alhambra-Union team into a series of mistakes that proved costly.
The solid defence around the fringes by flanker Ryan Newman and lock Brady Carmichael stopped Alhambra-Union from getting any go-forward ball.
The normally fleet-footed Alhambra-Union backline was cut down in the midfield by the ferocious tackling of Ben Kent.
Zingari had a solid scrum with loosehead prop James Cooper getting the better of his opponents in his 50th premier game for the club.
The attacking skills of Jayden Hayward at second five-eighth gave Zingari the advantage on attack.
It was a break by Hayward that led to the first try when he sped through a gap and lock Elliot Mitchell was in support to score the try.
Zingari led 8-6 at the break but Alhambra-Union struck back early in the second spell when flying winger Karne Hesketh scored his fifth try of the season to give his side a 13-8 lead.
Zingari went back in front when Matt Gordon kicked his second and third penalty goals.
Peter Breen had the chance to win the game for Alhambra-Union on the call of full-time but his penalty goal from 22m and near the touchline was astray.
Zingari-Richmond 14 (Elliott Mitchell try; Matt Gordon 3 penalty goals), Alhambra-Union 13 (Karne Hesketh try; Peter Breen conversion, 2 penalty goals).
Half-time: Zingari 8-6.
Referee: Ross Barnett.
University A 26 Dunedin 24
University A turned mistakes into points when it beat Dunedin at Kettle Park.
The students were quick to pounce on Dunedin blunders and scored three tries from turnovers in the first spell to lead 20-6 at the break.
The first came after seven minutes when David Thompson outpaced the defence and the third on the stroke of half-time when fellow winger Hamish Johnstone kicked the loose ball ahead and won the race to the line.
Dunedin blew three strong chances in the first spell because of misdirected passing and added to its woes by aimless kicking.
Dunedin turned its fortunes around after the break when its forwards took control and were dominant in the scrum and in the loose.
Scott McKee and John Crossan played dynamically.
Dunedin took the lead for the first time after 30 minutes when McKee darted down the blindside and wing Joe Bradley was on hand to score the try.
University A was saved when Chris Noakes kicked his fourth goal in the game to enable the students to win by two points.
University A 26 (David Thompson, Andrew Parata, Hamish Johnstone tries; Chris Noakes conversion, 3 penalty goals), Dunedin 24 (Joel Murphy, Joe Bradley tries; Louis Tili 2 penalty goals, Josh Hamilton conversion, 2 penalty goals).
Half-time: University A 20-6.
Referee: Todd Pullar.
Pirates 30 Taieri 19
The counter-attacking skills of the Pirates backs proved decisive as they scored two tries in the last 10 minutes to gain the bonus-point win at Hancock Park.
Steve Bruce was a lively halfback and his quick delivery gave his outsides space to use their speed and the back three of Kieran Fowler, Adam Gavegan and Marshall Suckling exploited this advantage with strong counter-attacks.
Apart from an early flurry, when centre Ryan Shortland scored close to the posts, the Taieri backline looked stilted and failed to develop its phase play.
The Taieri forwards had a two-to-one advantage in the line-out but were not able to get the go-forward advantage to create space for the backs.
Pirates loose forwards Josh Clark and Garth Swan made a significant contribution to the win.
Clark charged down a Taieri clearing kick to score the first try after nine minutes.
Swan had a solid defensive game and his accurate tackling shut down Taieri attacks behind the advantage line.
It was only the accurate goal kicking of first five-eighth Michael Witt that kept Taieri in touch.
He kicked five goals from five attempts to score 14 points.
Pirates 30 (Adam Gavegan, Marshall Suckling, Josh Clark, Clayton Jetha tries; Glenn Dickson 2 conversions, 2 penalty goals), Taieri 19 (Ryan Shortland try; Michael Witt conversion, 4 penalty goals).
Half-time: Taieri 16-15.
Referee: Tim Baker.
Southern 24 Harbour 10
Highlanders winger Lucky Mulipola scored a runaway try to complete Southern's comprehensive comeback win at Watson Park.
Down 10-0 at half-time, and fortunate not to trail by more, Southern lifted its intensity in the second spell during which it scored 24 unanswered points in 21 minutes.
Mulipola finished it off when Ciaran Fenton was hit in a heavy tackle and Mulipola scooped up the loose ball and sprinted 35m to score.
The damage had been done earlier when Southern, buoyed by a major territorial advantage, scored good tries by left winger Daryl Caldwell (after a fine break by replacement five-eighth Julius Glasson) and by Glasson himself after Luke Herden flicked him a neat reverse pass.
Glasson made a big difference after he took the field and his incisive running tested the Harbour defence and lifted his team-mates.
Simon Knight, son of Otago's most-capped player, Richard, had a most useful game from the blindside flank, gaining quality line-out ball and excelling in support play.
Harbour's Eben Joubert had a terrier-like game from the blindside flank until he was subbed, fellow flanker Jason Kelly was an honest worker from the other flank and the front row of Peter Mirrielees, Ben Nolan and Aaron Larsen anchored a sound scrum.
Southern 24 (Daryl Caldwell, Julius Glasson, Lucky Mulipola tries; Craig Sneddon 3 conversions, penalty goal), Harbour 10 (Henry Holdaway try; Ciaran Fenton conversion, penalty goal).
Half-time: Harbour 10-0.
Referee: Doug Rodgers.
Kaikorai 13 Green Island 6
The all-round skills of Seko Qaraniqio and the midfield defence of Matt Direen and Mark McGregor were the features of Kaikorai's victory at Carisbrook.
Victory may have came at a cost with injuries to winger Craig Baird (suspected broken arm) and lock Ben MacDonald (broken ribs).
But the departure of those Kaikorai players was more than adequately compensated by the outstanding qualities of Qaraniqio, who had 10 clean line-out takes and was dynamic around the field in cover play.
His line-out work overshadowed the presence of Highlanders lock Hayden Triggs.
The Kaikorai midfield combination proved just as effective in shutting down the threat posed by Green Island first five-eighth Tamati Tamakehu and Highlander Johnny Leota, who came on at second-five-eighth in the second half.
Other players to stand out for Kaikorai were Hamish Chrisp, Cam Rutherford and Guy Lemon.
Green Island had two players sinbinned in the match and discipline will need to be addressed if players such as prop Andre Clarke and Tamakehu, who ignited numerous opportunities, are to help the club prosper.
Kaikorai 13 (Simon Maole try; Cam Rutherford conversion, 2 penalty goals), Green Island 6 (Shannon Young 2 penalty goals).
Half-time: Kaikorai 3-0.
Referee: Dave Kennedy.
