That result left Auckland facing some work to do to claim a playoffs berth with Counties and Waikato setting the early pace in the North Pool while Wellington and Canterbury are clear leaders in the South.
Canterbury hit the ground running in Christchurch on Saturday, scoring their first try off an Otago mistake 69 seconds into the game, a start they improved on when taking only 22sec to score their first of the second half.
By the time they had finished they had touched down 12 times, while also gaining a penalty try.
Otago made too many mistakes, although it was ironic that after having prop Eilis Doyle sin-binned, the game employed Golden Oldies scrums and with Canterbury infringing, Otago used scrums instead of lineouts and that was enough for first five-eighths Rosie Kelly to make a superb blindside break to score their first.
While centre Amy du Plessis scored another later, the momentum was all with Canterbury, wing Martha Lolohea strong on the left wing and captain and blindside flanker Alana Bremner being rewarded with two tries, Bremner scoring hers within two minutes of each other.
Wellington inflicted a second loss on Hawke's Bay with their 67-17 at Lower Hutt, wings Ayesha Leti-l'iga scoring four tries and Lyric Faleafaga three.
Taranaki reversed their heavy second round loss to Waikato by beating North Harbour 32-29 in a tight contest, both teams scoring five tries apiece and the difference coming from Gayle Broughton's penalty goal.
The final quarter of the game were hectic. North Harbour were in front 17-13 but Iritana Hohaia reclaimed the lead for Taranaki in the 60th minute, only for Clementine Varea to put North Harbour back in front six minutes later.
Then Broughton scored and converted her try with seven minutes left. But North Harbour refused to lie down, Amy Robertshaw crossing with three minutes left.
However, the home side claimed the win two minutes into injury time when Chloe Sampson scored.
Manawatu made light work of Tasman's challenge in an 88-0 win in Palmerston North.
Wellington 67 (Ayesha Leti-l'iga 4, Thamsyn Newton, Dhys Faeleafaga, Lyric Faleafaga 3, Fa'asua Makisi, Sinead Toala-Ryder tries; Newton 6 con) Hawke's Bay 17 (Forne Burkin, Michaela Baker, Harmony Kautai tries; Kaitlan Bates con). HT: 31-17
Canterbury 85 (Cindy Nelles, Amy Rule, Angie Sisifa, Terauoriwa Gapper, Martha Lolohea 2, Grace Brooker, Sam Curtis, Lucy Anderson, Alana Bremner 2, Georgia Ponsonby tries; Penalty try; Kendra Cocksedge 6 con; Liv McGoverne 3 con) Otago 10 (Rosie Kelly, Amy du Plessis tries). HT: 47-5.
Taranaki 32 (Kaya-Rose Kahui, Iritana Hohaia 2, Gayle Broughton, Chloe Sampson tries; Broughton pen, 2 con) North Harbour 29 (Zakiya Kereopa, Clementine Varea 3, Amy Robertshaw tries; Hayley Hautana 2 con) HT: 10-5
Bay of Plenty 10 (Mahina Paul try; Kelly Brazier con, pen) Waikato 21 (Stacey Fluhler, Cheyelle Robins-Reti tries; Chelsea Alley 2 pen). HT: 3-15
Manawatu 88 (Selica Winiata, Lucy Brown, Sosoli Talawadua 2, Sam Tipene, Janna Michal Vaughan, Rangimarie Sturmey, Carys Dallinger 2, Crystal Mayes, Kaia-Hayes Walker-Waitoa, Rhiarna Ferris, Rebekah Tufaga, Paige Lush tries; Winiata 9 con) Tasman 0. HT: 47-0
Auckland 22 (Nathalia Moors, Cristo Tofa, Lydia Turua-Quedley, Liana Mikaele-Tu'iu tries; Patricia Maliepo con) Counties Manukau 36 (Kalo Cuthers, Larissa Lima, Ilisapeti Molia, Ruby Tui 2, Harono Te Iringa tries; Hazel Tubic 3 con)