Waikato, Manawatu, Canterbury, Otago, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay set the early pace with Taranaki holding out Northland in a Ranfurly Shield challenge game in New Plymouth.
Auckland 35 Waikato 36
Celebrating 150 contests on either side of the Bombay hills, Auckland and Waikato served up a scoring treat for fans at Eden Park, although the home team had a final quarter to forget. Up 17-12 at the turn, after tries for captain Anton Segner and wing Xavier Tito-Harris, who won his race to score by toeing the ball 60m from a blocked kick through by Waikato. It was a different kick through that resulted in Waikato centre Bailyn Sullivan opening his side's scoring, followed soon after by hooker Manaaki Boyle-Tiatia, who completed a sizzling first quarter. Auckland went to the half after three more points were added after second five-eighths Austin Anderson was sin-binned when taking out an opponent in the air.
Tito-Harris pulled off an intercept 70m out but was unchallenged to extend Auckland's lead. Just before the three-quarter mark, fullback Payton Spencer helped Auckland to a 32-12 lead. However, Waikato left their 'give up the ghost' pills at home and staged a remarkable fightback. Tries to flanker Oli Mathis (61min), replacement Tepaea Cook-Savage (67), replacement halfback Rui Farrant (76) and replacement five-eighths Lima Sopoaga (78), and a conversion to win from first five-eighths Aaron Cruden capped the night for the visitors.
Auckland 35 (Anton Segner, Xavier Tito-Harris 2, Payton Spencer tries; Alex Harford 2 con; Rico Simpson con, 3 pen) Waikato 36 (Bailyn Sullivan, Manaaki Boyle-Tiatia, Oli Mathis, Tepaea Cook-Savage, Rui Farrant, Lima Sopoaga tries; Aaron Cruden 3 con). HT: 17-12
Manawatū 38 North Harbour 25
Withstanding a first-quarter onslaught at Central Energy Trust Stadium, Manawatū picked itself up, dusted off the grass cuttings, and taught North Harbour about completing opportunities. It started when home halfback Jordi Viljoen was on hand after centre Kyle Brown got a break, to score in the 22nd minute. North Harbour answered when No8 Jed Melvin, off a kick ahead by first five-eighths Patrick Pellegrini, ran in a try into the corner four minutes later. Home five-eighths Brett Cameron added a penalty goal, and then just before half-time, a poor kicking clearance on the Harbour line under pressure from Braydon Iose, saw Manawatū take the ball and see wing Taniela Filimone score the try.
Pellegrini's kicking again created a chance in the corner for Sofai Maka, and the try was eventually awarded. Two Pellegrini penalty goals with 17 minutes left gave Harbour an 18-17 lead. But that was to be it, as the Manawatū lineout maul saw replacement hooker Raymond Tuputupu charge across to regain the lead. Jai Tamati was on hand when Coles kicked ahead to regain the ball and pass for Tamati to score. Replacement back Siaosi Nginingini put Harbour in with a show when five minutes remained. But from the restart, Iose's influence, running against the grain, provided space for Filimone to score his second try to secure the win.
Manawatū 38 (Jordi Viljoen, Taniela Filimone 2, Raymond Tuputupu, Jai Tamati tries; Brett Cameron 5 con, pen) North Harbour 25 (Jed Melvin, Sofai Maka, Siaosi Nginingini tries; Patrick Pellegrini 2 con, 2 pen). HT: 17-5
Wellington 15 Canterbury 33
Outstanding mauling and lead-up work by hooker Brodie McAlister laid the scoring foundation for Canterbury six minutes into their game with Wellington at Jerry Collins Stadium in Porirua. McAlister ran off the back of a maul, making 15m before consecutive rucks resulted in the ball being moved wide for fullback Johnny McNicholl to run back on a tangent to score. Wing Losi Filipo had one try denied him when Canterbury got to the ball in-goal earlier, but, after 26 minutes, he came in from the right to score after 26 minutes.
Scorers were tied 7-7 at the turn, and Wellington scored first from a penalty goal landed by first five-eighths Jackson Garden-Bachop; however, that resulted in Canterbury upping the tempo to score three tries in 12 minutes. First, McNicholl's kick to the in-goal was finally grounded by Corey Kellow just short of the deadball line. Moments later, Wellington dropped the ball short of Canterbury's line. McNicholl swooped to pick it up and race 95m to score. Finally, Canterbury punished Wellington when returning a downfield kick deep into the 22m where No8 Cullen Grace chased hard, got the bounce and went out in the corner. Wellington had a late reward when replacement half Nui Muriwai scored four minutes from time.
Wellington 15 (Losilosivale Filipo, Nui Muriwai tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop con, pen) Canterbury 33 (Johnny McNicholl 2, Corey Kellow, Cullen Grace, Nick Hyde tries; Jason White 2 con; Chay Fihaki 2 con). HT: 7-7
Southland 15 Otago 24
Stag Day started with a bang at Rugby Park in Invercargill when Southland opened the scoring in their defence of the Donald Stuart Memorial Shield from a 13th-minute lineout drive that saw hooker Jack Taylor score at the bottom of a maul. However, Otago got themselves into Southland territory, took a quick penalty and worked the ball wide, where fullback Sam Gilbert joined the line to cut back on an angle to reply. Five-eighths Cameron Millar for Otago and Byron Smith for Southland exchanged penalty goals. But two tries in the last four minutes, the first to No8 Christian Lio-Willie, who was tackled but playing the ball, he went again to drive over. Then, flanker Will Stoddart capped some outstanding ball handling and organisation by halfback Nathan Hastie, to score.
Into the second half, Southland looked to have scored through their backline with the ball moved to wing Michael Manson, but an obstruction occurred and a try was denied. But undeterred, Southland got back into the Otago red zone and when a penalty was awarded, halfback Nic Shearer took the tap and went through to score. While denying Otago second-half points, Southland were unable to score in the final 30 minutes, despite throwing everything at the visitors.
Southland 15 (Jack Taylor, Nic Shearer tries; Byron Smith con, pen) Otago 24 (Sam Gilbert, Christian Lio-Willie, Will Stodart tries; Cameron Millar 3 con, pen). HT: 8-24
Taranaki 23 Northland 3
Taranaki demonstrated its intent to hang onto the Ranfurly Shield when taking only seven minutes to score its first try. Solid lead-up work by the pack saw the ball moved wide for wing Vereniki Tikoisolomone to cross unchallenged. Early penalties were exchanged by the two first five-eighths, Rivez Reihana first for Northland and then Josh Jacomb for the home team. On the quarter, a wasteful midfield kick was accepted by fullback Jacob Ratumataivuki-Kneepkens. He ran hard through a gap, then linked with the supporting Jacomb, who scored. Northland made inroads before the break but were unable to capitalise.
Three minutes into the second half, Taranaki made Northland pay when Ratumataivuki-Kneepkens sliced the defence wide open with another sparkling run before off-loading to supporting halfback Adam Lennox, who scored. A Jacomb penalty goal after 55 minutes completed the scoring, and while Northland attempted to clear their half, Taranaki managed to keep them well contained until the end.
Taranaki 23 (Vereniki Tikoisolomone, Josh Jacomb, Adam Lennox tries; Jacomb con, 2 pen) Northland 3 (Rivez Reihana pen). HT: 13-3
Bay of Plenty 37 Tasman 7
Fullback Kaleb Trask got the Bay of Plenty fans fired up when scoring in the fourth minute, coming up out wide to take a long goal-line pass from halfback Richard Judd at the base of a ruck. Tasman didn't help their hopes of recovery when hooker Joshua Te Hira was sin-binned for a head-high tackle out in front of the goalposts. Kicking to the corner instead of the posts, the Bay got their reward when hooker Kurt Eklund scored in the driving maul.
Bullocking runs by wing Timoci Tavatavanawai and flanker Ethan Blackadder from a rolling maul resulted in loosehead prop Ryan Coxon blasting over for a Tasman try five minutes into the second half. However, a final quarter Bay blitzkrieg killed off any threat from the visitors. Leroy Carter started the rout when coming off his wing to break through David Havili's tackle attempt in midfield and run in a try. Willie Havili attempted a crossfield kick, but the ball went out on the full. Replacement Ngarohi McGarvey-Black claimed the ball and threw to wing Cole Forbes, who returned it to McGarvey-Black. He chipped ahead, and Forbes got the bounce and a try. Trask joined the line when clean lineout ball was secured. He raced into space for his second try. And as the final hooter blew, wing Emoni Narawa celebrated his 50th game by putting over a dropped goal.
Bay of Plenty 37 (Kaleb Trask 2, Kurt Eklund, Leroy Carter, Cole Forbes tries; Trask 3 con, pen; Emoni Narawa dropped goal) Tasman 7 (Ryan Coxon try; Willie Havili con). HT: 10-0
Hawke's Bay 54 Counties Manukau 14
Making good use of quality ball from the outset, Hawke's Bay established an early foothold at McLean Park and never let up against Counties Manukau. Centre Nick Grigg made the most of a short backhand pass from hooker Jacob Devery to score in the seventh minute. Wing Jonah Lowe was given half a chance in the 22nd minute, and he took it to score the second. Ten minutes later, fullback Zarn Sullivan raced away on a 40m break. While he went to ground, second five-eighths Kienan Higgins was on hand to take the ball and score. Counties Manukau took a chance on halftime with lock Leo Ngatai-Fafau scoring.
Eighty-six seconds into the second half, a short pass from Higgins to wing Lukas Ripley added to Hawke's Bay's lead with a try. After losing Lowe to a yellow card, the Bay conceded a second try to lock Jimmy Tupou. But that was to be it, as the home team ran riot in the final quarter. Brothers Devan and Cooper Flanders combined in the loose for the latter to score, followed by a Higgins kick that was taken in the chase by replacement Andrew Tauatevalu, who scored. Ripley scored a second with eight minutes left, and McClutchie finished a length of the field intercept breakout by Tauatevalu. He was caught short of the line but got a pass to McClutchie, who scored.
Hawke's Bay 54 (Nick Grigg, Jonah Lowe, Kienan Higgins, Lukas Ripley 2, Cooper Flanders, Andrew Tauatevalu, Lincoln McClutchie tries; Hamish Godfrey 6 con; McClutchie con) Counties Manukau 14 (Leo Ngatai-Fafau, Jimmy Tupou tries; Riley Hohepa 2 con). HT: 21-7