Taranaki, Tasman and Otago share second place three points behind Canterbury while Hawke's Bay and Waikato are a point further back in fifth place.
Hawke's Bay suffered its first loss at the hands of Canterbury while Southland made it two wins from two when upsetting Bay of Plenty 30-25 in Rotorua.
Bay of Plenty 25 Southland 30
Bay of Plenty put Southland's defence to the test for the first 28 minutes of their game at Rotorua, and it wasn't until No8 Nikora Broughton charged through to the line that Bay of Plenty was rewarded when prop Josh Bartlett got over for the try. Trask went close soon after. But fullback Michael Manson intercepted his attempted pass, and Southland's line was cleared. Flanker Veveni Lasaqa looked to have scored on halftime; however, he lost control of the ball in going over the line. Southland's first five-eighths Mika Muliaina landed two penalty goals for the visitors.
Three minutes into the second half, Southland No8 Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa punched through on the Bay 22m line and slipped the ball to halfback Nic Shearer, whose speed took him through for a try. But, 10 minutes later, the Bay were hammering Southland's line again before the ball was released for wing Ngarohi McGarvey-Black to score in the corner. The Bay ran a Southland kick back at them with fullback Kaleb Trask kicking ahead. Muliaina, covering, took the ball into touch, but a quick throw-in by McGarvey-Black was accepted by Trask, who ran in the try. Southland stormed by with replacement hooker Nic Souchon scoring a 64th-minute maul try. Replacement five-eighths Byron Smith's conversion gave Southland a one-point lead. Penalty goals were exchanged before, in the 79th minute, Smith fed Manson on the side off a ruck, and he broke through to score the match decider.
Bay of Plenty 25 (Josh Bartlett, Ngarohi McGarvey-Black, Kaleb Trask tries; Trask 2 con, 2 pen) Southland 30 (Nic Shearer, Nic Souchon, Michael Manson tries; Mike Muliaina con, 2 pen; Byron Smith 2 con, pen). HT: 7-6
Hawke's Bay 7 Canterbury 26
Canterbury's pick-and-goes didn't provide immediate reward, but a lineout move five metres from the line allowed flanker Corey Kellow to run around the back of the line with a full head of steam to score in the seventh minute at McLean Park against Hawke's Bay. A 33rd-minute variation on the lineout theme by Kellow saw two Canterbury drives at the line before quick release and a long pass to the wing allowed wing Manasa Mataele to score and give his side a 12-0 lead at the break.
Hawke's Bay couldn't take advantage when trapping Canterbury in its in-goal early in the half, but halfback Folau Fakatava's introduction livened proceedings in the 54th minute when he had flanker Miracle Fai'ilagi charging deep into Canterbury's 22m. They took their time, but from a lineout maul, Fai'ilagi emerged with the ball and drove over for the home team's only points. Wing Chay Fihaki cut Hawke's Bay to shreds with a run that took play the length of the field. From a resulting Bay scrum in the 61st minute, Canterbury took advantage of a dropped pass five metres out, and Fihaki was on hand to score after centre Braydon Ennor somehow got the ball to him after a tackle. Twelve minutes from the end, a blindside move opened a wide enough space for fullback Johnny McNicholl to run through for the final try.
Hawkes's Bay 7 (Miracle Fai'ilagi try; Hamish Godfrey con) Canterbury 26 (Corey Kellow, Manasa Mataele, Chay Fihaki, Johnny McNicholl tries; Fihaki 3 con). HT: 0-12
Taranaki 22 Waikato 23
Stakes were high in New Plymouth when Chiefs partners Taranaki and Waikato met in a Ranfurly Shield challenge. Signs were not good for the holders Taranaki when lock Jesse Parete was sin-binned for a high, and late, tackle on Waikato first five-eighths Aaron Cruden. It was Cruden who opened the scoring with a penalty goal in the 22nd minute. Taranaki responded immediately with good buildup work in the 22m saw second five-eighths Daniel Rona throw a long pass that was taken by centre Josh Setu.
Taranaki started the second half with a superb team try down the right flank that saw halfback Logan Crowley accept the last pass to score. Waikato stormed back down field for Cruden to land a 40m penalty goal. Untidy Taranaki passing on attack saw the ball go to ground. Waikato couldn't control it and it was kicked ahead by centre Obey Samate who scored. A Waikato lineout maul in the 58th minute saw Dylan Eti catch a rebound from a Taranaki knock down and he scored. First five-eighths Josh Jacomb landed a penalty goal three minutes later to give Taranaki a 22-13 lead. Then, with 12 minutes left, halfback Xavier Roe found a gap from a maul and ran through to score. Two points ahead, Taranaki got a penalty that Jacomb kicked too long and Waikato got back downfield to win a penalty chance in the last minute. The ball fell off the tee and when he replaced it replacement five-eighths Lima Sopoaga had only 10 seconds left to kick the goal, but he was cool and calm to land the shot.
Taranaki 22 (Josh Setu, Logan Crowley, Obey Samate tries; Josh Jacomb 2 con, pen) Waikato 23 (Dylan Eti, Xavier Roe tries; Aaron Cruden 2 pen; Lima Sopoaga 2 con, pen). HT: 5-3
North Harbour 19 Tasman 43
An impressive start from the kick-off saw Tasman on the board at Albany less than two minutes into the game when flanker Tayne Hemopo ploughed over from a breakdown for the first try. A backline incursion from his right wing by Kyren Taumoepolau created an opening that saw left wing Macca Springer score the first of four tries in the game. By the 14th minute, hooker Tomasi Maka used his power to score the third, while Springer scored his second in the 19th minute, and his third after 24 minutes as Tasman took a 31-0 lead to the halftime break.
North Harbour used their scrum to score the first try, to halfback Siaosi Nginingini, seven minutes into the second half. Springer's pass inside, out of a tackle saw lock Hunter Leppien score for Tasman before Springer was over. Tasman reeled out their substitutes, and it was North Harbour who created the scoring action through replacement back Tom Barham and replacement hooker Penaia Cakobau, who stunned Tasman with his footwork on a 45m run, for tries.
North Harbour 19 (Siaosi Nginingini, Tom Barham, Penaia Cakobau tries; Oscar Koller 2 con) Tasman 43 (Tayne Hemopo, Macca Springer 4, Tomasi Maka, Hunter Leppien tries; William Havili 4 con). HT: 0-31
Auckland 24 Northland 43
Two missed scoring opportunities for Auckland and a freak chance Northland took to score were a portent of things to come. Auckland wing Codemeru Vai made a spectacular take and break to be run down two metres from Northland's line and left wing Xavier Tito-Harris was in touch when he grounded the ball. But Northland lock Allan Craig kicked a loose ball that rebounded off an Auckland player and back to him, and ran into space before second five-eighths Reesjan Pasitoa was on hand to score for Northland. A Corey Evans run took play to the Auckland goalmouth, and halfback Sam Nock went through a gap to score. Pasitoa scored a second after 25 minutes. Craig got in the way of an attempted Auckland clearance and had his reward seven minutes from halftime with a try. It took wing Brady Rush being sin-binned for Auckland to get Tito-Harris over in the corner for their only try of the half.
Lock Josh Beehre went over from a goalline maul for Auckland within two minutes of the restart. Three minutes later, Tito-Harris ran onto a kick to the in-goal by halfback Taufa Funaki to score his second. However, that was as close as Auckland got. A 55th-minute try to first five-eighths Rivez Reihana extended Northland's lead and followed that with a penalty goal in his 18-point haul in the game. Centre Xavi Taele got a try back for Auckland, but replacement back Nathan Salmon's try sealed the win.
Auckland 24 (Xavier Tito-Harris 2, Josh Beehre, Xavi Taele tires; Alex Harford 2 con) Northland 43 (Reesjan Pasitoa 2, Sam Nock, Allan Craig, Rivez Reihana, Nathan Salmon tries; Reihana 5 con, pen). HT: 5-26
Otago 33 Counties Manukau 19
Good lineout ball in the eighth minute saw Otago move the ball effectively with fullback Sam Gilbert joining the line to score. But Counties Manukau recovered when a Jona Nareki clearing kick from the restart was charged down and regathered by wing Simon-Peter Toleafoa, who scored. Two lineout plays, one on the open side and a second on the sideline by hooker Henry Bell, resulted in tries for More effective backplay from Otago saw Nareki and lock Will Tucker score in the 19th and 26th minutes. Some bullocking work on the goalline just before halftime by visiting replacement No8 Hoskins Sotutu resulted in prop Keran van Staden driving over for a try.
Ten minutes into the second half, Otago made the most of a strong run by No8 Christian Lio-Willi. He linked nicely with Nareki, who was on his inside, and it was lively halfback Dylan Pledger, who had an outstanding game, who was on hand to take Nareki's pass to score. Then six minutes later, Lio-Willi and Nareki again combined to produce a try for first five-eighths Cameron Millar. Replacement Counties Manukau back Gibson Popoali'i used his strength to fend off Otago defenders to score, but that was the last of the scoring.
Otago 33 (Sam Gilbert, Jona Nareki, Will Tucker, Dylan Pledger, Cam Millar tries; Millar 4 con) Counties Manukau 19 (Simon-Peter Toleafoa, Keran van Staden, Gibson Popoali'i tries; Jackson Rainsford con; Popoali'i con). HT: 19-12
Manawatū 38 Wellington 28
It was a day for the outside backs in Palmerston North on Sunday as home team Manawatū beat Wellington 38-28. Wellington fullback Stanley Solomon gave an early show of his running ability, but they couldn't score. Instead, it was home flanker TK Howden who capped a team breakout with the opening try after 16 minutes. Five minutes later, second five-eighths Ngane Laumape's footwork threw off the defence and gave him the chance to put wing James Tofa in at the corner. Solomon had another chance down the right flank and stretched out in the tackle to open Wellington's account in the 29th minute.
A minute into the second half, a Wellington kick to touch was fed quickly by fullback Drew Wild. Tofa sprang up outside Wild, who took a pass from first five-eighths Brett Cameron. Wild passed to Tofa, who kicked ahead and won the bounce to score. Solomon then ran onto a kick to the line by first five eighths Jackson Garden-Bachop to score his second. Wild showed his class with a run down the right flank that created room for wing Taniela Filimone to score in the 52nd minute to lead 26-14. Wild and Filimone combined again eight minutes later when Wild regained his chip kick and fed the wing behind the posts. Tofa scored his third when he took advantage of the bouncing ball. Wellington scored two more, another to Solomon and one for wing Losi Filipo, but it ended as Manawatū's night.
Manawatu 38 (TK Howden, James Tofa 3, Taniela Filimone 2 tries; Brett Cameron 2 con; Drew Wild 2 con) Wellington 28 (Stanley Solomon 3, Losilosivale Filipo tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 4 con). HT: 14-7