New Zealand club rugby round-up, 28 May

The big wet hit much of central New Zealand on Saturday, while it got cold down south. Winter rugby is here, and with it some absorbing action throughout the club competitions up and down the country.

In Auckland, the top eight teams for the second round have been found. These are Suburbs, Waitemata, Marist and Papatoetoe from the Blue Pool and College Rifles, Ponsonby, Grammar TEC and Pakuranga from the White Pool.

There’s two rounds to play in the Canterbury first round competition, where defending champions Lincoln University have an ice-like grip on the top of the standings – next week they play second placed New Brighton in a match that could decide the honours.

The combined Nelson and Marlborough Tasman Trophy semi-finalists have been found. Next week top qualifiers Wanderers will play Stoke and Marist will play Nelson in the other.

The first round spoils have been won in Wellington, with Old Boys University winning the first round Swindale Shield with next week’s last round to spare.

New Plymouth Old Boys march on unbeaten in Taranaki, although they were pushed hard by Tukapa in their derby match.

Melville came back from 0-23 down to beat Hautapu 26-23 in a stirring comeback in their top of the table clash in Waikato. Hautapu still lead the competition.

Mid Northern defeated Old Boys Marist 29-20 in their Northland Southern Districts Premiers top of the table clash, to be the new leaders. These two teams are clear frontrunners.

New Zealand Mitre 10 Cup provinces Premier Rugby Scores for 21 May –starting at the bottom of the country and moving up - were:

Southland
Star 28, Blues 11
Marist 24, Pirates Old Boys 22
Eastern-Northern Barbarians 22, Woodlands 8
Competition leaders: Eastern-Northern Barbarians

Otago
Green Island:31 - Alhambra-Union:24
Kaikorai:23 - Dunedin:15
University:28 - Taieri:3
Southern:38 - Zingari-Richmond:5
Harbour:53 - Pirates:10
Second weekend of the second round (Round 10)

Canterbury
Sydenham 40 – Burnside 5
New Brighton 33 – Linwood 7
Christchurch 45 – Marist Albion 5
Sumner 51 – Belfast 14
Canterbury University 17 – HSOB 14
Lincoln University 25 – Shirley 9
Competition leaders: Lincoln University

Tasman
Moutere 24 - Stoke 23
Central 29 - Kahurangi 24
Wanderers 19 - Waitohi 5
Renwick 17 - Waimea Old Boys 16
Marist - East Coast 10
Nelson 24 -Harlequins 5
Top qualifiers for the semi-finals: Wanderers

Wellington
Old Boys University 39 – Avalon 0
Marist St Pat’s 65 – Johnsonville 5
Upper Hutt Rams 21 – Poneke 15
Wainuiomata 27 – Northern United 24
Wellington Axemen 37 – Hutt Old Boys Marist 0
Tawa 68 – Paremata-Plimmerton 0
Petone 6 – Oriental-Rongotai 3
First round competition leaders (and winners) after 12 rounds of 13: Old Boys University

Manawatu
College Old Boys 65 – Linton 7
Kia Toa 45 - FOB Oroua 15
Old Boys Marist 18 – Te Kawau 11
Feilding 22 – Freyberg 3
Varsity – BYE
Competition leaders after three weeks of round 2: College Old Boys

Taranaki
Southern 37 – Stratford 16
Coastal 38 – Clifton 14
New Plymouth Old Boys 14 – Tukapa 12
Inglewood 28 – Spotswood 3
Competition leaders after 9 rounds: New Plymouth Old Boys

Hawke's Bay
Napier Pirate 34 - Tamatea 27
Napier Tech 38 - Central 27
Napier Old Boys Marist 51 - MAC 15
Taradale 40 - Havelock North 9
Clive 35 - Hastings 33

Bay of Plenty
Mount Maunganui 40 - Whakatane Marist 15
Tauranga Sports 24 - Paroa 15
Rangataua 28 - Rotoiti 20
Te Puke 46 - Opotiki 0
Greerton Marist 22 - Whakarewarewa 20
Te Puna 34 - Arataki 20
Competition leaders after 10 rounds: Mt Maunganui

Waikato
Melville 26 - Hautapu 23
United Matamata Sports 50 - Morrinsville Sports 15
Te Awamutu Sports 35 - Otorohanga 32
Fraser Tech 24 - University 21
Hamilton Marist 18 - Hamilton Old Boys 15
Competition leaders after 12 rounds: Hautapu

Counties Manukau
Pukekohe 62 - Manurewa 18
Onewhero 35 – Papakura 5
Bombay 83 - Te Kauwhata14
Patumahoe 46 - Waiuku 12
Ardmore Marist 64 - Weymouth 13
Karaka = Bye
First week of econd round McNamara Cup matches

Auckland
Grammar TEC 19 – Te Papapa-Onehunga 3
Ponsonby 42 – Otahuhu 3
Pakuranga 20 – Manukau Rovers 15
College Rifles 43 – Eden 27
Papatoetoe 28 – East Tamaki 7
Suburbs 20 – University 11
Waitemata 29 – Marist 5
Mt Wellington 33 – Waitakere City 14
First round competition winners: Suburbs (Blue Pool) and College Rifles (White Pool)

North Harbour
Northcote 43 – Marist 14
Takapuna 23 – North Shore 22
Glenfield 13 – East Coast Bays 8
Western Pioneers 27 – Mahurangi 20
Massey 42 – Silverdale 17
Competition leaders after 9 rounds: Takapuna

Northland – Southern Districts Premiers
Waipu 27 – Hikurangi 21
Mid Northern 29 – Old Boys Marist 20
Otamatea. 31 - Kamo 29
Wellsford 37 - HoraHora 12
Western Sharks 62 – MidWestern 0
Competition leaders: Mid Northern