Bay of Plenty, who played twice in the week, Wellington, Tasman and Hawke's Bay are the only unbeaten sides. Tasman is the only side of the top quartet not to have secured bonus points from each of their wins.
Hawke's Bay defended the Ranfurly Shield by beating Southland 31-17 in Napier.
North Harbour, Counties Manukau, Auckland and Manawatū are all winless.
RESULTS:
Bay of Plenty 44 Counties Manukau 31
Bay of Plenty scrum power saw No8 Nikora Broughton score the first try at Rotorua from a pushover, but Counties Manukau put their pick-and-go to work for loose forward Alamanda Motuga to score. Another scrum and Broughton break resulted in wing Cody Vai scoring. Fullback Cole Forbes capped good continuity play from the Bay with a try and then backed that on halftime from another powerful scrum for his second try and a halftime lead of 29-10.
Wing Emoni Narawa charged into the line, and while tackled, the ruck support produced a ball for Broughton to charge through again. Counties Manukau mounted a charge for No8 Hoskins Sotutu to score before Narawa initiated a play that saw second five-eighths Joe Johnston score to ensure the margin was too significant. But Counties Manukau replacement back Josh Gray and centre Tevita Ofa capped a great break by first five-eighths Kalione Hala with a try.
Bay of Plenty 44 (Nikora Broughton 2, Cody Vai, Cole Forbes 2, Joe Johnston, tries; Lucas Cashmore 4 con, pen; Junior Matautia pen) Counties Manukau 31 (Alamanda Motuga, Hoskins Sotutu, Josh Gray, Tevita Ofa tries; Ofa 4 con, pen). HT: 29-10
Otago 27 Auckland 25
It took Otago 1min 58sec to show they were not on for a repeat effort of their first-round loss to Southland. Their forward effort on the drive saw the ball released and put through the line for fullback Finn Hurley to backhand a pass to wing Josh Whaanga, who scored. Auckland responded in the 14th minute from first five-eighths Christian Leali'ifano's high kick. It was taken by flanker Anton Segner, who transferred to lock Josh Beehre, who ran in the try. Home second five-eighths Sam Gilbert was denied a stunning individual try when Auckland centre AJ Lam got his arm under the ball over the line.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred just before halftime when Otago worked a lineout move, hooker Liam Coltman running around the back of the line and feeding No8 Will Stoddart running a good line. He got over for a try. Auckland's only response was a try to wing Nigel Ah Wong off a long pass from second five-eighths Tevita Tele'a five minutes into the half. Otago sealed it when Thomas Umaga-Jensen took a Gilbert chip ahead. He then flicked it back to Gilbert, who scored. Tele'a got one back for Auckland to get within two points, but the home team held on.
Otago 27 (Josh Whaanga, Will Stoddart, Sam Gilbert tries; Cam Millar 3 con, 2 pen) Auckland 25 (Josh Beehre, Nigel Ah Wong, Tanielu Tele'a tries; Christian Leali'ifano con, 2 pen; Xavi Taele con). HT: 17-13
Northland 35 Manawatū 18
Manawatū did not capitalise upon early chances in Whangarēi, and Northland weathered the storm to claim a 17-3 halftime lead. That was on the back of first five-eighths Rivez Reihana's goal-kicking and some clever play from a tap penalty out from Manawatū's line that saw No8 Simon Parker blast through to score under the posts. Reihana also showed his attacking skills, three times appearing in a move that ended with wing Heremaia Murray scoring.
Manawatū showed its attacking potential when second five-eighths James Tofa was put into a gap after strong lead-up play on Northland's line. They got within four, but conceding penalties was costly, not least a penalty try with six minutes left. Replacement hooker Vernon Basson got over for a compensation try, but Northland had the final say when replacement Nathan Salmon's speed resulted in a bonus point try.
Northland 35 (Simon Parker, Heremaia Murray, Nathan Salmon tries; Penalty try; Rivez Reihana 2 con, 2 pen; Dan Hawkins pen) Manawatū 18 (James Tofa, Vernon Bason tries; Brett Cameron con, 2 pen). HT: 17-3
Tasman 22 Canterbury 7
Tasman started in Nelson with a hiss and a roar, courtesy of a startling 50m break by wing Timoci Tavatavanawai, resulting in the first of five penalty goals for his first five-eighths William Havili. Canterbury learned early of the Tasman defensive intent when denied an early lineout maul try. But Tasman had no issues in seeing hooker Samiuela Moli cross from a maul after 20 minutes.
Canterbury paid the price for persistent infringements on attack and defence and were down 0-13 at the break. Wing Ngatungane Punivai capped an effective start to the second half with a try where continuity play wore down the home defence. However, Canterbury's discipline allowed Havili to continue ticking the scoreboard over, and the gap proved too much for Canterbury, especially in the face of Tasman's determination. It didn't help that halfback Willie Heinz was sin-binned for the final 10 minutes.
Tasman 22 (Samiuela Moli try; William Havili con, 5 pen) Canterbury 7 (Ngatungane Punivai try, Isaac Hutchinson con). HT: 13-0
Hawke's Bay 31 Southland 17
Southland ventured to Napier with high hopes for their Ranfurly Shield challenge with Hawke's Bay and had encouragement after hooker Jack Taylor made use of a long Bay throw to set up play for prop Morgan Mitchell to score the opening try of the game. But 10 minutes before halftime, a quick tap in the goalmouth by second five-eighths Kienan Higgins saw fullback Matt Protheroe reclaim the lead for the Bay. There was also clever doubling around by centre Nick Grigg, who cut back to score and extended the lead to 16-7 by the break.
Wing Ben O'Donnell ran across the field to find a gap, took it, and then quick rucked ball when he was tackled, opened space on the opposite flank, where flanker Frank Lochore extended the lead. Southland looked to have secured a bonus point when centre Isaac Te Tamaki chased a kick to the in-goal to score, but the shield holders finished better, and replacement halfback Sam Wye scored a try to finish.
Hawke's Bay 31 (Matt Protheroe, Nick Grigg, Frank Lochore, Sam Wye tries; Lincoln McClutchie con, 3 pen) Southland 17 (Morgan Mitchell, Isaac Te Tamaki tries; Byron Smith con, pen; Jason Robertson con). HT: 16-7
Bay of Plenty 24 North Harbour 20
Facing their second game in five days, Bay of Plenty had to contend with wet and windy conditions in Tauranga against North Harbour. They had a try to fullback Cole Forbes ruled out but made up for it in the 23rd minute when wing Emoni Narawa crashed over from a goalline ruck. Ten minutes later, halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi moved blind, and a long pass put left-wing Reon Paul in at the corner. Six minutes before the half, fullback Shaun Stevenson, who earlier in the move had chased a kick ahead that was dropped by Bay defenders, got the ball, grubber-kicked ahead and then won the chase to the in-goal to score.
Five minutes into the second half, first five-eighths Tane Edmed landed a penalty goal to claim a one-point lead before his pack minutes later secured a rolling maul try through hooker Sione Mafile'o. But a superb Tahuriorangi break around the back of a lineout opened up space, which saw replacement loose forward Joe Johnston in support to score. After another try was over-ruled, the Bay claimed the lead with 17 minutes left when Paul scored his second try.
Bay of Plenty 24 (Emoni Narawa, Reon Paul 2, Joe Johnston tries; Kaleb Trask 2 con) North Harbour 20 (Shaun Stevenson, Sione Mafile'o tries; Tane Edmed 2 con, 2 pen) HT: 12-10
Wellington 26 Taranaki 19
Wellington, hosting Taranaki in miserable conditions at Jerry Collins Stadium in Porirua, had to come from 5-19 down at halftime. Wellington conceded a try in the third minute when hooker Ricky Riccitelli scored from a goal-line maul. The ball was like a piece of soap in sloppy conditions. Untidy ball was moved to first five-eighths Josh Jacomb who, breaking blind, fed fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens running back on the angle to slice through for the try. Down 0-12, Wellington wing Tjay Clarke scored after 25 minutes when the ball was moved through the line. Five minutes before full-time lock Tom Franklin scored from a prolonged period on the Wellington line.
It was one-way traffic in the second half. It took Wellington only 10 minutes to get back in the game, courtesy of two penalty goals to first five-eighths Jackson Garden-Bachop and a try for wing Julian Savea. Savea's second try, scored in the 65th minute, gave Wellington the lead. The win was confirmed 90 seconds from the end when a powerful lineout maul rumbled 20 metres for replacement hooker Leni Apisai to score.
Wellington 26 (Tjay Clarke, Julian Savea 2, Leni Apisai tries; Jackson Garden-Bachop 2 pen) Taranaki 19 (Ricky Riccitelli, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Tom Franklin tries; Josh Jacomb 2 con). HT: 5-19
Counties Manukau 20 Waikato 26
Counties Manukau, leading Waikato 17-12, lost lock William Furniss to the sin-bin after 33 minutes, allowing Waikato the chance to take advantage of a penalty received for flanker Senita Lauaki to level the scores and, with first five-eighths Taha Kemara's conversion they claimed a 19-17 lead at halftime. That came after the home team scored first at Pukekohe through prop Simon-Peter Toleafoa, followed six minutes later by No8 Adam Brash. Waikato No8 Patrick McCurran responded in the 20th minute.
In the second half, the wet conditions made the going tough and lock Laghlan McWhannell scored the only try of the half after 50 minutes to give Waikato a cushion that was only dented when home first five-eighths AJ Alatimu landed a penalty goal. Kemara was sin-binned in the last minute of the game.
Counties Manukau 20 (Simon-Peter Toleafoa, Adam Brash tries; AJ Alatimu 2 con, 2 pen) Waikato 26 (Austin Anderson, Patrick McCurran, Senita Lauaki, Laghlan McWhannell tries; Taha Kemara 3 con). HT: 17-19