There were some outbursts in the opening round of Dunedin Premier Club Rugby this afternoon.
The university demolished Alhambra-Union 76-8 in Logan Park. Winger Jeremiah Asi ran in four tries.
Zingari-Richmond pushed Taieri into Peter Johnstone Park for 40 minutes. But the 10-8 halftime turned into a comfortable 44-10 victory for the Eels.
Dunedin defeated Southern 19-14 in the only close game of the round as Kaikorai eased to a 57-15 victory against Green Island at Bishopscourt.
Kaikorai scored four tries in the last quarter of the first half to seize control of the match.
Green Island rallied with three tries in the second half but showed all signs of a dusty pre-season.
The club has been battling for numbers and the team played without much consistency.
Kaikorai looked much neater. It has some young talent wide in wingers Mefiposeti Tupou and Jacob Mika.
Veteran first five Ben Miller produced an almost flawless kicking game. He drilled a penalty and achieved six conversions – if it had been seven, but the post refused him.
He also made the cutter run nicely and was always there to make those steps count.
Former prop Sidney Fidow has returned to rugby as a dynamic blindside flanker.
He made some savage tackles and barnstorming runs.
In a devastating attack field, he threw a dummy, pulled out a sidestep and knocked off another. He even got the ball over the line to score, but the officials upgraded Kaikorai to a penalty try for a foul.
That helped Kaikorai take a 38-0 lead at halftime.
Southland loose Hayden Michaels got on the scoresheet and had a tight game too.
A late biffo saw three players sent to the trash – Kaikorai’s Harrison Morton and Green Island pair Benjamin Lopas and Jesse Va’afusuaga.
Otago loosie Oliver Haig was huge for Green Island, dominating the lineout as his side managed to get the ball straight in.
Former flanker Heath MacEwan has been packed at 10kg and made the switch to hooker. He played a solid game, but hasn’t quite nailed the ball yet.
The Grizzlies used powerhouse No. 8 Delaney Mckenzie as a battering ram and he had a decent game in a game that was well beaten.
Kaikorai second five Reuben Wairau made the ball of play. Miller put a deft chip forward and Wairau basically held the ball with his football style legs and dove on it to score.
The scores
TO CUT 44 Gypsies 10
Dunedin 19 Southern 14
University 76 Al-Union 8
Carpenter 57 Green Is. 15
Port Bye