The Dunedin Rugby Football Club (Inc)

Four yellow cards (three to Pirates) were handed out – it appeared as if a spectator was also ejected, if that is even possible – and Dunedin scored two tries when Pirates had men off the field.

Dunedin coughed up 22 knock-ons, and consequently failed to build more than a couple of phases. When the Sharks did hold      on to the ball, they scored tries, though they butchered four in the first half.

Late in the game, Dunedin was cutting open up the middle but it turned over the ball, just for a change, and Pirates accepted it with glee. Winger Marshall Suckling made the break and sent hooker Jake Maiono over out wide. Replacement first five Louis Tili had the chance to level the game but the conversion drifted wide.

For Pirates, Suckling broke the line on numerous occasions. Tim Cossens’ goal kicking was tidy, which made his substitution curious. Josh Clark, who scored a nice try, was the pick of a Pirates pack that was committed and dominated the loose exchanges.

Winger Ashton Tuck was Dunedin’s best back on attack and got through some fine defensive work. Mark Grieve-Dunn was a      powerhouse with ball in hand, and Gareth Evans had some nice moments and scored a good try.

Dunedin was arguably lucky to retain the Larry Salmon Trophy but it will take the win.

Dunedin 23 (Gareth Evans, Mark Grieve-Dunn, Will Henry tries; Trent Renata con, pen, Pera Gibbs pen) Pirates 21 (Josh Clark, Jake Maiono tries; Tim Cossens 3 pen, con) Halftime: Pirates 10-8.

Dunedin won the scrums and the lineouts but forgot there is more to the game than set pieces. It squandered a wealth of possession by running across the field.

Dunedin had all the possession and territory early but Kaikorai slowly got back into the game and dominated the latter part of the first half.

It was rewarded with late tries to Matt Tetana off a Lee Allan break and lock Andy Brun who somehow scored under the bar from a back-pedalling Kaikorai scrum. Dunedin’s solitary reply was a Pera Gibbs penalty.

The second half was an exercise in tedium and followed the pattern of the first half. Kaikorai lost the set-piece battle but dominated in the loose on the back of some good work from Allan and Nathan Hull.

The game was effectively over eight minutes into the second half when Cam Rutherford found Bryce Morgan with a floater out wide and he scooted over in the corner.

Dunedin scored a late consolation try 10 minutes later from a nice chip over the top of a ruck from halfback Brad Weber for wing Kaitu Kaufana to run on to and score.

For Kaikorai, Jayden Spence was a standout and he was ably backed up by the elder statesman Matt Direen. Allan, Hull and Rob Griffiths guaranteed a steady supply of pilfered ball in the loose.

For the Sharks, only diminutive hooker Aaron Clark emerged with any credit.

Kaikorai 19       Matt Tetana, Andy Brun, Bryce Morgan tries, Cam Rutherford 2      conversions.

Dunedin 8       Kaitu Kaufana try; Pera Gibbs penalty

Halftime: 14-3

Zingari started and finished the game with a hiss and a roar. Unfortunately for the Colours, Dunedin dominated the middle 60 minutes.

In that period, Dunedin scored six tries, four of which were converted by Trent Renata, the Highlanders utility who orchestrated proceedings from first five and was the best player on the paddock.

The Dunedin backs were just a bit too slippery for their Zingari counterparts. Tumua Ioane was strong on the break, and Hugh Blake picked up a brace of tries with his speed to support play and his strength, which is a credit to the Highlanders conditioning programme.

The Zingari forwards were competitive and ably led by Brady Carmichael, the ubiquitous Chris Bell in his 149th game and Jesse Muir, who picked up a late consolation try from a forward drive.

Dunedin was all pace and possession, scoring four tries in the first half. The second half, however, was an was an exercise in sheep counting, littered by penalties, inaccurate passing, turnovers and a litany of errors.

The Zingari forwards battled manfully but their backs looked pedestrian and devoid of imagination.

Other players to stand out for Dunedin were diminutive hooker Aaron Clark, who was into everything and burrowed over to score a try. Beanpole Sam Poole was industrious when he took the field for Dunedin in the second spell.

Dunedin 38 (Hugh Blake 2, Kai Daniel, Trent Renata, Aaron Clark, Sam Poole tries; Trent Renata 4 con) Zingari-Richmond 8 (Jesse Muir try; Shaun Driver pen) Halftime: Dunedin 26-3.

Taieri dominated the first spell but basic mistakes stopped it from holding a substantial lead at the break in the clash of the titans at Kettle Park.

Dunedin was starved of ball for the first 20 minutes and Taieri built a 16-3 lead when centre Kieran Moffat scored after a break by fullback Kori Rupene.

But good work by loose forwards Gareth Evans and Martin Swaffield helped Dunedin back into the game, and the gap was closed to eight points when hooker Aaron Clarke scored after a drive from a lineout.

Taieri looked to have sewn the game up when rampaging loose forward Logan O’Connell scored early in the second spell to stretch the lead to 23-8.

Dunedin came back into the game again and closed the gap to four points, 23-19, when halfback Brad Weber scored, after a break by Evans.

Dunedin had its chances in the last 15 minutes but lacked a reliable kicker. When it opted to kick for touch from penalties, four failed to go out.

The best player for Taieri was first five-eighth Ben Nowell, and flanker Swaffield stood out for Dunedin.

Taieri 28 (Kieran Moffat, Shannon Young, Charlie O’Connell tries; Kurt Schrader 2 con, 3 pen), Dunedin 19 (Aaron Clarke, Brad Weber tries; Pera Gibbs 3 pen). Halftime: Taieri 16-8.

Harbour was blown off the park. The pace of the Dunedin backs and the power of its forwards made for a one-sided game at Watson Park.

The game was decided in the first 20 minutes, when Dunedin ran in three long-range tries from turnovers to take a decisive lead.

The first came when fullback Trent Renata, released by the Highlanders, ran up to halfway and winger Ashton Tuck ran 50m for the try.

The best started from a turnover under Dunedin’s own posts when winger Rowan McKenzie ran 85m to score the try.

Dunedin scored four tries to lead 29-0 at the break and added three more in the second spell.

Renata was quick to turn opportunities into points. He switched to first five-eighth in the second spell and ran the game with his long and accurate passes.

McKenzie and Tuck had too much pace for the defence, and there was no reprieve for Harbour when halfback Brad Weber switched to the wing in the second spell and scored two tries.

Loose forwards Mark Grieve-Dunn and Gareth Evans and hooker Sam Anderson-Heather helped sustain the continuity of the Dunedin attacks with their speed and aggression at the breakdown.

Harbour was disorganised and unstructured in its approach to the game and the Dunedin backs were able to put phases together and easily cut through a tired defence.

Openside flanker Hale T-Pole was the best of the Harbour players, while Highlanders prop Jamie Mackintosh got some  much-needed game time for the Hawks.

Dunedin 46 (Rowan McKenzie 2, Brad Weber 2, Ashton  Tuck, Jesse Toto, Mark Grieve-Dunn tries; Trent Renata 4 con, pen), Harbour 5 (Lee Sala try). Halftime: Dunedin      29-0.