Just two teams remain unbeaten
Canterbury may have won the competition eight times in the past nine years but their dominance shows no signs of stopping.
Canterbury scored an incredible 61 second-half points to hammer Southland 78-20 at AMI Stadium on Friday, as they continue to lead the Mitre 10 Cup Premiership after four rounds.
Young backs Braydon Ennor and George Bridge provided the finishing touch in the most onesided game so far, crossing for four and three tries respectively, as Canterbury blew the score out in the second 40, having headed into the halftime break locked at 17-17.
The result keeps the defending champion’s perfect record in tact and keeps the Ranfurly Shield secure for another round at least, while it is quickly becoming a season from hell for the Stags who are the only team yet to register a single competition point.
Counties Manukau are next in line for a shield challenge as they travel to Christchurch on Wednesday but they will need to up their game after losing 27-18 to Premiership contenders North Harbour at Ecolight Stadium on Thursday.
Both teams scored two tries apiece, with Harbour fullback Ben Volavola’s four penalties proving decisive.
Yet to be beaten in four games, Harbour trail Canterbury by just two points on the Premiership standings.
Across the Harbour Bridge the scenario is much different. Auckland were outscored 30-13 in the second half against Taranaki as their woes continued, slumping to a 49-38 defeat at Eden Park on Saturday - their fourth of 2017.
Vince Aso scored a hat-trick in a losing effort.
It may be early in the season but Auckland’s semifinal hopes are already slipping away, with Taranaki producing a stunning 26-minute burst after halftime to run in three tries without reply.
Taranaki are now third in the Premiership.
Tasman are back in the hunt after overcoming a 15-point deficit to edge the Wellington Lions 37-35 at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim yesterday.
First five-eighth Mitch Hunt scored 22 points himself as the Makos ended Wellington’s unbeaten start to the campaign - a result that lifts last year’s beaten finalists off the bottom of the table and up to fifth place.
After dispatching Hawke’s Bay 40-27 at Westpac Stadium midweek, Championship leaders Wellington were unable to continue their perfect record.
A vastly improved Northland side are looming as Wellington’s most serious challenge for promotion.
Their 37-7 win over Premiership side Waikato at Toll Stadium was their third of the season, which is a significant improvement after winning just once across the previous two campaigns.
Northland’s forwards laid the foundation in the wet and windy conditions, with Waikato’s talented backline unable to adapt.
Otago beat an injury ravaged Hawke’s Bay side in Napier for the first time since 1993, and by a record margin to boot, as they ran
out 64-21 winners at Mclean Park yesterday.
Fullback Fletcher Smith was the round’s star performer, scoring 34 points which included three tries.
Bay of Plenty kept themselves in the Championship top four by edging Manawatu 20-17 at Central Energy Trust Arena in just their second victory of 2017.
The two sides battled out a dull second half in a chilly but dry Palmerston North with a penalty try from a scrum ultimately determining the result.