The second week of Premier Rugby in Auckland offered several sides an opportunity to build on their opening round wins, while others, a chance at redemption and points on the table as the race for a ‘Top 8’ berth continues.

The likes of Ponsonby and Marist were keen to rectify the previous weeks results with East Tamaki and Te Papapa their respective opponents. Safe to say, Ponsonby got the job done for 100-gamer Willie Uili reasonably comfortably in the end, and Marist, were made to work hard in the wet away from home against Te Papapa.

Papatoetoe returned home for their second-round fixture and hosted a Pakuranga side on a high after their opening round victory over defending Gallaher Shield champions Ponsonby. Papatoetoe would have felt they let last week’s result slip through their fingers at College Rifles, and this week will feel they left themselves too much to do in the second spell with Pakuranga eeking out a tightly fought victory.

University and Grammar TEC, two sides who recorded first-up wins, played out an entertaining spectacle, in terms of score line at least, with the visitors claiming a well-deserved win 19-12 against last year’s Gallaher Shield finalists.

The battle out West between Waitemata and Waitakere was claimed by the home side, but not without early resistance from Waitakere. They visitors were however, unable to stop their neighbours in recording a comfortable victory at the final whistle.

Otahuhu were unable to build-on their opening round win against Waitakere, succumbing to College Rifles who have now recorded consecutive victories and will be pleased with their work in the opening weeks of the competition after gaining maximum points from both fixtures.

Suburbs meanwhile got off the mark with a tough victory over Mt Wellington at Hamlin Park. The visitors were made to work hard in trying conditions, but proved to have too much in the tank late on to deny the home side any chance of a comeback.

In the women’s fixtures, the Fillies from Ponsonby got their first win of the season against Counties Manukau side Ardmore Marist with a bonus-point victory. The Fillies will be looking to take this sort of form into the rest of the reason with more trying fixtures on the horizon.

The game of the round saw College Rifles come up against fierce rivals Marist. It was however, Marist, playing at home, who blew the form guide away with a dominant display of wet weather rugby to lead at the final whistle by 43-10.

In the remaining fixture, Manurewa proved too strong for East Coast Bays-Glenfield in a touch encounter on the North Shore.

Eden enjoyed the bye-week.

Premier Round 2 Results – Saturday 6 April 2019

Ponsonby 67 (J Cooper, A Dabek, J Latu, W Reidlinger-Kapa, M Siliko, R Suesue 3, P Tufuga, F Vaha’akolo 2 tries, J Cooper 4, V Sipa 2 conv)

East Tamaki 7 (R Tulouna try, R Taupau conv) Halftime: 43 - 0

College Rifles 85 (J Collins 3, L Gilheany-Black, E Lamositele 2, C Suafoa, M Taulahi, S Tofilau 2, A Tuia, S Way 2 tries, A Somerset 10 conv)

Otahuhu 0 Halftime: 52 - 0

Pakuranga 26 (S Savea, L Namoa 2, G Taina tries, G Taina 3 conv)

Papatoetoe 21 (B Lemalufaitoaga, D Leuila, P Tuaimalo tries, D Leuila 3 conv) Halftime: 21 - 7

Waitemata 50 (S Ahio 2, M Fujisaki, G Lemisio, C Moors, F Tavita, G Tinei, T Vakauta tries, J Matautia 5 conv)

Waitakere 15 (M Auva’a, T Mamea tries, T Tamenari conv, T Tamenari pen) Halftime: 31 - 3

University 12 (N Harris, A Pogia tries, T Latu conv)

Grammar TEC 19 (L Faleafa try, M Storm conv, M Storm 4 pen) Halftime: 0 - 13

Eden 34 (F Friconnet, B Hill, D Liaina, S Malupo, T Napaa tries, C Morgan 3 conv, C Morgan pen)

Manukau 19 (T Tia try, S Toloa conv, S Toloa 4 pen) Halftime: 19 - 9

Marist 32 (T Funaki, S Kata 2, B Motuliki, A Robinson, H Sotutu tries, O Polson conv)

Te Papapa 7 (S Asi try, S Asi conv) Halftime: 12 - 0

Suburbs 29 (N Halaholo, I Pese, E Thompson, B Tuivai 2 tries, M Sowter 2 conv)

Mt Wellington 17 (H Peaua, O Pelesasa tries, A Tapili 2 conv, A Tapili pen) Halftime: 19 - 7

Premier Women’s

ECB/Glenfield 14 vs Manurewa 22

Ponsonby 36 vs Ardmore 12

College Rifles 10 vs Marist 43