Sixth-placed Southland totally dominated their mid-table provincial rugby clash with a seventh-placed Tasman in Invercargill, winning 41-nil.
Southland led 7-nil at half time.
All Black half-back Jimmy Cowan, who re-signed this week with Southland and the Highlanders Super 14 franchise, scored the first half try which Robbie Robinson converted.
Southland stepped up a few gears in the second halfof the game, scoring four more tries - three to full-back Glen Horton, and one each to midfielder Jason Kawau, openside flanker John Hardie and hooker Jason Rutledge.
Robinson kicked Southland's other points.
Waikato won 35-29 over tenth-placed Otago in their Air New Zealand Cup match at Carisbrook.
Centre Jackson Willison got two tries in the first half for Waikato, Hikario Forbes got the third and Tim Mikkelson's try on full time got Waikato their five-point win.
Adam Thompson, Karne Hesketh and Ben Smith got Otago's tries.
Earlier in the round, Canterbury held on to the Ranfurly Shield with style, thrashing Manawatu 50-26 in Christchurch - a bonus point win that cements their spot at the top of the table.
Auckland beat Taranaki 10-nil in a sodden affair in New Plymouth.
In the Heartland divisions:
Mid Canterbury upset table-topping Wanganui 23-14 in Ashburton, in the Meads Cup; South Canterbury and Poverty Bay also had wins.
And in the Lochore Cup East Coast and North Otago won their round seven matches.
