Hamilton Old Boys and Fraser-Tech have finished as clearly the top two teams in Waikato premier club rugby's preliminary round, with Old Boys winning the Ron Crawford Memorial Trophy by tie-breaker.

But there was just as much interest further down the table as Hautapu and Morrinsville Sports made their final places in the top eight for the main round secure at the expense of the only other teams with a chance of making it going into the last games – Te Rapa and University.

CBD Old Boys thumped Hamilton Marist 43-7 to secure the first-round honours.

They finished on 45 points, the same as Shenanigans Fraser-Tech, who also scored six tries in walloping The Shed Bar University 45-5, but Old Boys took the trophy on the basis of having beaten Tech earlier in the round.

University's demise meant Seafood Bazaar Te Rapa were the only other side capable of forcing their way into the Haswell Catley Trophy round but APL Hautapu ensured that wasn't going to happen with a dominant second-half performance in Hamilton to come from behind at the break to beat Te Rapa 22-7.

Wagon Wheel Morrinsville Sports made their place in the top eight safe with a 27-0 away win over Reid and Harrison United Matamata Sports.

Otorohanga ensured they remained unbeaten at home this year and finished the round with the best defensive record of 150 points conceded in 11 games (less than 14 per game) when they beat the never-say-die Taupiri Tavern Taupiri side 29-19 to finish third.

Ecolab Te Awamutu Sports, who won their last five games including the scalps of Old Boys and Tech, finished fourth with a 25-15 home win over TDO Melville, that win giving them the position above Melville by virtue of the tie-breaker.

Hamilton Old Boys43

Hamilton Marist7

The better, more organised Old Boys side were always in control at Marist Park, leading 22-0 at halftime after playing into a stiff, breeze, writes John Holt.

The visitors increased that lead to 36-0 early into the second before their opponents managed to get on to the scoreboard.

Adam Cathcart, Matt Kenny and Malcolm Barnes scored Old Boys' first-half tries, with Cathcart and substitute players Andrew Fitchett and Tony Goodin touching down in the second spell.

On a gusty, difficult day for goal-kicking, right wing Kane Adams maintained his excellent recent fine goal-kicking form by landing five conversions and a penalty goal.

Big prop Lionel Wairau scored Marist's try after a good, driving maul attack at their opponent's goal line by the Marist pack.

Each of Old Boys' tries were the result of clever, controlled attacking play, but the side's strong defensive effort was also a key factor in their decisive win. Blind-side flanker Adam Cathcart headed a strong forward effort while all of the side's backline combined well and created space for support players to score the tries.

Fraser-Tech45

University5

Fraser-Tech led 24-0 after 19 minutes, had their bonus point after 31 minutes and led 38-5 at halftime to have this one already wrapped up amid the passing rain squalls at their backs at Waikato University.

The score could have soared in the second spell, despite the wet ball, slippery conditions and breeze, but University, to their credit, kept Tech to just one try in the 12th minute of the half, although the visitors did blow one scoring chance with a knock-on by the posts and prolific wing Maru Henry looked to have scored his second near the end only to have a 5m scrum ordered instead.

Tech dominated set-pieces, retained the ball better, used it with more pace and guile out wide and had the far more aggressive and hard-hitting defence that often jarred the ball free in tackles.

Peniasi Iowane and Kiel Mans dominated the lineouts for Tech, who got the bulk of the throw-ins, hooker Vern Kamo had a storming game in attack and defence, loosies Thomas Nabbs and Jesse Acton worked hard all game and Thomas Watt played impressively at fullback in a lively young backline, while first-five Sam Christie had one of his better goal-kicking days, kicking seven out of seven attempts. Flanker Eli Atkins got through a lot of work, most of it on defence, for University.

Hautapu22

Te Rapa7

Hautapu played into the elements in the first half at St Andrews Park and found themselves down 7-0 at the changeover, unable to take their chances despite dominating.

Instead a lost ball lunging at the Te Rapa line was turned into a try at the other end by the O'Donnell brothers hacking it more than 90 metres downfield for Riley to score.

But the visitors took a grip on the game in the second half, their forwards dominating with Irish lock Neil McComb and 18-year-old prop Daniel Ross playing particularly well.

In the backs former New Zealand Universities and Southland halfback Jeff Smith played well, as did veteran midfield back Keith Lowen.

Best of the Te Rapa team were lock Toby Lynn with a dominant lineout display, No8 Hohepa Morgan tidied up well off a beaten scrum and in midfield Alesana Muliaina made a few half-breaks.

Morrinsville Sports27

Utd Matamata Sports0

Morrinsville were desperate for this win to ensure the defending champions made the top eight and at 8-0 at halftime at Bedford Park they were not safe despite having dominated territory and blown several scoring chances.

UMS were seldom in Morrinsville territory and never in the visitors' 22 until late in the game.

The wet and slippery ball made for a messy game with plenty of errors, but for the winners Sam Fraser-Jones came up from the B side to fill in at lock due to injuries and played well, Damon McKinnon and Andre Wilson combined well at halfback/first-five to guide the Morrinsville game, Vesi Rauluni was a penetrative runner in midfield and Jone Lagibola had some good runs out on the wing.

Otorohanga29

Taupiri19

This was a closely contested match at Island Reserve with the home side, playing a number of regular reserves, leading only 22-19 (three tries each) until a converted try right on fulltime.

There was a lot of poor ball handling in the wet and while Taupiri never gave in, scoring the game's first try through David Litt, Otorohanga always looked to have more class and scored their opener from the restart after Litt's touchdown.

Otorohanga led 12-5 at the break, two tries to one, and it was tit-for-tat in the second half, Taupiri producing tries to lock Jason Te Brake and impressive centre Sam Fletcher in reply to Peki Manawaiti's touchdown for the home side to open the spell before prop John Jackson got the final try at the end.

Second-five Terry White and centre Rupeni Seduadua were the best of the Otorohanga backs, although the home side bombed a few tries in the wet.

Te Awamutu Sports25

Melville15

This was a messy forward battle at Albert Park, dictated by the wet and heavy conditions.

A closely fought first half saw Melville do the early attacking only to spill the ball and see Te Awamutu No8 Latham Stone score between the posts at the other end and by halftime the home team were in front 14-10.

The match was in the balance throughout with Te Awamutu opening the second half with a penalty goal only to see Melville collect their second try to close the scoreline to 17-15.

But Te Awamutu, for whom hooker Adrian Tucker was outstanding and lock Chris Middleton played well and halfback Luke Parsons was a leader, pinned Melville back in their own half with strong defence for the last 10 minutes to secure the victory. Melville's player of the day was lock Daniel Carlyon while TK Moeke was their best back.