Winger Alipate Leiua and flanker Ardie Savea both scored twice to help Wellington score a comfortable 40-8 national championship victory over Southland at Wellington Stadium.
Leiua and Savea both looked highly impressive as Wellington ran away with the match, dominating territory in the first half and then taking their chances in the second.
The victory took Wellington to the top of the NPC premiership, unbeaten after three games, while leaving Southland winless at the foot of the championship table after two losses.
The team from the capital looked well-drilled and speedy in the first half, dominating territory and the collisions against a subdued Southland team.
Wellington led 6-3 when Leiua scored the first try of the game, charging down a Jimmy Cowan kick to score in the left corner.
After a further penalty to fullback Jason Woodward, Leiua burst through weak Southland defence from a scrum on halfway before putting Savea over, giving Wellington a 23-3 halftime lead.
Southland came out with much more fire in the second half as Wellington became more error-prone, and were eventually rewarded when second five-eighth Cardiff Vaega strolled over on the 60-minute mark.
But Wellington struck back soon after, Savea going over after an outrageous dummy.
Leiua then scored the try of the match, scorching down the wing before regathering his own grubber kick to score the bonus-point try.
Savea, 18, then made the final pass to put hooker Dane Coles over for the team's fifth try.
Southland replacement halfback Nemia Kenatale was unlucky not to score near the finish but his team had been well outplayed.
NZN