And then there were two: Whanganui and South Canterbury unbeaten
By Jared Smith
The fourth round of the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland championship will have its superclash as defending Meads Cup champions South Canterbury upended North Otago last Saturday.
Now on a 19-match winning streak against Heartland teams, although their local media erroneously claim it is 20 games by forgetting there were no 2021 Meads Cup semifinals due to Covid delays, South Canterbury and upcoming opponent Steelform Whanganui are the only unbeaten teams left in this year’s competition.
With renovations being done to their traditional home of Fraser Park in Timaru, the Cantabrians have been taking home games around their province, and so met unbeaten North Otago in the town of Farlie and came away with an impressive 36-17 win to defend the Hanan Shield.
The home side led 13-5 at halftime, but cranked the pressure up after the break as radar-accurate kicker Sam Briggs slotted two more penalties, ultimately slotting four, and then a converted try had them away at 26-5.
Winger Kalivini Leatigaga scored two of their four tries.
North Otago made a late rally with two tries, but finished short of a bonus point to slip from table leaders to third place.
After losing to South Canterbury in the season opener, 2021 Meads runnersup Thames Valley have continued their climb up the ladder into fourth spot, but they were made to work for it on their short trip to Taumaranui Domain, just holding off neighbours King Country 19-15.
Thames Valley scored all their points in the first half, leading 19-5, with prominent try-scoring flanker Laulea Mau Fangufangu adding a double to his tally, while first-five Todd Doolan got the other try and two conversions.
However, in wet conditions, King Country camped in Thames Valley’s half and came roaring back, with lock Cruise Dunster scoring his second five-pointer, before reserve Ethan Christensen was on the end of a superb team try.
But with no conversions and time running out, the home side could not get back down for the match-winner.
Also settling in for a share of third to fifth place was Buller, who continue be to imposing playing at home in Westport with a 48-20 win over Poverty Bay.
The Bill Osborne Taonga holders, which is only on the line in home games, Poverty Bay’s focus might not have been 100% for the very long away trip, given they just held off Wairarapa Bush the previous weekend and have another big defence in the derby with Ngāti Porou East Coast this weekend.
For the home side, winger Mitieli Kaloudigibeci and centre Michael Stringer both scored two tries, the latter getting an individual stunner from deep in his own half, while first-five Jack Parker slotted five conversions and a penalty.
Whanganui’s two Bruce Steel Memorial Cup opponents Horowhenua Kapiti and Wairarapa Bush met in Masterton, with the visitors leading throughout to register a 33-17 win.
Both sides scored three tries, but Horowhenua-Kapiti’s goal-kicking was on-song as halfback Jack Tatu-Robertsson slotted all three conversions and three penalties, while second-five Tyler Tane popped over a three-pointer himself near fulltime.
Ashburton hosted two teams looking to avoid the wooden spoon, and after being very unlucky in their first two games, Mid Canterbury left nothing to chance as they blasted West Coast 48-15.
The Coasters had a good first half in the conditions, leading 15-8, but there was only one team in it for the second stanza – the home side scoring six more tries to shoot up to sixth on the table due to having collected a lot of bonus points so far.
Results, Week 3
Buller 48 (Mitieli Kaloudigibeci 2, Michael Stringer 2, Isea Lewaqai, Iliesa Tora, Te Puoho Stephens tries; Jack Parker pen, 5 con) bt Poverty Bay 20 (Mitchell Purvis, Ted Walters, Jordan MacFarlane-Rofe tries; Moses Christie pen, con). HT: 29-10.
Thames Valley 19 (Laulea Mau Fangufangu 2, Todd Doolan tries; Doolan 2 con) bt King Country 15 (Cruise Dunster 2, Ethan Christensen tries). HT: 19-5.
Mid Canterbury 48 (Isireli Masiwini, Michael Hennings, Kaydis Hona, Waitangi Tuisuga, Tyler Blackburn, Tom Reekie, Manasa Samo tries; Tom Middleton pen, 4 con, Tom Reekie con) bt West Coast 15 (Ben Wyness, Troy Tauwhare tries; Wyness pen, con). HT: 15-8.
South Canterbury 36 (Kalivini Leatigaga 2, Siu Kakala, Zach McKay tries; Sam Briggs 4 pen, 2 con) bt North Otago 17 (Mona Somate, Paea Fifita, Sione Palaa tries; Josh Robertson-Weepu con). HT: 13-5.
Horowhenua Kapiti 33 (Tautau Kapea, Willie Paia’aua, Keaton Kawana tries; Jack Tatu-Robertsson 3 con, 3 pen, Tyler Tane pen) bt Wairarapa Bush 17 (Aidan Champion, Tafa Tata tries; Aidan Champion pen, con, Ben Brooking con). HT: 16-3.
Whanganui 34 (Aleki Vakarorogo, Tyler Rodgers-Holden, Gabrial Hakaraia, Lindsay Horrocks, Semi Vodosese tries; Ezra Malo pen, 2 con, Ethan Robinson con) bt Ngāti Porou East Coast 18 (Joe Wadman, Fabyan Kahaki tries; Carlos Kemp 2 pen, con) HT: 20-11.
| South Canterbury | ||||||||||
| Steelform Whanganui | ||||||||||
| Thames Valley | ||||||||||
| King Country | ||||||||||
| North Otago | ||||||||||
| Horowhenua-Kapiti | ||||||||||
| Ngāti Porou East Coast | ||||||||||
| Mid Canterbury | ||||||||||
| Buller | ||||||||||
| Poverty Bay | ||||||||||
| Wairarapa Bush | ||||||||||
| West Coast | ||||||||||
| *TIEBREAKERS: 1. Head to head result. 2. Points differential. 3. Tries scored. 4. Points scored. 5. Coin toss. | ||||||||||
