No Bill Osborne Taonga waiting in Gisborne for Whanganui
By Jared Smith (Photo by Blake Davison)
Steelform Whanganui have missed the chance to challenge for the Bill Osborne Taonga by merely a week as Ngāti Porou East Coast edged neighbours Poverty Bay 12-10 to become the second holders on Saturday.
It was derby weekend across much of the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship, with East Coast travelling to Gisborne to try and take the Taonga in Poverty Bay’s second defence, after becoming inaugural holders last year in the playoff for fifth.
In the mud, home fullback Moses Christie opened the scoring with a penalty, before East Coast struck back when their fullback Hoani Te Moana scored off a set move from an attacking scrum, with first-five Carlos Kemp converting.
After a real arm wrestle, come the second half it seemed East Coast had struck a decisive blow early when prop Jody Tuhaka drove through tacklers to score down the ruck short-side in the corner.
However, the holders gave themselves a chance entering the last quarter when hooker Shayde Skudder was driven over by his pack from a 5m lineout – Christie slotting an impressive conversion in the conditions.
But the home side could get no closer, East Coast securing their third victory in two seasons over the Bay since their return to respectability.
There were thrillers across the map, as down in Kurnow Domain, the Hanan Shield districts battle saw Mid Canterbury leap up the table after beating hosts North Otago 40-35 in Golden Point extra time.
In a stunning fixture, Mid Canterbury absorbed conceding the first try to blow out to a 20-5 lead by halftime.
North Otago came roaring back to get ahead 22-20, as both sides would get momentum and then rack up multiple scores – with the goal kickers on-song.
Mid Canterbury hit the front 30-22 with 17 minutes left, but North Otago came hard and seemed to have the match sealed at 35-30 with 60 seconds remaining.
Instead, Mid Canterbury scored right on fulltime to draw level, and although they missed the conversion, they got the match-winner after five minutes of extra time to sweep up into fifth on the ladder, while North Otago plummeted to seventh after being the early leader.
Winger Raitube Vasurakuta scored two tries for the victors, while first-five Tom Reekie slotted three penalties and three conversions.
North Otago winger Monte Samate also got a double, and winger Josh Phipps matched Reekie’s goal kicking performance.
That result allowed Thames Valley to keep climbing into third spot after a no-frills 37-19 win over Wairarapa Bush in Te Aroha.
Only leading 15-12 at halftime and conceding another try straight after the restart, Thames Valley responded with five more unanswered tries to control the second stanza and close within a point of Whanganui on the table.
Buller did the same after a classic Rundle Cup match in Greymouth – scoring right at the death to beat West Coast 36-32 and regain New Zealand’s oldest active inter-union trophy.
Reserve back Alex Lean wrote his name into local folklore with the 81st minute try, after a see-saw second half which saw West Coast edge ahead 32-29 with a 72nd minute seven-pointer.
Second-five Elliot Smith got a double for the devastated home side.
It wasn’t a derby game at Levin Domain, but play was just as intense between Horowhenua-Kapiti and King Country, with the hosts securing a crucial 25-18 win to hold sixth spot, within striking distance of the Top 4.
Again, the boot of halfback Jack Tatu-Robinson and his back-up kicker Tyler Tan is proving priceless, as the hosts were outscored two tries to one, but got their conversion and six penalties to keep the visitors off their tail.
Results, Week 4
Horowhenua Kapiti 25 (Callum Pointer-Watts try; Jack Tatu-Robinson con, 5 pen, Tyler Tan pen) bt King Country 18 (Cruise Dunster, Kaleb Foote tries; Quinn Collard 2 pen, con). HT: 7-6 King Country.
Mid Canterbury 40 (Raitube Vasurakuta 2, Isireli Masiwini, Manasa Samo, Logan Bonnington tries; Tom Reekie 3 pen, 3 con) bt North Otago 35 (Monte Samate 2, Kelepi Funaki, Ratu Logavatu tries; Josh Phipps 3 pen, 3 con) in extra time. HT: 20-5. FT: 35-35.
Ngāti Porou East Coast 12 (Hoani Te Moana, Jody Tuhaka tries; Carlos Kemp con) bt Poverty Bay 10 (Shayde Skudder try; Moses Christie con, pen). HT: 7-3.
Thames Valley 37 (Ben Stephens, Zach Clark, Zane Heath, Will Newbold, Connor McVerry, Leeroy Neels tries; Todd Doolan pen, 2 con) bt Wairarapa Bush 19 (Tristan Flutey, Inia Katia, Tafa Tafa tries; Ben Brooking con, Tipene Haira con). HT: 15-12.
Buller 36 (Alex Lean, Jack Parker, Isei Lewaqai, Anthony Ellis, Michael Stringer tries; Jack Parker pen, 4 con) bt West Coast 32 (Eliott Smith 2, Joseph Scott, Jamie Garland tries; Ben Wyness pen, 3 con, Logan Ross pen). HT: 20-15 West Coast.
South Canterbury 30 (Liueli Simote, Kalavini Leatigaga, Conor Anderson, Vaka Taelega tries; Sam Briggs 2 pen, 2 con) bt Whanganui 24 (Timoci Serawalu, Alekesio Vakarorogo, Semo Vodosese tries; Ezra Malo 3 con, Ethan Robinson pen. HT: 19-14.
| 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. | ||||||||||
