The Coast, who won the Lochore Cup (fifth-to-eighth playoffs) last year, face Thames Valley in Waihi.
North Otago, who beat the Valley 34-33 at the weekend, are away to seventh-placed West Coast.
On Saturday, the Coast scored four tries through fullback Renata Roberts-Te Nana (40th minute, converted by first-five Te Rangi Fraser), hooker Joe Royal (42nd and 55th, both converted by Fraser) and openside flanker Willy Bollingford (63rd minute).
That gave them a winning bonus point and was a fitting tribute to Kaupoi No.1005 and fourth centurion Verdon Bartlett, who led them on to the field in his 100th game in front of 1000-plus diehard supporters.
Rams captain rake Liam Rowlands won the coin toss and chose direction with a gusting northerly at the ninth-placed King Country’s back at Enterprise Cars Whakarua Park.
Former Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15 talent Quinn Collard opened the scoring in the match with a 39-metre penalty goal in the fourth minute and repeated the dose from the left touch in the seventh minute.
Fraser landed his one penalty goal to make it 6-3 to the Rams after 18 minutes.
The home team struggled for cohesion in the first 30 minutes but for all their efforts the Rams could manage only one try in the game — to halfback Zayn Tipping in the 71st minute.
The Coast shrugged off their indifferent start at around the 30-minute mark and the points came and they went to the halftime break leading 17-6 and from there, the result was never in doubt.
Coast head coach Kahu Tamatea was rapt.
“We won and we’ll always be happy with that, and to have done it on Verdon’s 100th cap was a cherry on top for the boys,” was Tamatea’s take.
Captain and halfback Sam Parkes agreed, although admitted the occasion “got the better of us” in the first half.
“The emotions we all felt for Verdon’s 100th game was a little overwhelming . . . it was a massive day of presentations, acknowledgements and it was a lot to deal with.
“So in the first half we juggled our emotion and tried to play rugby. Once we addressed that at halftime, we came right and put King Country away.”
Coast openside flanker Willy Bollingford was the Kaupoi Most Valuable Player while Rams head coach Aarin Dunster, himself a centurion for his province, said Rowlands and fetcher Karney Dunster were their best.
“It was a tough battle as it usually is with the Sky Blues.
“We started well but let the Coast come back into the game. They took their opportunities and we made a few errors.
It was a good trip and good to be there to witness Verdon receive his 100-game blazer. That was a bonus.”
An aftermatch function and special presentation for Bartlett were held at Uepohatu Marae.
