Wairarapa Bush reserve halfback Sam Walton-Sexton scores a try in golden point extra time to give his side a 29-24 Heartland Championship win over Poverty Bay in Masterton on Saturday. Photo / Ck. Visuals Photography
They can’t waste one second thinking about it.
Poverty Bay Weka lost their week 8 Heartland Championship match 29-24 to Wairarapa Bush in golden point extra time at Trust House Memorial Park in Masterton on Saturday, but all scarlet and white eyes now turn to Centennial Park in Ōamaru.
The Bay’s double bonus-point loss to the Bush put them on 25 points and in seventh place, which means they will head south as guests of North Otago (sixth, 26pts) for the 2 v 3 Lochore Cup (fifth to eighth) semifinal at 2.30pm this Saturday.
Wairarapa Bush banked five points from their win over the Weka to finish fourth on 28 points and qualify for the Meads Cup (top four) semis. They face unbeaten and top-of-the-table Mid Canterbury (40pts) in Ashburton.
South Canterbury (second, 29pts) host defending Heartland champions Thames Valley (third, 29pts) in Timaru in the other Meads Cup semi while Whanganui (fifth, 26pts) are at home against Horowhenua Kapiti (eighth, 21pts) in the other Lochore Cup semi.
For King Country (ninth, 15pts), 73-14 victors over Ngāti Porou East Coast Kaupoi (12th, 1pt) in Ruatōria on Saturday, West Coast (10th, 9pts) and Buller (11th, 7pts), the season is over.
The Bush enjoyed double success with their win over the Weka as they also retained the Jeremy David Memorial Trophy.
The Weka will go into their semi without co-captain and blindside flanker Keanu Taumata. He scored a superb try in the 29th minute against the Bush, but had to leave the field with a slipped disc in his back two minutes before the break - a blow for the visitors.
“It was a tough loss. Nice weather, good turf and running rugby ... still, the boys are gutted,” Taumata said.
“Our defence was good. Wairarapa Bush had to score their points off the back of multiple penalties. My season’s over, but hopefully we can go further - get past North Otago.”
In head coach Paoraian Manuel-Harman, assistant Adrian Wyrill and co-captain Lance Dickson, the Weka do not lack for leaders.
Wyrill did a fine job in the absence of Manuel-Harman while reserve tighthead prop Dickson responded to the loss of Taumata by rallying and directing his teammates.
Dickson was aided by the outstanding inside backs combination of halfback Henry Saker and first five Tayler Adams while second-five Braedyn Grant repeatedly demonstrated his fearlessness in the air by chasing and hauling the ball down from kick restarts.
The Bush opened the scoring with an 11th-minute penalty kick from first five Jack Eschenbach.
After 17 minutes, the visitors responded with a try to hooker Ngahiwi Manuel, who, after finding Taumata in a lineout 5m from the Bush’s goal-line, dotted down from the ensuing drive.
Taumata’s try extended their advantage. The ball went loose from a lineout 12m into Bush territory, Taumata secured it and after three phases of play, Manuel shovelled the ball to his skipper to score.
The Bay, up 10-3 at the break, gave the Bush reason to panic in the form of dynamic fullback Kyoni Te Amo-Poki, who was denied increasing his side’s advantage by a try-saving tackle by Eschenbach.
In the 48th minute, from a 5m scrum, the Bush went left through Eschenbach and fullback Jack Delaney for left wing Soli Malatai to score. Eschenbach’s successful conversion levelled it 10-all.
Three minutes later, lock Leka Palusa won a lineout 12m from the left corner at the home team’s end, Manuel joined the rolling maul and went low to score. Adams converted for 17-10.
The Bush came back. In the 57th minute, from a lineout on the Weka 22, they swept right and, courtesy of another Delaney assist, blindside flanker Cody Cunningham got the ball down in the left corner.
Eschenbach’s touchline conversion sailed over to square it 17-all.
On the one-hour mark, beefy loosehead prop Toma Laumalili scored the Bay’s fourth try.
Referee Johnston penalised the hosts for a high tackle 5m from the Bush’s goal-line and in front of the posts. Saker chose to tap kick, went left to Manuel and he moved the ball on to Laumalili, who scored under the crossbar.
The boot of Adams did duty for 24-17.
The Bush slaved away against a Bay unit who manfully battled for another quarter of an hour until reserve openside flanker Thomas Williams scored in the left corner.
Delaney, under immense pressure and with the Weka on the verge of a win that would have lifted them into the top four, converted the try for 24-all.
The draw in regulation time meant golden point extra time.
In the 85th minute of a pressure-cooker battle, halfback Sam Walton-Sexton dived over from a ruck to snatch the victory and a Meads Cup berth.
For the Weka, the Lochore Cup semifinals beckon - deserved reward for a vastly-improved crew ... rejuvenated and competitive in 2025.
They lost 59-33 to North Otago in Oamaru in week 5 of the championship, but have Lochore Cup history. They have won it four times, most recently in 2011.