Coast in big loss to top-three side

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Ngati Porou East Coast, missing five frontline players, were always going to be up against it taking on third-placed South Canterbury in Heartland Championship rugby at Timaru.

As co-coach Wayne Ensor said, the scoreline says it all — a 100-7 loss to South Canterbury, whose previous highest win was 94-7 against North Otago in 1994.

“We were always going to be under pressure, missing so many players, and that’s the way it turned out,” Ensor said.

“The best thing we can do is move on and focus on our next game (a derby against Poverty Bay at Whakarua Park, Ruatoria, on Saturday).

“Apart from possibly Hakarangi Tichborne (loosehead prop), who is still recovering from an injury, we should have all those who missed the trip to Timaru available for selection.

“Jack Richardson (openside flanker), Sam Parkes (halfback) and Jayden Milner (utility back) played well on what was always going to be a hard day. Our discipline was again good — no yellow cards, no red — and we had no injuries.”

Halfway through the Championship the race is on for top-four places, with four sides holding a share of fourth place.

Wanganui, with a 30-12 win against Mid Canterbury, and King Country, who beat Thames Valley 37-29, lead the table, both on 19 points. Four points back are South Canterbury. Then Wairarapa Bush, Thames Valley, Mid Canterbury and West Coast are all on 12 points. They are followed by Horowhenua Kapiti (11), North Otago (10), Poverty Bay (7), Buller (5) and Ngati Porou East Coast (0).

South Canterbury 100 (Nick Strachan 3, Brad Tunnicliffe 3, Setefano Sauqaqa 2, Henry Scott 2, Loni Toumohuni, Willie Wright, Solomone Lavaka, Kalafini Leatigaga, Kieran Coll tries; Wright 6 con; Theo Davidson 4 con) Ngati Porou East Coast 7 (Sam Parkes try; Ngarangi Haerewa con).

Other results: North Otago 24 Horowhenua Kapiti 27, Wairarapa Bush 61 Buller 29.