Eketahuna packs powerful punch

A powerful forward effort laid the foundations for Eketahuna's 35-18 beating of competition leaders Marist in their Wairarapa-Bush premier division rugby match at Eketahuna on Saturday.
Eketahuna were always going to look to their pack to give them a winning advantage and they responded splendidly, dominating all facets of the forward game.
Hooker Jake Tipene was a standout with his hard graft in the mauls and barging runs in broken play while flanker Pita Tua-Davidson and No8 Rupeni Temani were grand value in the loose.
The Eketahuna backs complemented the play of their forwards well with halfback Quintin Algie providing a swift and accurate service and both Mata Matatini and Grant Cremen featuring prominently on attack and defence.
Marist were without a couple of their regular forwards and it showed and while their pacy backs still managed to make some impact on proceedings they were generally contained by their sure-tackling Eketahuna counterparts.
Tipene, Tua-Davidson, Matatini and Fe'o (2) scored tries for Eketahuna with Creman kicking two conversions and two penalties. Daniel Blong and Matt Gleeson scored tries for Marist and Nathan Couch kicked two penalties.
Marist's loss could become even worse for them this week when they hear the results of their appeal into losing 14 of their competition points for playing a player in their first three matches who was not transferred from his previous club. If they lose that appeal their chances of making the semifinals will be in jeopardy.
Masterton Red Star, who will take away the Chris Kapene Memorial Cup for first round leaders if the Marist appeal is not upheld, also had a battle on their hands on Saturday, barely managing to resist a stern Gladstone challenge by 16-13 at Memorial Park.
It was, however, a gutsy effort by Masterton Red Star as they came out second in both territory and possession but still found a way to keep their noses in front. Locks Tyrone McTavish and Jake Bubb were the leading figures in their pack, along with loosies Jordan Sutherland and George McCallum both of whom did a power of work on defence.
In the backs, young wing Colt Pureau showed himself to be a player capable of making room for himself with nifty footwork and a good turn of speed and another youngster, Joseph Dahlberg-Paku showed similar qualities at fullback.
Gladstone must still be wondering how they lost a game where they clearly had the better of the forward exchanges. A couple of defensive lapses late in the first half which allowed Masterton Red Star to take a handy 16-3 into the break cost them dearly as did two or three missed penalty attempts. Two second-half tries _one of them converted _ did see Gladstone in with a winning chance late in the match but Masterton Red Star held on. Tim Fleming, John Stevenson, Andrew McLean and Richard Puddy were the pick of the Gladstone forwards with halfback Charlie Bargh the best of a backline which lacked penetration on attack.
Chris Senior scored Masterton Red Star's sole try with Byron Karaitiana landing three penalties and one conversion. Charlie Bargh and Gareth Waldron scored the Gladstone tries and Richard Puddy kicked a penalty goal.
Puketoi and Greytown fought out a 19-19 draw despite Greytown scoring three tries to one. Tommy Sargent, Senoa Isaac and Shane Grant touched down for them and Kingi Kaiwai kicked two conversions.
Simon Finnie scored a try for Puketoi, Stefan Kunde kicked two penalties, a conversion and a dropped goal and Jason Liverton kicked a penalty.
East Coast ran in 10 tries in their 60-21 defeat of Pioneer. Richard Cameron (2), Ross Thompson (2), Jesse McGilvary, Joe Feast, Nick Olson (2) and Tereina Rimene were the try scorers with Griggs (4) and Olson kicking conversions. Pioneer managed three tries, two of them to Nathan Rolls, and he also kicked three conversions.
Carterton edged out Martinborough 19-14. Charlie Brown, Tommy Harmon and Lance Stevenson scored tries for Carterton and Tipene Haira and Jono Hurley both kicked one conversion. C. Jones scored the Martinborough try and Kapene kicked three penalties.