Marist hold champs to draw

Eketahuna and Gladstone will host the semi-final matches in the Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Union's senior first division competition next weekend.
Preliminary round games ended on Saturday with the highlight there being the 15-15 draw between Eketahuna, the defending champions, and Marist.
It was a result which earned Marist a vital two points and spared them the prospect of having to face up to Eketahuna in the semis seven days later.
Under the competition format the top seed at the end of the preliminary rounds plays the fourth seed in the semis with the second and third seeds playing the other game.
So after Saturday's results Eketahuna (81pts) were left to play Greytown-Tuhirangi (61pts) while Gladstone (64pts) will play Marist (62pts).
It was Wairarapa-Bush first-five Patrick Rimene who was the toast of Marist after their draw with Eketahuna.
He kicked a long range dropped goal and four penalties to be responsible for all of his team's points, while Eketahuna relied solely on tries for theirs, Simanu Simanu scoring twice and Jorgi Tamani once.
But it wasn't only in goal kicking where Rimene starred. He also directed his side intelligently in general play with his tactical kicks invariably finding space and having Eketahuna on the back pedal.
Marist would also have taken encouragement from the manner in which their forwards competed for possession against the much-vaunted Eketahuna eight. They generally held their own in the set pieces and were all fire and brimstone in the rucks and mauls.
Eketahuna, for their part, didn't have quite the usual authority in their play although the fact they scored three tries to Marist's none indicated that from a strictly attacking viewpoint they did look more dangerous than their opponents. Perhaps too they might have rued decisions not to kick for goal from reasonably handy range on two or three occasions. Rather they placed the emphasis on scoring tries and a dogged Marist defence kept them at bay.
Hooker Rob Foreman had another strong game for Eketahuna and yet again Daniel Elms at fullback was the pick of their backs. He must be a contender for higher honours as the season progresses.
The loss of experienced forward Steve Olds with a badly cut knee was a blow to Eketahuna and there must now be some doubt over his availablity for the semi-final next weekend.
Gladstone leap frogged Marist for the number two seeding spot when they scored a surprisingly decisive 43-7 win over Pioneer at the Park Sportsground.
Pioneer deservedly led 7-6 going into the last minute of the first half but then conceded a try to Gladstone winger Andrew McKay and from that point on there was really only one team in it.
The most impressive aspect of the Gladstone play in their second half romp was the slickness of their backs with halfback James Bruce and first-five John Dodd providing every opportunity for dangerous attackers like centre Duncan Rutherford and McKay to show their paces. And they were quick to take advantage of any space provided for them.
The Gladstone forwards were somewhat subdued in the opening 40 minutes but they too came to life in the second half, led as they were by flanker Daimon Neal who created a number of turnovers with his speed to the breakdown and who relished the chance to link with his backs in attacking situations.
Pioneer were very much a team of two halves, enthusiastic and constructive in the first but lacking anything like the same fervour in the second. Dave Ewe,Nathan Rolls and Anton Kainuku showed the value of experience up front and two more of the older hands in Tipi Rimene and Richard Carroll were the pick of the backs.
Andrew McKay (2), Duncan Rutherford, John Dodd, Daimon Neal and John Uys scored tries for Gladstone and Dodd also kicked three penalties and two conversions. Nathan Rolls scored a try for Pioneer and it was converted by Glen Ferguson.
Greytown-Tuhirangi had to come from behind to beat East Coast at Whareama by 31-12.
The Coasters, who were celebrating old-timer's day, started strongly and got out to a 12-0 lead before Greytown-Tuhirangi got into their stride. However, the combined side slowly but surely gained a measure of ascendancy up front and their backs had too much polish for their opposition.
The Isaacs scored three of the Greytown-Tuhirangi tries, Seanoa two and Tavita one, and others went to Mark Childs and Keith Polson. Kingi Kaiwai kicked three conversions. Te Maika Mason and Nick Olsen scored tries for East Coast and Byron Karaitiana kicked a conversion.
The other two first division games saw both Puketoi and Masterton Red Star come to the end of their programmes for the 2005 season . Puketoi were on the end of a 67-8 beating by Carterton while Masterton Red Star went down 82-0 to Martinborough.
Carterton and Martinborough will now join Pioneer and East Coast in the senior second division semi-finals next weekend. There, Carterton will be at home to East Coast and Pioneer likewise to Martinborough.