Red Star a class above depleted Marist

Gary Caffell
Masterton Red Star gave their old-timers day celebrations a decent boost when they convincingly defeated Marist 36-3 in their Wairarapa-Bush premier division rugby match at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
Having suffered only their second defeat of the season at the hands of Greytown a week earlier, Masterton Red Star were primed for a return to something like their best form and they were a class above a depleted Marist combination.
It was up front where Masterton Red Star laid the foundations for their comfortable victory.
They outshone the Marist pack in all departments expect maybe the scrum where their platform was not always as stable as they would have liked it to be.
Nevertheless it was a front rower in Jake Bubb who spearheaded the Masterton Red Star forward effort.
He was a punishing runner with ball in hand and was often at the forefront of the short passing rushes which often featured fellow front rowers Tim Hintz and Owen Riddell as well.
In the lineouts Wade Walker was a shining light for Masterton Red Star and also impressed with his mobility about the paddock while the ever-reliable Jordan Sutherland and Stu Waipuka revelled in the looser phases of play.
The Masterton Red Star backs had ample opportunity to show their attacking talents and they generally made the most of them. Halfback Trevell Rimene, midfielder Heemi Tupaea and utility player Jordan Watene were the pick of them.
Marist simply didn't attain enough quality possession to play the free-flowing style of rugby which seems to suit their current personnel.
There was though a typically busy game from lock James Goodger, whose energy levels must be as high as any player in the premier division grade, some determined running in broken play from loose Anthony Balks and second-five Joe Nuku and a surprise second half appearance of Wairarapa-Bush assistant coach Neil Foote at halfback.
Stu Waipuka (2), Kyle Karaitiana, Chris Osborne and Heemo Tupaea scored tries for Masterton Red Star and Byron Karaitiana kicked four conversions and one penalty. All Marist could offer in reply was a solitary penalty goal.
East Coast maintained their competition lead with an eight-try 48-12 blitzing of Eketahuna.
Nick Olson scored three of the tries for the winners with others going to Ross Thompson, Craig Stewart, Luke Shanks, Darren Walker and Peter Gray Olson added four conversions. P. Hawke scored a brace of tries for Eketahuna and Graeme Cremen landed one conversion.
Gladstone gave their semi-final aspirations a lift with their 19-3 win over Carterton in a match dominated by the boot.
The sole try of the game was scored by Gladstone's Scott McBride and they also benefited from four penalties and one conversion from Jason Kjestrup Carterton's only points came from a Jono Hurley penalty.
Martinborough are looking more and more like a side who will be right in the hunt for the premier division title a few weeks down the track and they did nothing to harm their prospects with a hard-fought 20-14 win over a gutsy Greytown.
Thomas Te Kani (2) and C. Jones scored the Martinborough tries and Greg Dennes kicked one penalty and one conversion.
Senoa Isaac came up with two tries and two conversions for Greytown.
Pioneer ran in eight tries in their 52-20 win over Puketoi at the Park Sportsground.
Phillip Brown (3), Joe Papaali (2), Tipi Rimene, Rex Rimene and David Te Rito all touched down and Nathan Rolls added six conversions. Puketoi scored tries through D. Harwood (2) and Derek Morse and Jason Liverton kicked one penalty and one conversion.