Whanganui club rugby: Marist still in hunt for home semifinal

Marist celebrated a centurion on Saturday.

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Dave Hoskins Carriers Marist kept their outside prospects of a home Tasman Tanning Premier semifinal alive while honouring one of the squad’s longest-tenured servants on Saturday.

Marist made it two season wins over McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu with a 46-7 win at Spriggens Park on the occasion of lock Lake Ah Chong’s 100th Premier game.

Able to cover lock and the loose forward positions, Ah Chong made his Premier debut back in 2014, showing how long a WRFU player must now endure to play their 100th top-flight club match.

Fittingly, Ah Chong scored a try, while doubles came from hooker Jack Yarrall and fullback Jack O’Leary, a contender for season MVP.

Marist made a couple of changes from their last match before the King’s Birthday break, with Ioane Hough scoring one of the tries from a deep bench, while centre Josaia Bogileka got the other.

Second five-eighths Daniel Kauika contributed 11 points with the boot.

There was some positive news for Ruapehu in the return of a former MVP winner of their own in flanker Jamie Hughes, 60 games for Steelform Whanganui, who scored a second-half try, converted by Logan Blackburn.

In Tasman Tanning Senior, the leading playoff contenders are beginning to emerge, as a trend which started the previous weekend will continue as sides start to suffer tough losses which make the math for reaching the top four on July 1 too difficult.

The first side to lock in their semifinal position were defending champions Ali Arc Logistics Marist Celtic, who retained the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield with an 85-10 hammering of the Border Seniors on the Racecourse field.

Celtic ceded the No 1 pitch of Spriggens Park to their young clubmates the AGC Marist Knights, who moved up to fifth place with a 48-0 shutout of the Castlecliff Club Mustangs in their derby game.

At Memorial Park, the derby trophy went the way of Utiku Old Boys, who put the final nail in the coffin of Bennett’s Taihape’s semifinal hopes with a 27-5 victory.

Now reduced to their last throw of the dice next week are the Black Bull Liquor Pirates, as Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau produced another clutch performance with a 27-13 victory at the Country Club.

Although long out of contention, JJ Walters Asphalt Marton had looked like they may be ready for another late season run, and so it proved with a second-half comeback to upset Kelso Hunterville 22-20 at home to leave them in sudden-death mode next week.

With so much drama happening below them on the points table, Tāmata Hauhā Rātana wanted to secure their position and did so with a big 66-8 win over McCrea Scanning Counties at McNab Domain.

Results, June 10

Tasman Tanning Premier, Week 8

Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 46 (Jack O’Leary 2, Jack Yarrall 2, Lake Ah Chong, Ioane Hough, Josaia Bogileka tries; Daniel Kauika pen, 4 con) bt McCarthy Transport Ruapehu 7 (Jamie Hughes try; Logan Blackburn con). HT: 27-0.

Barracks Bar Challenge Shield - Waverley Harvesting Border 30 (Josefa Namosimalua 2, Harry Symes, Craig Clare, Alekesio Vakarorogo tries; N Harding pen, Clare con) bt Byford’s Readimix Taihape 20 (Tyler Rogers-Holden, Hadlee Hay-Horton, Luke Whale tries; Dane Whale pen, con). HT: 15-12.

Bye: Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau.

Senior Championship, Week 9

At Spriggens Park: AGC Marist Knights bt Castlecliff Club Mustangs 48-0. HT: 24-0.

At Racecourse (Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield): Ali Arc Logistics Marist Celtic bt Border 85-10. HT: 43-0.

At Kaierau Country Club: Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau bt Black Bull Liquor Pirates 27-13. HT: 3-all.

At McNab Domain: Tāmata Hauhā Rātana bt McCrea Scanning Counties 66-8. HT: 40-5.

At Hunterville: JJ Walters Asphalt Marton bt Kelso Hunterville 22-20. HT: 17-10 Hunterville.

At Memorial Park: Utiku OB bt Bennett’s Taihape 27-5. HT: 10-5.