Rugby: Defending champs through to Meads Cup final

Wanganui and Mid Canterbury are confirmed as the power bases of Heartland championship rugby, with Wanganui's 48-13 win over Poverty Bay today setting up a repeat of last year's Meads Cup final next Saturday.

But while Mid Canterbury had to battle for their semifinal win over South Canterbury, defending champions Wanganui scored a point-a-minute in the second half to dispose of what had initially been a brave Poverty Bay challenge.

Wanganui thrashed the same opponents 56-0 last week but Poverty Bay arrived with five changes and a whole new attitude which they took into the first half, trailing just 8-6 at the break.

They could have led if the usually-accurate boost of Scott Leighton hadn't missed two close shots.

However, signs the floodgates would open came a minute before the break when teenager Fijian Waisake Rautunideuba finished off a counter-attack from 65 metres out.

The hosts came out in the second half revived and revitalized and Rautunideuba had his second after 8min, No 8 Lasa Ulukuta had another 4min later and then fullback Fraser Middleton -- on crutches four days before -- finished off a marvelous try from 60m.

The game was as good as over before Cameron Crowely, Rautnideuba and replacement lock Nick Cranston finished it off with tries, while Poverty Bay finally cracked the home defence through Juston Allen in the 73rd minute.

Leighton , who was yellow-carded for a foul late in the first half, No 8 Tevita Maka, prop Josh Maynard and centre Wade Owen were among the visitors' best.

But after Wanganui got the twitches out of their system, Ratunideuba, centre Aseali Tikoirotuma, Middleton and Crowley fed off great chances created by the likes of Leon Mason and Steelie Koro inside.

Flanker Peter Rowe, his No 6 mate Fraser Hammond, locks Jon Smyth and David Gower were all prominent performers up front for a Wanganui side who must now turn around their recent 23-14 round robin loss to Mid Canterbury.

Result:

Wanganui 48 (Waisake Ratunideuba 3, Fraser Middleton, Cameron Crowley, Lasa Ulukuta, Nick Cranston tries; Denning Tyrell 3 pen, con; Ricky Alabaster con) Poverty Bay 13 (Juston Allen try; Scott Leighton pen, con; Kahu Tamahena dropped goal). Halftime: 8-6.

- NZPA