Steelform Whanganui in action against Horowhenu-Kapiti last weekend. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby
Steelform Whanganui now occupy clear third on the Bunnings Heartland Championship table after a couple of leapfrogs on a weekend of thrillers and history.
A losing streak of eight seasons and 54 games was finally closed out in Ruatoria, as home side East Coast raised the roof with a 50-26 win over Buller.
In the battle of New Zealand's smallest unions, it would be easy to assume the Ngati Porou men finally got over the top due to the arrival of 103-test All Black Ma'a Nonu, with the 39-year-old joining the bench in a special arrangement with head coach Hosea Gear - the 14-test veteran also pulling his boots back on.
But the reality is, for the past three seasons, East Coast have improved and played some adventurous, enterprising rugby - often denied that precious victory in the dying minutes by a last-gasp score from the opposition or a comeback that came up short.
Indeed, when Nonu, Gear and another Super Rugby veteran in Faifili Levave jogged on in the 60th minute against Buller, their local boys had already secured a 43-12 lead.
In his 50th game, halfback Sam Parkes scored two tries, as did first five Te Rangi Fraser as part of a 25-point haul.
Buller finished strongly with 14 points in the last seven minutes to earn their first bonus point of the season with four tries, including a double to No 8 Gabba de Kock.
At the other end of the table, the big move was Mid Canterbury's fall from fourth to sixth as unbeaten Thames Valley continue to stake their claim for the Meads Cup final after winning a try-scoring shootout in Te Aroha, 52-35.
The Swampfoxes' first five Todd Doolan scored the first 13 points for his team as part of a 20-point haul, while winger Joe Cooke got two tries.
After leading 32-7 after 29 minutes, Thames Valley had to absorb the visitors coming back at them right before halftime for 35-21, and then the two sides traded tries through the second half, right up until injury time.
Mid Canterbury's loss means they were overtaken by Whanganui and Poverty Bay, the latter continuing to make their opening day hammering a distant memory after they hammered bottom of the table King Country, 50-26 in Gisborne – the identical score to their cousins East Coast.
Flanker Stefan Destounis scored two of their eight tries, while first five Kelvin Smith contributed 13 points.
Like Buller, King Country also picked up their first point of the competition with four tries.
Thames Valley nearly went top of the table, after fellow unbeaten side, South Canterbury, had to fight with everything to get past North Otago 33-27 in a derby thriller in Oamaru.
Retaining the prestigious Hanan Shield, South Canterbury trailed at halftime and then midway through the second stanza, before claiming and then losing the lead.
A late try by reserve Luke Glenn secured the tight win.
North Otago first five Able Malalogo scored 22 points to keep his team ahead until the last gasp, while his opposite Sam Briggs slotted 13 crucial points of his own.
In another thriller in Masterton, Wairarapa Bush got their first win of the season, just scraping by West Coast 19-18.
Down 16-7 at halftime, the Coasters came back to take the lead by the 68th minute, but a penalty by second five Tipene Haira with three minutes left saw the home side snatch the game back.
Round 5 results, October 16
Thames Valley 52 (Joe Cooke 2, Todd Doolan, Matty Axtens, Tevita Halafihi , Cameron Dromgool, Harry Lafituanai tries; Doolan 3 pen, 3 con, Telly Hemopo con) bt Mid Canterbury 35 (Seta Koroitamana 2, Tait Chisman, Callum Burrell, Lote Nasiga tries; Tom Reekie 5 con). HT: 32-21.
East Coast 50 (Sam Parkes 2, Te Rangi Fraser 2, Teina Potae, Tawhao Stewart, Jack Richardson tries; Fraser pen, 6 con) bt Buller 26 (Jacobus de Kock 2, Iliesa Tora, Mitieli Kaloudigibeci tries; Andrew Norton-Taylor 3 con). HT: 24-5.
South Canterbury 33 (William Wright, Anthony Amato, Sireli Buliruarua, Luke Glenn tries; Sam Briggs 3 pen, 2 con) bt North Otago 27 (Mat Maui, Able Malalogo tries; Malalogo 5 pen, con). HT: 11-8.
Poverty Bay 50 (Stefan Destounis 2, Kelvin Smith, Tamanui Hill, Keanu Taumata, Toru Noanoa, Tione Hubbard, Riki Terekia tries; Smith 4 con, Paoraian Manuel-Harman con) bt King Country 26 (Sisa Vosaki, Bradly Jeffries, Kodi McGovern, Jesse Douglas tries; Johnny Ika 3 con). HT: 33-5.
Wairarapa Bush 19 (Lewis Bush, Vesi Luatua tries; Tipene Haira 2 pen, Moomoo Falaniko pen) bt West Coast 18 (Lewis Jackman, Jarrod Ferguson tries; Jacob Lowe 2 pen, con). HT: 16-7.
Whanganui 40 (Semi Vodosese 2, Mathew Taula Fili 2, Alekesio Vakarorogo, Dane Whale tries; Ethan Robinson 3 con, Dane Whale 2 con) bt Horowhenua 15 (Lennix Tovo, Bryn Gordon tries; Jackie Tatu-Robinson pen, con). HT: 15-14 Horowhenua-Kapiti.