Heartland Rugby: Narrow losses hurt in shortened season

A season without semifinals means more is riding on each match. Photo / File

Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby

Just how much a single narrow loss could mean in a season without semifinals was clear to Steelform Whanganui, after defeat in Ashburton saw them fall from first to fifth on the Bunnings Heartland table.

Powerhouses South Canterbury and Thames Valley, both whom Whanganui will have to play on the road, lead the table as the only sides with two bonus-point wins.

Despite the return of former All Black Zac Guildford, Wairarapa Bush got thumped 61-17 in Timaru, with South Canterbury winger Kalavini Leagigaga getting a hat-trick and No 8 Siu Kakala a double.

After no matches in 2020, Thames Valley won their second straight road game, 35-19 over a brave East Coast in Ruatoria, with Tevita Halafihi coming off the bench to grab two tries.

Sitting currently in the Lochore Cup spots are Mid Canterbury and Horowhenua Kapiti, with the latter gaining a lot of confidence from coming back to Levin to hold off 2019 Meads Cup winners North Otago 25-17, as the goal-kicking of halfback Jack Tatu-Robertson proved crucial.

Horowhenua Kapiti's first victim West Coast may not have satisfied their home supporters in their first competition game since 2019, but they went better on the road by travelling to Taupo to upend King Country 34-17, with centre Elliot Smith scoring a hat-trick.

And Poverty Bay completed a massive turnaround in seven days to erase the record of 2021's biggest loss by smashing Buller 76-14 in Gisborne.

They scored 11 tries to two, giving them a positive points differential despite losing to Whanganui 65-12 at Cooks Gardens.

Round 2 results, September 25

Thames Valley 35 (Tevita Halafihi 2, Josh Kaho, Connor McVerry tries; Todd Doolan 3 pen, 3 con) bt East Coast 19 (Sam Parkes, Te Rangi Fraser tries, penalty try; Fraser con). HT: 18-14.

Horowhenua Kapiti 25 (Simon Butler, Andrew Knewstubb, Bryn Gordon tries; Jack Tatu-Robertson 2 pen, 2 con) bt North Otago 17 (Kelepi Funaki, Alipate Tuipulotu, Levi Emery tries; Abel Magalogo con). HT: 15-5.

West Coast 34 (Elliot Smith 3, Jarrod Ferguson, Joseph Scott, Josh Tomlinson tries; Scott 2 con) bt King Country 17 (Kauri Coffin, Josevata Malimole tries; Liam Wano pen, 2 con). HT: 17-10.

Poverty Bay 76 (Penikolo Latu 2, Rikki Terekia 2, Stefan Destounis 2, Andrew Tauatevalu, Aaron McLelland, Kelvin Smith, Te Peehi Fairlie, James Higgins tries; Tauatevalu pen, 6 con, Smith con) bt Buller 14 (Isei Lewaqai, Iliesa Tora tries; Jesse Pitman-Joass 2 con). HT: 43-14.

South Canterbury 61 (Kalavini Leagigaga 3, Siu Kakala 2, Junior Faavae, Sam Briggs, Willie Wright, Sainivaiati Ramuwai tries; Briggs 8 con) bt Wairarapa Bush 17 (Joe Tako, Henry Wilson, Moomoo Falaniko tries; Falaniko con). HT: 26-5.