Kaierau keep their consolation

Ethan Robinson heads in to score one of his two tries in Kaierau's upset victory over Taihape in the Premier Consolation final at Spriggens Park on Saturday morning.

Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau completed an extraordinary turnaround in the last month of Tasman Tanning Premier rugby as they retained their Consolation title from 2016 by seeing off favourites PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape 40-24 in the final at Spriggens Park on Saturday.

The late morning match had been moved away from Cooks Gardens to ensure the main ground stayed in good condition for the two Championship finals that afternoon.

Written off after being slaughtered by Black Bull Liquor Pirates 74-0 in late June, as they slumped to a distant seventh place on the table, Kaierau came back to win four of their last five matches to once again claim some silverware.

Having just missed the championship semifinals and still being predominately the same squad which made last year's championship game, Taihape would have been shocked to trail 28-5 at halftime, and although they rallied to score three second half tries to Kaierau's two, it was never enough to get back into the match.

Prop Jack Yarrall got a double for the town side, as did second five Ethan Robinson as part of a 20 point haul after converting five of Kaierau's six tries.

Fullback Charlie Grid and hooker Joe Edwards got the other five pointers - Edwards scoring for the second week in a row after getting his team's sole try in their 13-12 upset of Settler's Honey Ngamatapouri in the semifinal up the Waitotara Valley.

For Taihape, hooker Dylan Gallien and lock Matt Brown scored from the pack, while out wide centre Jaye Flaws and winger Peter Hay-Horton got the other tries.

First-five Dane Whale, judged the 2017 Most Valuable Player under new rules where points were allocated by the opposition, would add one conversion while winger Paora McCarthy got the other.

Kaierau 40 (Jack Yarrall 2, Ethan Robinson 2, Charlie Gird, Joe Edwards tries; Robinson 5 con) bt Taihape 24 (Dylan Gallien, Matt Brown, Jaye Flaws, Peter Hay-Horton tries; Dane Whale con, Paora McCarthy con). HT: 28-5.

Photo Galley of the day's action

Image 1 of 21: Wanganui Rugby: Premier Consolation Kaieru vs Taihape at Spriggens Park. Kaierau No. 12 Ethan Robinson heading for the try line. Saturday, July 29, 2017 Wanganui Chronicle photograph by Bevan Conley.