Ruapehu's Fraser Hammond on the charge in the nail-biting game with Pirates at Rochfort Park on Saturday. Photo by Merrilyn George
McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu held on for what could yet prove a season-defining win over Black Bull Liquor Pirates, 18-15 at Rochfort Park on Saturday.
Having had injuries and heavy representative commitments as they went into the biggest clash of Week 15 in Tasman Tanning Premier, against a foe who always gives them a Titanic arm wrestle, Ruapehu scored both their tries in the first half from promising backs Shaq Waara and Kahl Elers-Green, after Pirates scored first.
Ruapehu would add a second half penalty from Craig Clare in the 57th minute, but Pirates were fighting for their season as they scored their second try with 13 minutes left - loose forward Manulua Lafi and talented halfback Fa'alele Iosua getting their team's five-pointers.
The home side them grimly defended their line throughout the final ten minutes, with some Pirates handling errors relieving the pressure before they would come back.
Having finished a tough run of Top 4 opponents, Pirates know they now have a lot of work to do as despite their remaining games being lower tier teams, they are sitting clear fifth spot on the table and still have to take their bye week, while Ruapehu moved up to third and have a game in hand.
However, Ruapehu missing a bonus point means they could not snare second place as PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape continued their second round resurgence by getting payback on Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri, 53-24 at Memorial Park.
Taihape had to be nervous about a repeat of Ngamatapouri's shock 31-30 comeback win up the Waitotara Valley on April 15 when the scores were deadlocked 17-17 at halftime on Saturday.
Dangerous backs Emosi Vucago and Jim Seruwalu combined for their teams three tries.
However, just as they did against Pirates to also reverse that first round loss, Taihape pulled away in the second half to blow the score out, with their sole incumbent Steelform Wanganui representative Dane Whale having a blinder, scoring three tries and adding 18 points from the boot for the biggest individual tally of the season.
Taihape also welcomed back long-missed injured skipper Tremaine Gilbert, who scored a try, as did another returning prodigal son in Ben Whale.
It meant Taihape leapfrogged Ruapehu and the on-bye Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist to take second spot, although they will have to take the bye in the last weekend of round-robin, which means this coming Saturday's match in Ohakune could still have a key bearing on who misses out on the semifinals.
Teams beating each other back-and-forth below them suits Waverley Harvesting Border just fine, as their six point buffer on top of the table was expanded to eight ahead of their bye week by defeating Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 43-26.
However, again Border did not have it all their way with their eighth-placed opposition, having only beaten them 19-10 in April, as they were trailing 19-12 at half time in Waverley.
Young players Osea Tarogi, Joe Edwards, Rhys Wylie and Irishman Shandon Scott all scored for the visitors, as it took Border a while to put the match away.
Speedy winger Harry Symes added two more tries to his tally, while his fellow outside backs Tom Symes and Kaveni Dabonaise also came to the party, while flanker Angus Middleton continued his comeback with a try.
Veteran forwards Ray Stark and Andrew Retallick added their five-point contributions during this hard 17 day period where the club's representative players are getting through a lot of rugby.
In the Senior Championship, undefeated Marton were able to swiftly regain their spot on top of the heap, with Marist Celtic and Hunterville on a bye after their early start for the Marist centenary weekend.
Playing at home, Marton disposed of Counties 31-0 in an interesting Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield defence where all the points were scored in the second half.
There is not likely to be any surprises for the Top 4 as Black Bull Liquor Pirates pulled away in the second half to beat Taihape 44-24 at Memorial Park.
In Senior Consolation, Marist Buffalo's time on top proved even briefer than expected, as they were docked five competition points for a fielding an ineligible player in their 50-24 loss to Border the previous weekend.
Similar to the Kaierau senior deduction earlier in the season, former Pirates player Patrick Hiscox had a bye week from Manawatu club rugby, and did not receive permission from the WRFU's Council of Clubs operations committee to come back for a one-off game.
This week, Buffalos defaulted their match to Ruapehu, while Border moved smartly to the top spot with a 46-7 home win over Kaierau.
Results, June 17
Tasman Tanning Premier, Week 14.
Waverley Harvesting Border 43 (Harry Symes 2, Ray Stark, Angus Middleton, Tom Symes, Andrew Retallick, Kaveni Dabonaise tries, Harry Symes 4 con) bt Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 26 (Shandon Scott, Rhys Wylie, Osea Tarogi, Joe Edwards tries, Scott 3 con). HT: 19-12 Kaierau.
Utiku Old Boys 36 (Brett Illston 3, Guy Heard, Saia Teumohenga, Jake Anderson tries; Max Navas 3 con) bt Harvey Round Motors Ratana 20 (Marius Joseph, Issac Fonotoe, Nikora Ririnui tries; Aaron Paranihi pen, con). HT: 17-14 Ratana.
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield - PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape 53 (Dane Whale 3, Jaye Flaws, Tremaine Gilbert, Ben Whale, James Barrett tries; Dane Whale 2 pen, 6 con) bt Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri 24 (Emosi Vucago 2, Jim Seruwalu tries; Te Tua Kemp pen, 3 con). HT: 17-all.
McCarthy Transport Ruapehu 18 (Shaquille Waara, Kahl Elers-Green tries; Craig Clare 2 pen, con) bt Black Bull Liquor Pirates 15 (Manulua Lafi, Fa'alele Iosua tries; Iosua con, Junior Ainea pen). HT: 15-5.
Bye: Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist.
Senior Championship
At Marton Park (Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield): Speirs Food Marton bt Counties 31-0. HT: 0-0
At Memorial Park: Black Bull Liquor Pirates bt Taihape 44-24. HT: 25-19.
Byes: Celtic and Hunterville.
Senior Consolation
At Dallison Park: Border bt Kaierau 46-7. HT: 17-7.
At Rochfort Park: Ruapehu bt Buffalo's by default.