Rugby: Steelform Wanganui and Horowhenua-Kapiti on top

Wanganui winger Simon Dibben looks for support against Poverty Bay on Saturday. Wanganui still lead the competition after three rounds.

For the second weekend in a row, Steelform Wanganui's points differential was enough to keep them on top of the Mitre 10 Heartland standings as their neighbours Horowhenua-Kapiti discovered what Wanganui already know.

A vastly improved Thames Valley came to Levin on Saturday and gave the undefeated home side a fright in their 13-10 loss, denying Horowhenua-Kapiti a bonus point and outright lead on the table.

Both team's scored their sole try in the first half, through Kalim Kelemete and George Lelenoa respectively, with former professsional James So'oialo's penalty giving Horowhenua-Kapiti a narrow lead at the break, which they maintained as he traded penalties with Chris Doak in the second stanza.

Buller also kept their unbeaten streak going and once again it was maestro first-five James Lash who was the hero as his late drop goal secured a heart-stopping 33-31 win over North Otago in Westport.

Yet again, Buller were out-scored four tries to three at home, but Lash's second drop goal of the campaign came at the tip-end of a 23-point haul through all four scoring methods.

He lifted to the top of the season standings with 59 points from three games - moving seven ahead of Wanganui's Craig Clare despite a 15-point haul of his own at Cooks Gardens.

After tough losses in their opening games, King Country were finally back at Te Kuiti and delivered for the home fans with a 32-25 win over Wairarapa Bush.

A Wairarapa Bush penalty closed the gap to 29-25 late in the match, but the home side had the final say with Reece MacDonald's second penalty, having also received an automatic seven-point penalty try.

Winger Dean Church got a double to move up to a share of the lead in the tryscorer standings with four, joining Wanganui's Timoci Seruwalu and Mid Canterbury's Maleli Sau.

Fullback Sam Monaghan scored two tries for Wairarapa Bush.

Sau got his fourth try of the season in Mid Canterbury's 31-16 loss in the derby game with South Canterbury in Asburton.

The visitors scored two converted tries in the first half and put the game away with three more tries in the second stanza, with Brad Hemopo getting a double.

South Canterbury's win moved lifted them to fourth spot on the table and just one point behind the leaders, setting up a crucial clash with Wanganui in Timaru on Saturday.

West Coast rebounded from their derby game defeat to Buller to go on the road and beat East Coast 32-19 in Ruatoria, with Tom Reekie joining Lash in telegraphing a drop goal this campaign as part of a 12-point haul, while team mate Nik Cumming scored two tries.

Results, Week 3.

Buller 33 (Anthony Ellis, James Lash, Iliesa Ravudra; Lash 3 pen, 3 con, dropped goal) bt North Otago 31 (Ralph Darling, Josh Buckham, Junior Fakatoufifita, Antini Brown tries; Buckham pen, 4 con).

West Coast 32 (Nik Cumming 2, Lawrence Babe, Steven Soper, Tom Reekie tries; Reekie dg, 2 con) bt East Coast 19 (Pera Bishop, Sailosi Vatubua, Kareti Palmer tries; Kris Palmer 2 con) . HT: 15-7.

Horowhenua Kapiti 13 (Kalim Kelemete try; James So'oialo 2 pen, con) bt Thames Valley 10 (George Lelenoa try; Chris Doak pen, con). HT: 10-7.

King Country 32 (Dean Church 2, Alex Thrupp tries; penalty try; Reece MacDonald 2 pen, 2 con) bt Wairarapa Bush 25 (Sam Monaghan 2, Epeli Rayaqayaqa tries; Tim Priest 2 pen, 2 con).

South Canterbury 31 (Brad Hemopo 2, Nick Strachan, Kalavini Leatigaga, Vatiliai Tora tries; Willie Wright 3 con) bt Mid Canterbury 16 (Maleli Sau, Eric Duff tries; Jarred Percival 2 pen). HT: 14-0.

Wanganui 25 (Craig Clare, Gabriel Hakaraia, Jona Sawailau tries; Clare 2 pen, 2 con) bt Poverty Bay 14 (Andrew Tauatevalu, Jake Holmes tries; Isaia Vuki con, Tauatevalu con). HT: 8-7.