The Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield will be defended in the upper echelon of Tasman Tanning senior rugby for the rest of 2014 after two defaults today on the final weekend before the 13-team grade splits into two competitions.
Ninth-placed Taihape were supposed to challenge shieldholders Tech at Spriggens Parkthis afternoon but have withdrawn from the game, while their neighbours, the Utiku Old Boys seniors, have also defaulted their match to Counties at McNab Domain in Kaiwhaiki.
WRFU club development officer John Phillips said the defaults were due to "shearing, sickness and injuries".
Third-placed Tech will take the shield into the six-team championship group, in which teams will play games from June 21 to July 18 followed by the finals, while the bottom seven teams will make up the consolation group.
The big senior clashes today will be seventh-placed Marton taking on Ruapehu (fourth) while Border (sixth) meet the Marist Buffalo's (tenth) and Pirates (fifth) take on Marist Celtic (first).
Marton sits only one point behind Border, but have a superior points differential, while Pirates sit 2-3 points ahead of both of them.
The results of these three games, and any bonus points claimed, will decide who scrapes through into the senior championship group and who will start at the top of the consolation group.
Because of Taihape's default, there is no 12pm game at Spriggens Park, so Celtic vs Pirates kickoff has been moved from 1.30pm to 1pm.
