Under pressure, Wairarapa Bush’s restart didn’t go 10m, and Lalanabaravi attacked from the scrum, and although taken out in the tryline corner, Whanganui made a lineout turnover and soon Patea was driving in to score his second.
Down 21-0 in 18 minutes, Wairarapa Bush secured the kickoff and first five Ashton Coates, a former Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist player, broke through the cover defence and set up winger Jimoce Seasea to score in the corner, well-converted by fullback Joseph Te Naihi.
The visitors’ hopes of a revival were dashed when Whanganui reserve back Rongomai McLean-Wanoa snatched an intercept and seemed like he would win the foot race to the corner, only to stop and step back inside his old clubmate in the chasing Coates to run under the posts.
The gaps kept opening up as Patea ran through one and produced an excellent flick pass for reserve back Villi Bainbure to run onto and score, and then spreading the ball wide again allowed Delasau the chance to sell his marker a dummy and jog in for his double at 42-7.
A penalty allowed Wairarapa Bush to get on the attack, driving close through reserve prop Ihe Namana, before hooker Kody Thompson burrowed over off the side of the ruck for a converted try.
But Whanganui still had the final say of the half, as again the visitors spilled possession and Whanganui halfback Paki Ponga snatched the ball to attack down the touchline, finding Bainbure inside to dash off to the posts but selflessly give the ball to supporting lock Mason Johnson to dot down.
It wasn’t a great start to the second half for the hosts, as they got trapped in their half and had to stop the Wairarapa Bush forwards driving over twice, but eventually standout No 8 BJ Campbell found a gap and stepped through to score.
With play a lot more back and forth, eventually the Wairarapa Bush forwards got enough position to drive at the line, with Campbell scoring under the heap for a ripple of concern at 49-26 with time left.
It proved not to be an issue as Whanganui’s defence held the remainder of the raids, and spreading the ball wide, Bainbure fed Lalanabaravi, who turned on the pace down the wing and then charged back infield to round the cover tacklers for an excellent long-range try with three minutes left.
The only sour note was reserve back Peniani Waqatabu picking up a yellow card with two minutes left after a dangerous tackle when the attacker slipped coming to meet him.
Coach Danny Tamehana was asked what the difference had been from two weeks beforehand.
“Honestly, it’s the turf. The astro-turf, the boys just didn’t way to play. Didn’t want to go to ground, didn’t want to tackle because that meant they went to ground.
“Being on a grass surface, I think that was the difference.”
He had not been concerned about the second-half momentum swing.
“We were just rotating the players around, but then looking at the last quarter of an hour, had to bring the starting eight back on there, get a bit more fluency and continuity going.”
But again, the speedsters had done the job.
“Just playing off the cuff, those boys out there. They’ve got a lot of natural talent, and once they hit through a gap, they’re unbelievable.”
It sets up the last match of the team’s extended season at home against the Wellington Fijians.
“It’ll be a big game, I think a lot of our island boys are really looking forward to that one, to be honest.”
Whanganui Development XV 56 (N Patea 2, E Delasau 2, R McLean-Wanoa, V Bainbure, M Johnson, R Lalanabaravi tries; B Tremayne 8 con) bt Wairarapa Bush Development 26 (B Campbell 2, J Seasea, K Thompson tries; J Te Naihi 3 con). HT: 49-12.
Around the grounds
Women
The Chesters Plumbing & Bathroom Whanganui Women’s team remain unbeaten on top of the Heartland standings after a 32-10 win over Poverty Bay’s Turanga Wāhine at Taihape’s Memorial Park on Saturday. The home side led 10-5 at halftime and again pulled away in the second stanza.
Women’s NPC
The Manawatu Cyclones with their Whanganui contingent of Sosoli Talawadua and expat Hollyrae Mete have qualified for the Farah Palmer Cup Championship final after a 73-10 win over Tasman in Saturday’s semifinal in Palmerston North. Talawadua scored one of the home side’s 11 tries. They will play the Northland Kauri, who beat Otago Spirit 29-19 in the other semifinal.
Men’s NPC
The fifth round of the Bunnings Warehouse NPC saw expat Harry Godfrey’s Hawke’s Bay beaten 44-21 away by Northland on Friday. On Saturday, Taranaki with Adam Lennox, Stephen Perofeta and Verenki Tikoisolomone came up just short away against Canterbury, 29-28. Tikoisolomone and Perofeta each scored tries. Otago, with Jona Nareki, lost 38-14 away to Bay of Plenty.
