Whanganui called on their former Black Fern Sosoli Talawadua who provided vital leadership on the field. Photo / Bevan Conley
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The Silks Audit Whanganui Women had a pleasant trip to Rotorua after holding off East Coast Women for a 34-19 win on Saturday.
Leading 17-7 at half-time in a tight encounter, Whanganui clicked into gear to build an uncatchable lead until a backline injury meant they had to rearrange their defensive shape, and the girls from the cape got some late points.
"We were a bit slow to get started in the first half, we had a couple of players join us the past week," said coach Jason Liddle.
"In the first 20 minutes of the second half we put points on the board."
With talisman player Lavenia Nauga-Grey recovering from the serious injury suffered in the win over Thames Valley on August 20, Whanganui were able to call on the services of their former Black Fern and 50 Farah Palmer Cup games-capped front rower Sosoli Talawadua.
"We needed her, she lasted 30 minutes, but her leadership on the field and stability in the scrum [was vital]," said Liddle.
Talawadua came off after a pulled calf muscle.
East Coast recognised Whanganui winger Paris Munro with the Player of the Day award, after she scored a try and stopped East Coast from getting another, while making three big half-field break-out runs.
Improving their season record to 3-1, the Whanganui team is now scheduled to play their last game against Wairarapa Bush in Masterton on September 24; however the status of the game is uncertain with the home side reportedly struggling for numbers.
The Whanganui Under-15s Girls team was also scheduled to play East Coast in Rotorua on Saturday. However, the match was cancelled due to the coasters not having a full squad.
The fourth round of the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland championship will have its superclash as defending Meads Cup champions South Canterbury upended North Otago last Saturday.
Now on a 19-match winning streak against Heartland teams, although their local media erroneously claim it is 20 games by forgetting there were no 2021 Meads Cup semi-finals due to Covid delays, South Canterbury and upcoming opponent Steelform Whanganui are the only unbeaten teams left in this year's competition.
With renovations being done to their traditional home of Fraser Park in Timaru, the Cantabrians have been taking home games around their province, and so met unbeaten North Otago in the town of Fairlie and came away with an impressive 36-17 win to defend the Hanan Shield.
The home side led 13-5 at halftime but cranked up the pressure after the break as radar-accurate kicker Sam Briggs slotted home two more penalties, ultimately converting four, and then a converted try had them away at 26-5.
Winger Kalivini Leatigaga scored two of their four tries.
North Otago made a late rally with two tries, but finished short of a bonus point to slip from table leaders to third place.
After losing to South Canterbury in the season opener, 2021 Meads runners-up Thames Valley have continued their climb up the ladder into fourth spot, but they were made to work for it on their short trip to Taumarunui Domain, just holding off neighbours King Country 19-15.
Thames Valley scored all their points in the first half, leading 19-5, with prominent try-scoring flanker Laulea Mau Fangufangu adding a double to his tally, while first-five Todd Doolan got the other try and two conversions.
However, in wet conditions, King Country camped in the Thames Valley half and came roaring back, with lock Cruise Dunster scoring his second five-pointer before reserve Ethan Christensen was on the end of a superb team try.
But with no conversions and time running out, the home side could not get back down for the match-winner.
Also settling in for a share of third to fifth place were Buller, who continue be to imposing playing at home in Westport with a 48-20 win over Poverty Bay.
The Bill Osborne Taonga holders, which is only on the line in home games, Poverty Bay's focus might not have been 100 per cent for the very long away trip, given they just held off Wairarapa Bush the previous weekend and have another big defence in the derby with Ngāti Porou East Coast this weekend.
For the home side, winger Mitieli Kaloudigibeci and centre Michael Stringer both scored two tries, the latter getting an individual stunner from deep in his own half, while first-five Jack Parker slotted five conversions and a penalty.
Whanganui's two Bruce Steel Memorial Cup opponents Horowhenua Kapiti and Wairarapa Bush met in Masterton, with the visitors leading throughout to register a 33-17 win.
Both sides scored three tries, but Horowhenua-Kapiti's goal-kicking was on-song as halfback Jack Tatu-Robertsson slotted all three conversions and three penalties, while second-five Tyler Tane popped over a three-pointer himself near fulltime.
Ashburton hosted two teams looking to avoid the wooden spoon, and after being very unlucky in their first two games, Mid Canterbury left nothing to chance as they blasted West Coast 48-15.
The Coasters had a good first half in the conditions, leading 15-8, but there was only one team in it for the second stanza – the home side scoring six more tries to shoot up to sixth on the table due to having collected a lot of bonus points so far.
UNDER 19: Former Whanganui Collegiate 1st XV players Epeli Waqaicece and Hunter Morrison have both been selected in the New Zealand Under-19s squad that will tour South Africa this month. Both now with Manawatu, the former WRFU age group representatives join a national squad of 30 who will play the youth teams of the Stormers, Sharks, Lions and Leopards.
REP GAMES: The McFall Fuel Whanganui Development XV will play Wairarapa Bush Development XV as the 12.15pm curtain raiser game at Cooks Gardens on Saturday. The Whanganui U18 Girls play Horowhenua Kapiti in Levin, the U15 Girls face Manawatu in Palmerston North, and the Air Chathams Whanganui U18 Boys meet Wellington Samoa away.