Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby
Green-and-white colours flew high over the weekend as Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist completed their best Tasman Tanning Premier regular season since 2017 with a tough 27-17 win over Tāmata Hauhā Rātana at Spriggens Park.
Although Waverley Harvesting Border’s upset at Memorial Park now has Marist travelling to Taihape rather than across town for a Country Club semifinal, Saturday’s victory over the already-eliminated Rātana still capped a strong run with five wins from their last six on-field games.
The end of Premier’s round-robin officially also confirmed a comfortable Weekes Cup win for Whanganui Marist RSC.
The Weekes Cup is awarded to the best-performing club across Premier and Senior grades combined, with the Marist Premiers finishing third while their highest-ranked Senior team, the Forest 360 Marist Knights, had wrapped up second place before Saturday’s quarter-finals.
Facing a Rātana team with nothing to lose, Marist did not have it all their own way, deadlocked 12-12 at halftime.
The visitors wanted to get their talented backline into action as winger Taylor Kirkwood scored a double while, on the opposite side, Hawira Gardiner also dotted down, with fullback Rangi Kui slotting a first-half conversion.
But Marist pulled clear over the second stanza with their tries coming from winger Sanaila Tawake, lock and skipper Ben O’Leary, halfback Daniel Kauika and prop Jonty Bird – continuing his outstanding form after representing Rangitīkei in the previous week’s sub-union game.
Returning fullback Wiremu Morgan slotted a conversion in each half and then, at 24-17, put over the decisive penalty to make the game safe with only a few minutes remaining.
Marist clubroom celebrations were already well under way as, in what could likely be a historic first, both their Senior teams have qualified for the championship semifinals.
On a weekend where all four “home” sides won their quarter-finals, Spriggens Park already hosting two fixtures meant Direct Connect Marist Celtic took their derby game with Seales Winslow Pirates over to the neutral City College, winning 36-19 in the battle of fourth versus fifth.
Back at Spriggens, the Knights made sure Kelso Hunterville did not get a sniff of a chance this season after their competitive semifinal in 2024, scoring a point a minute in the first half and romping to a 73-16 victory.
Once again, it was the third versus sixth quarter-final which proved the most competitive but, unlike last year, there would not be an upset, as McCrea Scanning Counties withstood a spirited fightback by defending champions Utiku Old Boys 26-17 at Macnab Domain, continuing their transformative season.
Up at Rochfort Park, undefeated McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu received a plucky challenge from the massive underdogs, the Border “Rat Pack”, only leading 12-0 at halftime before pulling away for a 26-0 victory.
Tasman Tanning Premier
Waverley Harvesting Border 15 (Harry Symes, Ross McDonald tries; Tyrone Albert pen, con) bt Byford’s Readimix Taihape 10 (Kaleb Sweet try; Chad Whale pen, con). HT: 10-3.
Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 27 (Sanaila Tawake, Ben O’Leary, Jonty Bird, Daniel Kauika tries; Wiremu Morgan pen, 2 con) bt Tāmata Hauhā Rātana 17 (Taylor Kirkwood 2, Hawira Gardiner tries; Rangi Kui con). HT: 12-12.
Tasman Tanning Senior Quarter-finals
Rochfort Park: McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu bt Border 26-0.
Spriggens Park: Forest 360 Marist Knights bt Kelso Hunterville 73-16.
Macnab Domain: McCrea Scanning Counties bt Utiku Old Boys 26-17.
City College: Direct Connect Marist Celtic bt Seales Winslow Pirates 36-19.
Tasman Tanning Women
Cooks Gardens: AGC Training Marist Clovers bt Byfords Construction Taihape 64-7.
Cooks Gardens: Silks Audit Rātana bt Heidi Macaulay Realty Bulls 86-0.
Marton Park: Hunterville bt Marton Queenbeez 61-0.