Heartland see off Marist

The locals who took part in the game. From left, Harry Rowe with father Peter Rowe, Simon Dibben, Marist coach Jason Hamlin, Te Rangatira Waitokia, Josaia Bogileka, Viki Tofa, and Lindsay Horrocks.

The Steelform Wanganui players have all kept their hands up to be first-stringers for the NZ Heartland XV in Fiji this week after they lifted a notch to beat NZ Marist 35-14 and retain the Ian MacRae Cup at the Ardmore club in Papakura on Saturday.

A new-look squad under coach Barry Matthews, Heartland put the ball through the hands in a stiff wind in the first half to score two tries, which included Wanganui bolter Te Rangatira Waitokia going over in the corner.

Marist, helmed by Wanganui assistant coach Jason Hamlin and including local players Simon Dibben (winger) and Josaia Bogileka (second-five), along with a front row of Mitre 10 Cup players, would equalise the score in the second stanza.

However, with a strong bench, Heartland would regain the lead and then inflate the final score with two late tries, to send them off to Fiji with confidence with the first game tomorrow evening against Nadi.

Hamlin watched his former charges from the Meads Cup championship victory all perform well, with Waitokia having his knee strapped but otherwise showing no ill-effects from the bump in training.

"He looked pretty free, so he ran around as he has all year.

[Marist] probably had the upper hand in a few scrums, but they scored a couple of nice tries in the first half for 14-0.

"They shaded us in most other areas."

Having relinquished the captaincy to No8 and tryscorer Kieran Coll of South Canterbury, while also switching over to blindside flanker, veteran Peter Rowe still retained all his influence for what is likely to be his last representative rugby game on New Zealand soil.

"He was the Peter Rowe of old. He played pretty well," said Hamlin.

"You don't appreciate how much he does until you see him on the other side.

"Pete was a war horse, and Viki [Tofa] got on for the final 20 minutes. He had a big scrum to contend with and he held his own."

Halfback Lindsay Horrocks was his usual busy self in his new partnership with Buller first-five James Lash, who regained the kicking form which deserted him at the death of the Meads Cup final the previous weekend to land all five conversions.

Hamlin said Heartland had an advantage over Marist from an extra day together and more training sessions, which included two on the Friday before the game.

However, that level of work for conditioning and building familiarity will have to be eased off in Fiji with two games in five days under hot weather conditions.

"You can't run them into the ground over there, they're going to be battered. Some sore boys come Friday," said Hamlin.

Both sides performed a haka at the same time to add to the intensity of the annual clash.

North Otago prop Ralph Darling made a storming 40m run to open the scoring, before his team then worked the wall around with good control to set up Waitokia adding another try to his season tally, with Lash converting from near touch.

Marist's scrum battered Heartland's line and they received a penalty try, then their speedster Simon Lilicama from North Otago stepped through and put the pace on to score, with fullback Hamish Strachan (South Canterbury) adding his second conversion.

Marist tried to keep the pressure up, with Strachan striking the posts on a 40m penalty attempt, while the forwards finally got over the line only to be disallowed the try.

Heartland immediately swept right down to the other end and Coll muscled his way over for 21-14.

They then put the match away through their bench players with Wairarapa-Bush's loose forward and captain Eddie Cranston along with King Country midfielder John Koko scoring converted tries, with both conversions ending a good day for Lash, who also steered the squad around the field.

Along with Rowe, Coll and West Coast lock JJ Manning were the other standouts for the victors.

Marist's best were halfback Shawn Begg from Nelson and hooker Valentine Meachen, part of 2016's Wellington Lions.

NZ Heartland XV (Ralph Darling, Te Rangatira Waitokia, Kieran Coll, Eddie Cranston, John Koko tries; James Lash 5 con) bt NZ Marist 14 (Simon Lilicama try; Penalty try; Hamish Strachan 2 con). HT: 14-0.