BACK IN BUSINESS: Returning Ruapehu hooker Roman Tuataha scores one of his two tries in the comeback win over Utiku Old Boys in Ohakune on Saturday.PHOTO/MERRILYN GEORGE
McCARTHY'S Transport Ruapehu welcomed back some familiar faces and not before time as they came from behind in the second half to upend Utiku Old Boys 46-22 in front of relieved supporters at Rochfort Park on Saturday.
The game had a delayed start after the senior match curtainraiser was abandoned due to the broken leg of an Utiku player early in the match, with the player remaining on the field as the ground was used as the landing zone for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter, which flew over from New Plymouth.
The injured player was transported from Ohakune to Whanganui Base Hospital, flying over Spriggens Park when the Tasman Tanning Premier game was under way.
Once the Premier match started, Ruapehu still looked at sixes and sevens initially, not getting up on defence while tackling too high and running away from support.
Utiku capitalised to lead 22-19 with Regan Collier and Rewi Hudson both scoring two tries.
However, representative hooker Roman Tutauha was back in business after the surgery to remove his appendix, and he hadn't lost a step, scoring two tries.
Jamie Hughes now had better support with Tutauha and fellow representative player Troy Brown back in the frame, and Hughes ripped through the defence to get their team on the front foot to score 27 unanswered points in the second half.
At Memorial Park, PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape showed they remain the pace-setters along with Waverley Harvesting Border, racking up eight tries in a 44-8 disposal of Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist, whose opening game victory over Pirates is already starting to look far away.
The Taihape playmakers were all in form as halfback Brett Nicholls was game MVP, while Dane Whale picked up two tries, as did loose forward Tremaine Gilbert and outside back Jaye Flaws.
It was only Border mauling Black Bull Liquor Pirates by a 40-point margin that kept Taihape in second spot on the ladder, with the game between the clubs in the fifth round on April 30 already building as a superclash.
At the Ratana Pa, Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau's fitness told in the second half as they ran in 36 points to blowout the scoreline 48-8 and settle comfortably into third spot on the table.
Fullback Anaru Saurara scored two tries and added three successful kicks, while veteran Ace Malo had things under control and try-scoring centre Kameli Kuruyabaki was strong once again.
In the now 12-team senior competition after Ratana's withdrawal, the first upset occurred as Counties held off Speirs Food Marton 15-10 at the McNab Domain in Kaiwhaiki.
The teams were deadlocked 5-all at halftime, with Counties coming home the stronger and giving Marton something to think about before their big clash with Ngamatapouri this coming weekend.
For the grade's overwhelming favourites, Saturday was their first chance to defend the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield in front of home supporters and they turned it into a benefit match with a 93-17 destruction of the Marist Buffalos.
The home side were up 62-0 at halftime and mercifully eased off slightly in the second half otherwise a century was on the cards.
The Buffalos' brothers Marist Celtic had a better excursion to the other side of the region as they beat Taihape 25-17, although having to surrender leadership of the table due to Kaierau getting maximum points for the Ratana default.
A decision will have to be made regarding the rest of the Senior draw for 2016 with three teams having already bagged five points for no Ratana match, while other sides will be scheduled for byes when a fellow senior squad is at a loose end for a game.
Border set the tone for their Premier team by upending Pirates 47-12 on the Racecourse.
-Results, April 16.
Tasman Tanning Premier, Round 3.
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield - Waverley Harvesting Border 57 (Kavenui Dabenaise 2, Isaiah Hooper, James Forsythe, Cole Baldwin, Dylan Pearce, Nick Harding, Kieran Hussey, Tom Symes tries, Harding 6 con) bt Black Bull Liquor Pirates 17 (Manalua Lafi, Sa'ena Vili, Sanelle Ah Chookoon tries, Lafi con). HT: 38-5.
Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 48 (Anaru Saurara 2, Stu Brosnahan, Ethan Robinson, Cade Robinson, Kameli Kuruyabaki, Joel Martin tries, Ace Malo 2 con, Saurara pen, 3 con) bt Harvey Round Motors Ratana 8 (Junior Tume try, Te Tua Kemp pen). HT: 12-3.
PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape 44 (Dane Whale 2, Tremaine Gilbert 2, Jaye Flaws 2, Glenn Horton, Taylor Transom tries, Whale 2 con) bt Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 8 (Marek Willis try, Sam Monaghan pen). HT: 22-8.
McCarthy Transport Ruapehu 46 (Roman Tutauha 2, Kahl Elers-Green, George Williams, Jamie Hughes, Troy Brown, Corey Carmichael, Temaire Hawira tries, Andrew Evans 2 con, Williams con) bt Utiku OB 22 (Regan Collier 2, Rewi Hudson 2 tries, Willie Hands con). HT: 22-19 Utiku OB.
Grand Irish Bar MVP Points.
At Spriggens Park: Kavenui Dabenaise (Border centre) 3 points, Ray Stark (Border No8), Cole Baldwin (Border flanker) and Clive Stowers (Pirates winger) 1 each.
At Ratana Pa: Ace Malo (Kaierau second five) 3, Stu Brosnahan (Kaierau winger) 2, Kameli Kuruyabaki (Kaierau centre) 1.
At Taihape: Brett Nicholls (Taihape halfback) 3, Taylor Transom (Taihape winger) 2, Timi Teepa (Taihape flanker) 1.
At Ohakune: Roman Tutauha (Ruapehu hooker) 3, Campbell Hart (Ruapehu No8) 2, Jamie Brett (Utiku OB No8) 1.
MVP points leaders: Nick Harding (Border) and Ace Malo (Kaierau) 6, Ryan Gill (Marist), Clive Stowers (Pirates) and Jamie Brett (Utiku OB) 4, Kavenui Dabenaise (Border), Roman Tutauha (Ruapehu), Brett Illston (Utiku OB), Hamish Bennett, Johnson Hiroa and Brett Nicholls (Taihape) 3.
Senior championship, Round 3.
At Racecourse: Border bt Pirates 47-12. HT: 32-7.
At McNab Domain, Kaiwhaiki: Counties bt Speirs Food Marton 15-10. HT: 5-all.
At Ngamatapouri (Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield): Ngamatapouri bt Marist Buffalo's 93-17. HT: 62-0.
At Memorial Park, Taihape: Marist Celtic bt Taihape 25-17. HT: 10-7.
At Rochfort Park, Ohakune: Ruapehu led Utiku OB 7-0 when game called off (serious player injury).
At Ratana: Kaierau beat Ratana by default.
Bye: Kelso Hunterville.