Metro finds winning groove

The St Johns Club Whanganui Metro crew are in the winning grove in the Manawatu Colts rugby competition.

St Johns Club Whanganui Metro has found structure and is now stringing together winning combinations as the McDonald's Manawatu Colts rugby competition entered round two last weekend.

Metro demolished Old Boys Marist 53-17 in Palmerston North on Saturday issuing a warning to rivals round two will be theirs to own.

Metro finished round one in second spot just one point behind perennial competition winners Massey White while Old Boys Marist was fourth five points in arrears.

On Saturday Metro dominated with both forwards and backs combining in sync to run Marist ragged.

Carl Gibson, who co-coaches with Darryl Malcolm, described the match as a running game to behold.

"It was beautiful to watch with both forwards and backs playing their parts - a really enjoyable game," Gibson said.

"There was a lot of structure and combinations coming together. It's always pleasing to see stuff we've trained for come together. Deven Gower at lock had an outstanding game and not just in lineouts. He was great winning ball from rucks and mauls and running with the ball in general play, while Kalib Houltham had a great game at second-five. Kalib has only just joined us again for game days."

Metro supporters have a prime opportunity to witness what should be winning rugby on home turf on Saturday as they take to the paddock as the curtain raiser for the Tasman Tanning Wanganui Premier match at Spriggens Park.

"We play Kia Toa at 1pm as the curtain raiser to the Marist/Utiku Old Boys premier fixture," Gibson said.

While competition newcomers Kia Toa only won three of their seven round one match ups, Gibson said they could not be described as easybeats.

"Like a box of chocolates you never know what you'll get with Kia Toa. If their premier sides are full good players can drop down to this grade and that can make it tough," Gibson said.