Mid Canterbury remain on top

ON TRACK: Wanganui flanker Bryn Hudson is tackled by Buller lock Craig Moore at Cooks Gardens on Saturday. The 35-9 victory maintained Wanganui's second position on the ladder. PHOTO/NEIL JONES 120915WCNJWANGRUGBY1

THE PACK leaders of the 2015 Pink Batts Heartland Championship are beginning to emerge, as the top three teams from last week maintained their positions with victories on Saturday.

On a weekend where four of the six games were won by the team playing away from home, Mid Canterbury relied on their stand-in first-five Ewan Scott to boot them home with a 36-26 win over West Coast in Greymouth.

Out-scored four tries to three, Scott added 21 points with the conversions and five penalties, allowing his team to maintain their nine-point advantage from halftime.

No8 Seta Koroitamana scored two tries, as did West Coast goal kicker Nik Cummings.

Mid Canterbury missing a bonus point meant Wanganui and South Canterbury were able to move up a little closer, with South Canterbury continuing Wairarapa Bush's yo-yo season by beating them 35-26 in Masterton.

South Canterbury led 22-10 at halftime and withstood a late comeback, with Jared Trevathan landing two penalties inside the final 10 minutes to keep them out of danger.

Horowhenua Kapiti were expected to make a push on the top four by getting five points from their trip to Ruatoria to play the winless East Coast.

While that happened, the visitors had to get out of jail after they trailed the resurgent home team 20-7 with 15 minutes to go, before scoring two quick unconverted tries to trail by three, then getting the matchwinner with just five minutes remaining. North Otago rebounded from their hammering by Wanganui in Oamaru last weekend to beat Poverty Bay 30-23 in Gisborne.

Both sides scored three tries but Ben Palmer was on with his goal kicking to secure their third win, but remaining in fifth spot as the Wanganui loss really affected their for/against record.

King Country will bring some solid form to Cooks Gardens this Saturday after they hammered Thames Valley 47-12 in Taupo.

The home team scored seven tries to two and moved up into the Lochore Cup group.

Results

Horowhenua Kapiti 24 (Scott Cameron, Antony Fox, Brandyn Laursen, Ha'amea Ahio tries; Laursen 2 con) bt East Coast 20 (Kris Palmer, Hone Haerewa tries; Richard Apanui 2 pen, 2 con). HT: 7-7.

King Country 47 (Iliesa Tavuyara, James Hemara, Zayn Tipping, Dean Church, Rob Sherson, Sam Mason, Anthony Wise tries; Tipping 3 con, 2 pen) bt Thames Valley 12 (Sione Hifo 2 tries; Chance Bunce con). HT: 25-0.

North Otago 30 (Sale Pi'i, Manulua Taiti, N Cargo tries; Ben Palmer 3 pen, 3 con) bt Poverty Bay 23 (Carl Riini, Leigh Bristowe, Ethine Reeves tries; Reeves 2 pen, con).

South Canterbury 35 (Erenimo Tau, Miles Medlicott, Kieran Coll, Rupeni Cokonasiga tries; Jared Trevathan 3 pen, 3 con) bt Wairarapa Bush 26 (So'otala Fa'aso'o 2, Andrew Makalio tries; Tim Priest 3 pen, con). HT: 22-10.

Wanganui 35 (Malakai Volau, Cole Baldwin, Bryn Hudson, Samu Kubunavanua tries; Trinity Spooner-Neera 3 pen, 3 con) Buller 9 (Hagen Schulte 3 pen). HT: 11-9.

Mid Canterbury 36 (Seta Koroitamana 2, Ashton Tuck tries; Ewen Scott 5 pen, 3 con) bt West Coast 26 (Nik Cumming 2, Francis Auwerda, Josh Costello tries; Cumming 3 con). HT: 23-14.