Taihape's Tom Wells looks up to confirm he has scored the eighth of his team's tries against Marist at Spriggens Park. Photo/Bevan Conley
THE top four Tasman Tanning Premier teams remain in the same position after the start of Round 2 but only just, after McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu all but upset Integrity Motors Pirates 29-28 at Spriggens Park on Saturday.
Having been well beaten 31-6 by the same team just two weeks ago, Ruapehu came from 22-11 down at halftime to be trailing 29-23 when second five Troy Brown scored his second try.
However, the extras could not be added and Pirates hung on to remain top of the table.
Veteran first five Denning Tyrell again led from the front, scoring two tries for the home team in an MVP performance, moving up to tie Waverley Harvesting Border's Kieran Hussey for the season lead.
Ruapehu were strengthened with former Wanganui lock Nick Cranston coming off the bench for his first major hitout since injury last year.
Their two bonus points moved them a step closer to Utiku Old Boys, in fourth spot, after the Memorial Park team were upset at home by Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau, 47-33 in another tryscoring shootout.
The trylines were crossed 12 times, with veteran Kaierau back Ace Malo having an excellent day with a hat-trick and six conversions.
Front rower Jack Yarrall scored two tries, as did Utiku's No8 Malakai Volou.
It was Kaierau's second win of the season, their first since also starting Round 1 with an away win over Ruapehu.
In the other half of the double header at Spriggens Park, PGG Wrightson/Ballance Taihape remained comfortably in second spot on the ladder, scoring eight tries to beat Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 48-22.
Taihape were leading 31-15 midway through the second half and went on with it from there, winger Paora McCarthy finishing with a double.
All the Premier teams will take a break over Queens Birthday Weekend under the new draw format, with 68 players, including some senior club players and school bolters, invited to take part in the Town v Country trial match in Hunterville next Monday.
In senior rugby, there were less games than usual as two of the top sides, Kelso Hunterville and Ngamatapouri, were given default victories over Border and Utiku Old Boys respectively.
It is Utiku's second default in three weeks as the small club deals with a high injury toll to its Premier team, and their two games were split between home at Taihape and the long drive over to the Taranaki country.
At the Racecourse, competition leaders Ruapehu knocked Sealwinslow Pirates down another rung on the ladder with a 39-16 win, setting up their big clashes in the next fortnight against Ngamatapouri and Hunterville.
Former leaders, Pirates drop to seventh with three games left until the senior competition splits into a six-team championship group and an eight-team consolation grade after June 13.
The top six will then play each other to find semifinalists on July 25, while the consolation eight will play a round-robin format without playoffs until the end of the season, with the top team being awarded the prize.
Results, May 23
Tasman Tanning Premier, Week 10.
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield - Integrity Motors Pirates 29 (Denning Tyrell 2, Lasa Ulukuta, Sevenalalal Takevesi tries, Tyrell pen, 3 con) McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu 28 (Troy Brown 2, Zyon Hekenui, Tautahi Rawiri tries, George Williams 2 pen, con). HT: 22-11.
PGG Wrightson/Ballance Taihape 48 (Paora McCarthy 2, Luke Whale, Tom Wells, Tremaine Gilbert, Jaye Flaws, Slade Hay-Horton, Johnson Hiroa tries, Taylor Transom 4 con) Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 22 (Shayden Phillips, Bronson Tumai, Aiden FitzGerald tries, Grayson Tihema pen, 2 con). HT: 17-10.
Waverley Harvesting Border 46 (Jack Lupton, Andrew Retallick, Kampeli Latu, Bobo Ulukuta, Kieran Hussey, Anaru Haerewa, Tony Symes tries, Lupton pen, 4 con) Harvey Round Motors Ratana 7 (Charlie Mete try, Te Tua Kemp con). HT: 10-7.
Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 47 (Ace Malo 3, Jack Yarrall 2, Kameli Kuruyabaki, Hoani Pahl-Long tries, Malo 6 con) Utiku OB 33 (Malakai Volou 2, Josh Hirini, Matt Gilbert, Michael Nabuliwaqa tries, Ricky Alabaster 4 con). HT: 26-12.
Grand Irish Bar MVP points
At Spriggens Park: Denning Tyrell (Pirates first five) 3 points, Roman Tutauha (Ruapehu hooker) 2, Troy Brown (Ruapehu second five) 1.
At Spriggens Park: Paora McCarthy (Taihape winger) 2, Tremaine Gilbert (Taihape No8), Johnson Hiroa (Taihape lock), Rory Gudsell (Marist halfback) and Sam Stewart (Marist No8) 1 each.
At Ratana: Jack Lupton (Border first five) 3, Kampeli Latu (Border prop), Sam Madams (Border lock) and Kamaka Manuel (Ratana lock) 1 each.
At Taihape: Joel Martin (Kaierau flanker) 3, Jake Anderson (Utiku OB hooker), Te Rui Wirihana (Kaierau first five) and Ace Malo (Kaierau fullback) 1 each.
MVP Leaders: Kieran Hussey (Border) and Denning Tyrell (Pirates) 9, Sam Stewart (Marist) 8, Ace Malo (Kaierau), S'aena Vili and Lasa Ulukuta (Pirates) and Micheal Nabuliwaqa (Utiku OB) 5, Bobo Ulukuta (Border), Ritchie Graham (Marist), Pena Ulukuta (Pirates), Jamie Hughes (Ratana), William Short, Andrew Evans and Troy Brown (Ruapehu), Johnson Hiroa and Paora McCarthy (Taihape) 4. 15 players with 3 points each.
Senior championship, Week 10
At Racecourse: Ruapehu 39 Sealswinslow Pirates 16. HT: 18-9.
At Racecourse: Marist Celtic 72 Taihape 5. HT: 26-0.
At Kaierau CC: Kaierau 7 Counties 0. HT: 7-0.
At Ratana: Ratana 27 Marist Buffalo's 22. HT: 15-10.
At Marton Park: Tech 15 Speirs Food Marton 12. HT: 12-7.
At Hunterville (Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield): Kelso Hunterville bt Border by default.
At Ngamatapouri: Ngamatapouri bt Utiku OB by default.