STAYING UP: Pirates try-scoring winger Clive Stowers tries to keep going against the Ratana defence at Spriggens Park.PHOTO/SARAH LOURIE
PGG Wrightson/Ballance Taihape's grip on the Grand Hotel Challenge Shield and mortgage on top of the Tasman Tanning Premier table continued with their 33-17 win over McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu on Saturday.
It is the first time the Taihape team have won both round robin games against their Northern Union rivals, although unlike the 48-0 mauling in April, Ruapehu brought a much stronger lineup to Memorial Park and tested the home side - both squads scoring tit-for-tat tries with Taihape leading through a goal kick at 12-10.
Taihape scored again before the break, and got the key try in the 55th minute to get some breathing space at 26-10.
While a try by strong Ruapehu midfielder Sid Henare closed the gap to nine points with 10 minutes remaining, Taihape kept attacking one-off the ruck where they were able to get through for much of the match, getting their fifth try to seal it with five minutes left.
Ruapehu also had to try and hold with 14 men for a period when Andrew Evans was the player sinbinned after warnings for team infringements.
Taihape captain Tremaine Gilbert grabbed a double, while second-five Cyrus Paringatai also scored.
Ruapehu halfback Kahl Elers-Green got one of the early tries and had a good game, while Craig Clare covered both centre and fullback, although the team suffered a blow when promising front rower Gabriel Hakaraia came off with a suspected broken hand.
It was another tough loss in consecutive weekends for Ruapehu, not even getting a bonus point and now sitting nine points behind the Top 4 where Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau slipped back after the disappointing loss to Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist.
It was expected Waverley Harvesting Border would be big winners over Utiku Old Boys at Dallison Park, but the interesting feature is the squad has picked up yet more reinforcements.
No8 Renato Tikoilosomone was not expected this season after breaking his arm in a friendly game in Dubai back in late March, but fronted for the 78-0 thrashing and wasted no time as one of the try-scorers in an MVP performance.
Fullback Nick Harding and centre Keveni Dabonaise both scored twice and are rocketing ahead in the Premier charts - Dabonaise now with 12 tries this year while Harding has scored 159 points along with building a clear lead in the season MVP stakes.
After seven conversions in Waverley, Harding handed the kicking duties over to squad newcomer Grayson Tihema - the talented former Marist first-five/fullback who was not initially expected to be playing rugby this year.
In the lower table clash at Spriggens Park, Black Bull Liquor Pirates won a rare sweep of round robin games by holding off Harvey Round Motors Ratana 17-12.
Pirates's scored the first half's only try, before Ratana replied with a score in the corner and sideline conversion.
The home side responded with two more unconverted tries, before Ratana got their second to set up a tight finish.
Veteran first-five Denning Tyrell, fullback Tupu Tavae and lock Reece Dix were the pick of the home team, while Ratana winger Mikaere Ririnui had a good match.
In Senior Rugby, Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri kept their healthy table lead without having to do anything via the Ratana default, while it is Marist Celtic who have now emerged as their next contender after moving up to second on the table with a 26-17 win over Kaierau to well and truly crash the party on the 125th anniversary weekend at the Country Club.
Celtic were composed in the final minutes, keeping play down in Kaierau's 22m and kicking the winning penalty, thereby leapfrogging their hosts on the table ahead of the challenging Ngamatpouri for the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield at Spriggens Park this Saturday.
Ruapehu were unable to follow up their success against Kaierau the previous week and fell in the away game to Kelso Hunterville 39-5, falling out of the Top 8 as Border picked up the maximum points with a 54-10 win over Marist Buffalo's, while Counties kept climbing with a 34-12 win over Utiku Old Boys in Kaiwhaiki.
With Taihape on the bye, Speirs Food Marton got to move up into the important Top 4 spot for getting a home quarterfinal, beating Pirates 51-12 at Spriggens Park.
Results, June 4.
Tasman Tanning Premier, Round 9.
Black Bull Liquor Pirates 17 (Sa'ena Vili, Clive Stowers, Brad Matthews tries; Tupu Tavae con) bt Harvey Round Motors Ratana 12 (Keanu Kaa, Te Tua Kemp tries; Kemp con). HT: 7-0.
Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 35 (Nathan Puketapu, Richard Campbell, Tavita Tui, Simeli Koniferedi tries; Sam Monaghan 3 pen, 3 con) bt Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 13 (Penalty try, Dion Hyland pen, Hoani Pahl-Long pen, Anaru Saurara con). HT: 20-10.
Waverley Harvesting Border 78 (Nick Harding 2, Keveni Dabonaise 2, Tom Symes, James Forsythe, Cole Baldwin, Taitai Tuimauga, Ranato Tikoisolomone, Lindsay Horrocks, Fraser Middleton, Isaiah Hooper tries; Harding 7 con, Grayson Tihema 2 con) bt Utiku OB 0. HT: 33-0.
Grand Hotel Challenge Shield - PGG Wrightson/Balance Taihape 33 (Tremaine Gilbert 2, Cyrus Paringatai, Luke Whale, Dylan Malone tries; Taylor Transom 3 con, Dane Whale con) bt McCarthy's Transport Ruapehu 17 (Peter Rowe, Karl Elers-Green, Sid Henare tries, Craig Clare con). HT: 19-10.
Grand Irish Bar MVP points
At Spriggens Park: Denning Tyrell (Pirates first five) 3 points, Tupu Tavae (Pirates fullback), Reece Dix (Pirates lock) and Mikaere Ririnui (Ratana winger) 1 each.
At Kaierau CC: Sam Monaghan (Marist first five) 2, Steelie Koro (Marist second five), Richard Campbell (Marist hooker), Fiatau Faalili (Kaierau No 8) and Chris Harris (Kaierau lock) 1 each.
At Waverley: Ranato Tikoisolomone (Border No 8) 3, Nick Harding (Border fullback) 2, Taitai Tuimauga (Border prop) 1.
At Taihape: Cyrus Paringatai (Taihape second five) 3, Hadlee Hay-Horton (Taihape prop), Karl Elers-Green (Ruapehu halfback) and Craig Clare (Ruapehu centre-fullback) 1 each.
MVP Leaders (after nine of 14 rounds): Nick Harding (Border) 11, Ace Malo (Kaierau) 9, Ryan Gill (Marist) 8, Clive Stowers (Pirates), Fraser Middleton (Border) and Brett Nicholls (Taihape) 7, Anaru Saurara (Kaierau), Denning Tyrell (Pirates), Roman Tutauha (Ruapehu) and Hamish Bennett (Taihape) 6, Steelie Koro (Marist), Kameli Kuruyabaki (Kaierau), Jamie Brett (Utiku OB) and Taylor Transom (Taihape) 5.
Senior Championship, Round 9.
At Spriggens Park: Speirs Food Marton bt Pirates 51-12. HT: 20-0.
At Kaierau CC: Marist Celtic bt Kaierau 26-17. HT: 8-5.
At Waverley: Border bt Marist Buffalo's 54-10. HT: 31-5.
At McNab Domain, Kaiwhaiki: Counties bt Utiku OB 34-12. HT: 27-5.
At Hunterville: Kelso Hunterville bt Ruapehu 39-5. HT: 20-0.
Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri bt Ratana by default.
Taihape bye.