Top 3 clubs snare bonus point wins

After making an intercept, Pirates halfback Rick Boniface looks for the support to set up his team's third try against Taihape at Spriggens Park on Saturday. Photo/Stuart Munro

There is a familiar ring to the first Tasman Tanning Premier points table of the 2014 season as last year's top 3 in McCarthy's Ruapehu, Waverley Harvesting Border and Integrity Motors Pirates all recorded bonus point wins on Saturday.

Defending their Grand Hotel Challenge Shield at the Country Club, Ruapehu ran in six tries for a 34-16 disposal of Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau, building from an early 10-3 lead to score twice more before halftime.

Try doubles came from veteran second-five Logan Vaughan and halfback William Short, a new player having come to Ohakune from Canterbury who impressed in his debut game.

Another new face but a familiar surname cropped up in Border's 29-17 win over Utiku Old Boys at Memorial Park in Taihape. Bobbo Ulukuta, the younger brother of Pirates captain Lasa Ulukuta, scored two of his team's five tries as the Waverley team was looking comfortable at 17-0 midway through the first half.

However, new Premier coach Ross Williams will be looking for further improvements as Utiku, last year's wooden spooners, crossed for three second-half tries to bring respectability back to the scoreboard.

As expected, the tightest game of the round was between the well-matched teams of Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist and a slightly understrength Marton, with the visitors hanging on for an 18-14 win at Marton Park.

Marist led 15-0 at the break through tries by Vikki Tofa and Ryan Gill, but could manage only another Scott Dowman penalty as Marton scored twice in the second half to close the gap to four points late in the match.

In Tasman Tanning Senior rugby, defending champions Hunterville picked up a 15-3 win over Tech on Spriggens Park, defending the Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield.

Under new coach and former NZ Heartland player Steelie Koro, Tech stood toe-to-toe with the champions through the early stages to be tied 3-3, before two tries lifted the visitors.

Celtic and Border earned the only bonus points of the round with the biggest wins, beating Marton 31-0 and Utiku Old Boys 44-25 respectively.

Results

Tasman Tanning Premier, Rd 1.

Integrity Motors Pirates 24 (Clive Stowers 4 tries, Denning Tyrell 2 con) bt Taihape 18 (Tremaine Gilbert, Rimu Wipaki tries, Tom Wells 2 pen, con). HT: 17-12.

Grand Hotel Challenge Shield McCarthy's Ruapehu 34 (Logan Vaughan 2, William Short 2, Karl Parker, David Gower tries, Zyon Hekenui 2 con) bt Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau 16 (Nemia Adrole, Stu Brosnahan tries, Harry Wigley 2 pen). HT: 22-6.

Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 18 (Vikki Tofa, Ryan Gill tries, Scott Dowman 2 pen, con) bt Marton 14 (Moli Sagapolutele, Laki Ah Chong tries, Jake Karaynidis 2 con). HT: 15-0.

Waverley Harvesting Border 29 (Cole Baldwin 2, Bobo Ulukuta 2, Todd Cowan tries, Ulukuta 2 con) bt Utiku OB 17 (Taylor Transom, Matt Gilbert, Adam Roe tries, Terangi McLeod con). HT: 24-0.

Harvey Round Mts Ratana bye.

Grand Irish Bar Most Valuable Player points

At Spriggens Park: Clive Stowers (Pirates winger) 3 points, Tom Wells (Taihape first five) 2, Rimu Wipaki (Taihape hooker) and Junior Tume (Pirates hooker) 1 each.

At Kaierau Country Club: William Short (Ruapehu halfback) 3, Dylan Pearce (Ruapehu flanker) 2, Nemia Adrole (Kaierau No8) 1.

At Marton Park: Shaden Phillips (Marist winger) 3, Tyler Rogers-Holden (Marton halfback) 2, Ian Hawkes (Marist lock) 1.

At Memorial Park, Taihape: Ray Stark (Border No8) 3, Hoani Rameka (Utiku OB lock) 2, Cole Baldwin (Border hooker) 1.

Tasman Tanning Senior, Round 1. Stihl Shop Wanganui Challenge Shield Power Farming (PN) Hunterville bt Tech 15-3. HT: 10-3.

Trans Pacific Pirates bt Taihape 25-17. HT: 11-10.

Ruapehu bt Kaierau 20-5. HT: 13-0.

Counties bt Marist Buffalo's 17-12. HT: 3-0 Marist.

Marist Celtic bt Marton 31-0. HT: 14-0.

Border bt Utiku OB 44-25. HT: 17-6.

Ratana bye.