Two draws in competitive round

Zayn Tipping's goal kicking let King Country stay unbeaten after their draw with Thames Valley on Saturday.

Steelform Wanganui are now the only Mitre 10 Heartland team with three wins and despite defeat, South Canterbury's two points still left them second on the table after a very competitive Saturday of games.

There was only one draw in all Heartland rugby last year and the third round of 2016 has already thrown up two, as Thames Valley tied with King Country 22-22 at Boyd Park and Horowhenua-Kapiti's could not hold off North Otago's comeback in the big match at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, deadlocked 36-36.

It was the second weekend a Heartland fixture was curtain raiser to a Mitre 10 Cup game, this time Otago vs Tasman, and 'home' team North Otago were down 20-8 by halftime.

Although they scored two more second half tries, both converted, Horowhenua-Kapiti couldn't stop the visitors for running in four, with Josh Casey getting one of them and adding three conversions.

The visitor's doubles tryscorers were Fa'afoi Ioapo and Warwick Lahmert, who also slotted three conversions.

The draw left the sides in the middle of the Lochore Cup group, while King Country's deadlock with in the away game with Thames Valley has them as the only other unbeaten team heading into the big clash with neighbours Wanganui.

Thames Valley led 8-6 at halftime with both team's scoring two second half tries, with a penalty by King Country's Zayn Tipping letting them tie the home team and stay in the Meads Cup group.

Wairarapa Bush could not quite crack the top four despite a second straight win away from Masterton, upsetting Mid Canterbury 26-16 in Ashburton.

The visitors were added by getting a penalty try which automatically means eight points, while Tim Priest converted both their other tries and added a penalty to create the 10-point buffer.

Big movers on the table were Buller, who made the long trip to Gisborne and came away with a crucial 30-18 win over Poverty Bay - the biggest winning margin of the round - which rocketed them from eighth to third with the prospect of climbing higher with upcoming games against the minnow teams.

Again, returning first-five James Lash was the star, scoring three of their four tries and adding three conversions as Buller got maximum points while Poverty Bay fell back to ninth.

The minnow teams East Coast and West Coast played out the match which could be an early indication of who gets the wooden spoon, and it was West Coast who gave their Greymouth supporters something to smile about with a 36-30 comeback win.

Leaking early tries and still trailing 24-20 at the break, West Coast scored their fifth try to narrowly take the match, with hooker Troy Tauwhare getting a double.

Long Fisiioi scored two tries for the visitors.

Results, Round 3
Wairarapa Bush 26 (John Ika, Cameron Hayton, penalty try, tries; Tim Priest 2 con, pen) bt Mid Canterbury 16 (Jarred Percival, Seta Koroitsmana tries; Jarred Percival 2 con).

Thames Valley 22 (Ben Bonner, Rupeni Vakacegu, Kent McFarlane tries; Jonnie Te Ruki-Chambers 2 con) drew with King Country 22 (Sean Wanden, Stephan Turner, Ralulu Bovau tries; Zayn Tipping con, pen). HT: 8-6 Thames Valley.

North Otago 36 (Simon Lillicama, Josh Casey, Matthew Vocea, Shane Tucker, Ralph Darling tries; Casey 3 con) drew with Horowhenua Kapiti 36 (Warwick Lahmert 2, Fa'afoi Ioapo 2, S Wiperi tries; W Lahmert 3 con). 20-8 Horowhenua-Kapiti.

Buller 30 (James Lash 3, Daniel Hytongue tries; Lash 3 con) bt Poverty Bay 18 (James Grogan, Sione Ngatu tries; Isaia Vuki con, 2 pen). HT: 14-8.

Wanganui 32 (Malakai Volau 2, Samu Kubunavanua, Gavin Thornbury tries; Steve Crosbie 3 con, pen) bt South Canterbury 30 (Nik Strahan, Nick Annear, Tiaone Ratu, Conor McCormack tries; Zac Southen 3 con, pen). HT: 14-8 South Canterbury.

West Coast 36 (Troy Tauwhare 2, Nik Cumming, Trent Reti, Regan Stanton tries; Reti 3 con) bt East Coast 30 (Long Fisiioi 2, Ian Wilson, Rod Rimini tries; Todd Dolan 2 con, pen). HT: 24-20 East Coast.