Wanganui move up with win

Vaan Rauhina is welcomed on to Cooks Gardens by a haka from members of his Ratana club to mark his 50th game for Wanganui. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY/210913WCBRCRUG01

The tight nature of this year's Pink Batts Heartland Championship continues as Steelform Wanganui's 20-point win on Saturday moves them a step up the chain, while Thames Valley and King Country experienced a disappointing weekend.

Both teams had been sitting in good position for a Meads Cup semifinal spot but heavy losses without a bonus point saw Wanganui leapfrog them to sixth spot on the ladder.

Wairarapa Bush has emerged as clear favourites after disposing of King Country 34-13.

The only team to beat them this year, Mid Canterbury, won their local derby with South Canterbury 34-27, while West Coast continues to make Greymouth a graveyard this year, beating East Coast 15-11.

Despite moving forward, in the dying minutes at Cooks Gardens, Wanganui ended up defending their line from Thames Valley and could not get into position for an important fourth-try bonus point which leaves them a step behind Buller and North Otago who had big away-game weekends.

Inter-Island travel is always a tough proposition, but Buller left Levin with a narrow 19-15 win over Horowhenua-Kapiti.

Meanwhile, North Otago have signalled an ominous return to form for Wanganui as their next opponents travelling up to Gisborne and thrashing Poverty Bay 53-18, by far the biggest winning margin in the competition this year. With all this pressure to keep performing, one must still take time to enjoy the good moments along the way and Saturday was an emotional day for Wanganui prop Vaan Rauhina.

Celebrating his 50th match, Rauhina left the sheds to jog out first on his own the same honour given to fullback-turned-centre Ace Malo for his half century a fortnight ago.

However, the popular prop was surprised to find a welcoming haka from members of his Ratana Rugby Club in a special guard of honour, which gave him a huge lift on an already big occasion.

Rauhina said it was a "huge privilege" to receive that welcome, being recognised as an advocate for his club and community.

Wanganui captain Peter Rowe, who Rauhina has ably deputised for in the previous two matches, said the milestone was a boost for the entire forward pack. "We talked about it. We wanted to turn up and put on a good performance for us and for him."