Wanganui slip out of Paeroa with win

Jim Seruwalu scores Wanganui's first try and his fourth for the Heartland season in the narrow win over Thames Valley in Paeroa on Saturday. Photos by Merrilyn George

After running wild at Cooks Gardens last weekend, Steelform Wanganui were served a timely reminder of how hard it is to win on the road in the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship after a heart-stopping 21-19 victory over Thames Valley on Saturday.

Brought crashing back down to very damp earth at Paeroa Domain, Wanganui were sweating on a missed penalty kick into the wind by Thames Valley's fullback Jarrod Goodall with time up on the clock, after they had to come back from 12-0 down early and then 19-15 behind in the third quarter.

Ultimately it was the steady nerves and boot of first-five Craig Clare who kicked the side home with two more key penalties, regaining the lead after Wanganui got in front 15-12 just after the break before losing the initiative again with the home side's third try.

Following a fruitless 2016 season with one draw and seven defeats, Thames Valley showed their big victory the previous weekend over East Coast was not an aberration because of the opposition.

"Thames Valley are a bloody good team, to be fair," said Wanganui co-coach Jason Caskey.

'They've got some powerful players in there, some good backs too."

Caskey had been nervous enough before the match if it was good conditions, and it only got tougher when the weather proved a further leveller.

"It's as wet as buggery and the field is just surface water all over it," he said.

"We had some opportunities when we didn't [execute] and some poor things that cost us."

Wanganui lost some initiative after taking the lead when they conceded a penalty while working their way out of their own half, and then another bizarre infringement was called when the referee noticed second-five Timoci Seruwalu, who scored the visitor's first try, was still not wearing his mouthguard as instructed, being tucked into his sock.

"Things like that hurt you. That's putting themselves under pressure," said Caskey.

"Couple of opportunities down the sideline that if we released the pass we could have put them away, but we didn't release the pass."

Thames Valley opened up by scoring twice through lock Aaron Carroll and flanker Rory Maloney, with Goodall adding one conversion.

Clare had an early sighter into the wind when his first 40m penalty attempt was just taken by the breeze to drift wide by inches.

His next attempt, from 45m out and slightly to the side of the posts, was successful to narrow the gap to 12-3 and from there the former professional had it pretty well worked out.

"Any kicks on that field were difficult," said Caskey.

"He was kicking well, the one's he missed he only just missed."

Seruwalu diving through tacklers to crash over would close the gap further before halftime, and Wanganui were seemingly coming right when centre Kaveni Dabenaise scored a converted try after the break for 15-12.

However, Thames Valley hit back when reserve George Lelenoa crossed for a seven-pointer, which set up a tense final quarter where Clare would deliver and Goodall would fall just short.

Clare and Seruwalu, his mouthguard issues not withstanding, were the pick of the backs, while winger Simon Dibben got through a lot of work.

In the engine room, Caskey tipped the hat to prop Viki Tofa and No8 Bryn Hudson, both proven wet-weather forwards, while lock Sam Madams tore into his workload while also handling the lineout.

Wanganui captain Roman Tutauha tackled in his 50th first-class game on Saturday.

It was a tense afternoon for hooker and captain Roman Tutauha on the memorable occasion of his 50th first-class game for Wanganui, which was nearly spoiled by Goodall's final penalty attempt.

"Relieved. My fingers, my arms, and legs crossed, and hoping the wind would pick up a bit," he said.

"Really proud and honourable moment. Every time you wear the jersey is a privilege. I'm real happy."

After putting ten tries and a record Wanganui scoreline on Wairarapa-Bush the weekend before, Tutauha agreed it did not hurt the side's prospects to have a real fright at this stage, especially with the back-to-back trips to Canterbury coming up in a fortnight.

"Last week we had firm running rugby, this week we had to roll our sleeves up and go to work.

"Every week we've got to train hard for the competition, because you never know.

"Thames Valley had a lot of pride and were there for the full 80.

"Each year's different and you see they are working their way up the ladder."

As it was an away game, Tutauha's milestone will be further honoured this Saturday when Wanganui are home at Cooks Gardens to face Poverty Bay.

Wanganui 21 (Timoci Seruwalu, Kaveni Dabenaise tries; Craig Clare 3 pen, con) bt Thames Valley 19 (Aaron Carroll, Rory Maloney, George Lelenoa tries; Jarrod Goodall 2 con). HT: 12-8 Thames Valley.