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Steelform Wanganui remain on the treadmill at the top end of the Pink Batts Heartland Championship table - running twice as fast just to stay in the same place.
The top three teams now have a gap ahead of fourth spot in the race to secure the home semifinals in the Meads Cup, and unfortunately for Wanganui, both undefeated Mid Canterbury and second placed South Canterbury were also able to secure bonus point victories away from home on Saturday.
Four of the six games in the round were won by the visitors, and like Wanganui, both the Canterbury teams pulled away from their game opposition midway through the second half.
It was hoped in Te Kuiti that King Country could replicate their effort in the mud at Cooks Gardens the previous weekend, but after being close at 22-14, South Canterbury racked up more tries for a comfortable 42-14 win.
They scored five tries while Jared Trevathan added 17 points with the boot.
It was a similar story in Gisborne, as despite conceding two tries in each half, Mid Canterbury stayed ahead of Poverty Bay, securing just their third bonus point from the six victories to win 38-27.
The big change came at fourth spot as Horowhenua-Kapiti crashed to defeat 33-19 in Masterton, which would elevate both the victors Wairarapa Bush and the North Otago team ahead of them on the table.
North Otago would just scrape through after a thriller in Oamaru to beat Buller 35-34.
Down at half-time, North Otago had the lead at the death until a Buller try, with the attempted conversion from Andrew Stephens, who had already landed seven goals, was judged by the touch judges to have grazed the outside of the goal posts.
Seta Halaleia scored a hat-trick for the home team as their bonus point moved them into fourth spot, with Wanganui hoping they can turn in a big effort in the next fortnight as they face both the Canterbury teams.
In the other match, West Coast went a long way to securing their spot in the Lochore Cup group when they defeated East Coast in Ruatoria 22-10, with Brad Houston getting two tries.
Results
West Coast 22 (Brad Houston 2, Josh Hill, Desmond Spooner tries; Nik Cumming con) bt East Coast 10 (Kris Palmer, Whakarae Henare tries) HT: 17-10.
Wanganui 47 (Stephen Perofeta 2, Bryn Hudson 2, Samu Kubunavanua, Cole Baldwin, Ranato Tikoilosomone tries; Trinity Spooner-Neera 6 con) bt Thames Valley 27 (Lance Easton 2, Haerenarangi Renata, Hayden Wisnewski tries; Jonnie Te Ruki 2 con; David Harrison pen). HT: 21-8.
Mid Canterbury 38 (Jon Dampney, Ewen Scott, Seta Koroitamana, Sam Watt, Ashton Tuck tries; Ewen Scott 2 con, 3 pen) bt Poverty Bay 27 (Corban Barbara, Tamanui Hill, Geoff Pari, Murray Hewson tries; Ethine Reeves 2 con, pen). HT: 21-17.
South Canterbury 42 (Matt Fetu, Rupeni Cokonosiga, Nick Annear, Jarrad Matthews, Kieran Coll tries; Jared Trevathan 4 con, 3 pen) bt King Country 14 (Iliesa Tavuyara, Steve Te Moananui tries; Zayn Tipping 2 con) HT: 19-7.
Wairarapa Bush 33 (Andrew Makalio 2, James Wall, Nick Olson tries; Tim Priest 2 con, 3 pen) bt Horowhenua Kapiti 19 (Manaia Osborne, Haamea Ahio, Anthony Fox tries; Brandyn Laursen 2 con). HT: 11-5.
North Otago 35 (Sala Halaleia 3, Aleki Morris, Sale Ti'i tries; Jason Forrest 2 con, 2 pen) bt Buller 34 (Jesse Elley, Tai Ratu, Setafano Sauqaqa tries; Andrew Stephens 2 con, 5 pen). HT: 20-13 Buller.