Rugby: Thames Valley take on Wairarapa Bush

Zach Clarke in action for Whangamata in an earlier match. Photo / Jason Bartley

In round four of the Bunnings Heartland Rugby Championship, Thames Valley played Wairarapa Bush at Boyd Park, Te Aroha.

Valley needed to be on their game to eventually overcome the battling Bush fifteen by 37-19.

The underperforming Bush side, on the bottom of the championship table, surprised Valley early on.

After a mere eight minutes Bush led 12-0 with two tries.

The reawakened Valley replied with three unconverted tries to flanker Ben Stephens, loose forward Zach Clarke and hooker Zane Heath. This gave Valley a slight 15-12 advantage at halftime.

Visitors Bush pounced again early in the second half with their third try to go ahead 19-18 after 46 minutes.

But that was the final scoring for Bush as Valley took control of the game to the end. Valley scored three unanswered tries and shrugged off a slow start to take a bonus point win.

This victory lifts Valley to third position behind South Canterbury and Whanganui. In the early Te Aroha game, the Valley Vixens women's side continued their winning habit beating Wairarapa Bush 36-5.

The Thames Valley rugby representative highlight result of the weekend was their under- 18 boys' 28-26 win over powerhouse Taranaki in New Plymouth. A magnificent result with Rory Bathurst, Gordon Chewsick and Max Baker all dominant forces in this close victory.

Results: Emerging fifteen 3 v Waikato Divisional fifteen 58, under-18 girls lost to NZ Harlequins, under-16 boys lost 5-12 to Wairarapa Bush, and 12-24 to King Country.