CLUB RUGBY - All shook up as lowly Waipu wins and top teams tumble

Standings in the Joe Morgan Memorial rugby competition got a shake-up on Saturday when top-placed teams Wellsford and Mid Western took tumbles and bottom-ranked Waipu won for the first time this season.
Wellsford went down 12-36 to Hikurangi in a match Wellsford coach Haydn Ferris described as probably his team's worst effort of the year.
Some star Wellsford players were out with injury, but a disappointed Ferris said that was no excuse for the poor attitude the team had displayed against Hikurangi.
He criticised his players' inability to capitalise on the wind in their favour in the first half of the clash on a Hikurangi arena that had no swampy patches in sight despite earlier rain.
The teams seemed evenly matched in the first half, with a try by Hikurangi wing James Keane matched soon after by Wellsford lock Paul Leyland and the score stood at 5-5 at halftime.
When play resumed Hikurangi nudged in front with a try by centre Damian Fakafunua, converted by second five-eighth Henry Foy.
Again Wellsford retaliated almost immediately, flanker Curtis Hawkes charging down a Hikurangi clearing kick and halfback Ross Neal grounding the ball near the posts. Fullback Matt Wright converted and the score was again even, 12-all.
But the rest of the game was almost all in Hikurangi's favour with flanker Matt White, No8 Brad Christensen, halfback Ryan Caine and first-five Troy Raitt scoring tries and Foy landing a couple more conversions.
Hikurangi co-coaches Stu and Tony Cook were nervous as their team began to forge ahead. Tony commented Wellsford was not top of the table because they knew how to dance.
But after referee Rob Drummond blew the final whistle both brothers were beaming, Stu happily proclaiming, "It was our day today," and praising his team's good fortune in defeating the then contest leaders.
Hora Hora beat Mid Western 36-21 and the feeling in the Hora Hora camp was the score separating the teams would have been bigger if Mid Western's Lachie Munro had been less accurate with his boot.
The Hora Hora points came from second-five Robbie Murray and prop Jason Parangi, both scoring doubles. Halfback-captain Karl Milne and wing Jay Isameli also dotted down and Milne kicked three conversions.
Parangi, local Mark Bennett and No8 Evan Nisbet were outstanding in the determined Hora Hora pack.
For Mid Western, flanker Brent Murray and halfback-captain Adam Clarke scored tries while Munro kicked a conversion and three penalties.
A firm surface at Dargaville had Mid Northern playing the running rugby at which they excel and they climbed back to the top of the competition ladder by beating Western Sharks 23-16.
Mid Northern centre Vaughan Going and No8 Quentin Cooper scored tries and wing Buddy Grey notched up two. Seventeen-year-old Troy Lobendahn, who stepped in to replace rested first-five David Holwell, kicked a penalty.
The Sharks' points came from tries by lock Dave Pulman and flanker Solomon Palu, with first-five Hughie Rawiri landing two penalties.
Sharks coach Darrel Bradley singled out prop Gary Whippy for good performance in a strong forward pack, but said the backs had struggled, letting themselves down with poor handling.
Early points put Marist in control in their winning 32-23 clash with Kamo at Kensington Park in Whangarei.
Kamo was stuck with playing catch-up rugby and couldn't find the gas to overtake their rivals.
Marist second five-eighths Willie Nai scored two tries, with winger Tevita Jurgensen and flanker Sany Hepi getting one each. Jurgensen and first-five Jack Walker each got conversions.
For Kamo, wing Hunia Kingi, No8 Dewet Schlebusch and halfback Ben Greyling scored tries while second-five Nick Collins kicked a conversion and two penalties.
Waipu were strutting after bouncing up a rung from the bottom of the ladder by beating Old Boys 13-12.
Waipu coach Murray Peters said his boys were "stoked" and "ecstatic" with their first win of the year. No8 Harley Murray and local Karl Hansen had stood out in the Waipu pack, he said.
Peters was so chipper he was rating his team's chances as good in their clash with Wellsford next Saturday.
All Waipu's points were scored by first-five Toby Phillips, who converted his own try and kicked two penalties.
Old Boys' points came from tries by T Cullen and M Harrison, with one converted by C Matson.