Marist hold fast

Marist took the honours but Pioneer shared the plaudits in an entertaining Wairarapa-Bush senior first division rugby match played at the Park Sportsground in Masterton on Saturday.
The 40-33 scoreline to Marist might suggest a game which was tight all the way through but it was anything but the case.
Marist had a brisk breeze at their backs in the first half and with their forwards winning a wealth of quality possession for a backline which utilised it sensibly they went to the halftime break with a thoroughly deserved 33-7 advantage.
And just a few minutes into the second half they added another converted try to their tally to look home and hosed at 40-7.
Certainly no one could have guessed then that that would be the last time Marist would trouble the scorers .
But so it was with Pioneer launching a comeback of which even Lazuras would have been proud.
Spurred on a vocal band of supporters they started to win a regular share of quality ball and constantly asked questions of the Marist defence with strong, hard running and snappy passing.
Four tries, two of them converted, were scored without reply and at 40-33 with still eight minutes or so to play the chances of a remarkable Pioneer success could not be ignored.
However, it was not to be with Marist maintaining their calm in those hectic final stanzas and clinging to their now heavily reduced advantage.
The margin of victory would have disappointed Marist considering their big lead early in the second spell but they could take solace from the fact that it was due more to the resurgence of Pioneer than any major deficiencies on their own part.
Their first 40 minutes produced some impressive stuff, both in the forward exchanges and the backs.
Up front there was some sterling work from Matthew Rowlands, who relished the change from front row to No.8, and his fellow loosies Rhys Severn and Corey Reid. The latter, especially, got through a power of work, complementing his close support of the ball carrier in broken play with the excellence of his lineout skills.
The Couch brothers, Nathan at second-five and Ben at centre, were the focal points of a Marist rearguard which was both precise and innovative.
Nathan Couch generally chose the right time to kick and the right time to run and whenever Ben Couch was given room in which to move he was quick to turn the proverbial inch into the proverbial mile.
There was some astute tactical touches too from halfback Jaco Pieterse and first-five Patrick Rimene with the latter also landing some superb conversions, one coming from a drop kick taken from right on the sideline.
In fullback Nathan Rolls Pioneer had the player of the match. Usually a dynamic flanker he was right at home in the role of custodian, counter attacking with gusto at every opportunity and defending stoutly. His two tries were just reward for an outstanding individual performance.
Halfback Koko Te Whare provided the Pioneer backs with a swift and accurate service and Glen Fergusson took his options well in the second half.
The Pioneer forwards were on the back foot for most of the first half but were all fire and brimstone in the second. Lock Henry Te Whare was a damaging runner in broken play and more-than-useful in the lineouts, flanker Mike Harmon was here, there and everywhere and old hands Anton Kainuku and Tereina Henare added sting to the second half effort.
Matthew Rowlands, Terry Norman, Nathan Couch, Kyle Karaitiana, Kerry Hargood and Jaco Pieterse were the try scorers for Marist and Patrick Rimene kicked six conversions.
Nathan Rolls (2) and three others scored tries for Pioneer with Nathan Rolls kicking one conversion and Glen Fergusson three conversions.
A former Pioneer player in Tommy Harmon was the toast of Carterton after their hard-fought 28-23 win over Masterton Red Star at Memorial Park.
Harmon , playing at second-five ,scored three of his team's tries, the last of them coming with about four minutes to play and with Carterton trailing on the scoreboard.
This too was very much a game of two halves with Carterton clearly having the better of the first half and deserving their 18-8 lead at the break and Masterton Red Star taking control in the second.
Both teams were so severely depleted by injuries that they barely had a full complement of players at kickoff time.
Harmon, who ran strongly all game, was a standout for Carterton along with flankers Brodie Duffin and Damon Searle.
Masterton Red Star benefitted immensely from the all-round qualities of midfielder Dan Hape while the pick of their forwards were No.8 Brent Loader, who excelled in the lineouts, and prop Ben Pereira.
Tommy Harmon (3) and Les Pethyridge were the try scorers for Carterton and Shaun Bicknell kicked two penalties and a conversion.Ola Logaloga, Ben Perieria, Fitti Foufose and Dan Hape scored the Masterton Red Star tries and Marcus Henson kicked a penalty.
Greytown-Tuhirangi outgunned Puketoi, winning by 60-8. As the score would indicate the combined team enjoyed a healthy territorial advantage and they ran in 11 tries. Outstanding flanker Sylvano Iro scored three of them with another of the stars in winger Tavita Isaac managing two. Other try scorers were Rupert Handyside (2), Richard Tosswill, Ken Kaiwai, Mark Butler and Stacey Grant. Kaiwai kicked six conversions.
Puketoi, as usual, gave it everything up front but were depleted by injuries, a situation compounded further when they lost a couple of players for the same reason during the course of the game.
Defending champions and current competition leaders Eketahuna scored a 47-7 win over Martinborough.
Two converted tries early in the game suggested Eketahuna was in for a romp but Martinborough kept them scoreless for the remainder for the first half .
The second spell, however, was all Eketahuna and they added a further five tries to their tally to win convincingly.
Once again young first-five Darren Yates had an impressive game for Eketahuna as did forwards Rob Foreman and Josh Mackie. Promising back Adam Fisher had the misfortune to break a leg.
Foreman scored two of Eketahuna's tries with others going to Josh Mackie, David Smith, Steve Olds, Hamish McKenzie and Dan Hancock.Six conversions were landed by Simanu Simanu.
Gladstone had to battle all the way for their 13-8 win over a gritty East Coast side and their injury woes continued with two key players, midfield back Duncan Rutherford and flanker Damon Neal, both suffering injuries which could sideline them for several weeks.
The cheek bone injury which caused Neal to leave the field was a major blow for a side which has their two other leading loosies Sam Henderson and Rob Dick, out of action as well, Wairarapa-Bush rep Henderson for perhaps up to two months..
Dancan Rutherford scored a try for Gladstone and John Uys kicked two penalties and a conversion.
East Coast scored a try through Mark Williams and a penalty by Graham Bolstad and were always close enough on the scoreboard to keep matters interesting