Scrum power muscles its way to win the day for Pioneer

Pioneer had their forwards to thank for their 20-16 win over previously unbeaten Masterton Red Star in their Wairarapa-Bush premier division rugby match at Memorial Park, Masterton on Saturday.
Ask any prop or hooker and they will be quick to tell you that whoever wins the scrums generally wins the game and it was there that the Pioneer pack made their biggest impact.
Anchored by props Dwayne Kelly and Ihe Namana, they provided a stable platform on their own ball and continually had the Masterton Red Star eight on the back pedal when it was their put in.
So much so they actually managed to pick up a couple of tight heads which is something of a novelty these days.
Pioneer were also much more clinical than Masterton Red Star in the lineouts.
Invariably it was their outstanding skipper Nathan Rolls who was the "go to" man and just as invariably he took down clean two-handed takes from which rolling mauls were often launched, usually with telling effect.
Masterton Red Star, on the other hand, struggled to win their own lineout ball with Pioneer usually electing to compete for possession, and doing so with a fair measure of success too.
Pioneer also had the edge on Masterton Red Star in the looser aspects of the forward game with the ever-present Rolls being given excellent support there by the robust Lee Ewe, who made several stirring charges with ball in hand.
Such was the dominance of Pioneer up front, in fact, they probably should have had a bigger winning margin but to Masterton Red Star's credit on the few occasions scoring opportunities presented themselves they generally took them.
They trailed 17-9 by halftime and 20-9 early in the second spell but a Byron Karaitiana try, which he converted himself, meant there was only four points in it with still some six or seven minutes to play.
There were a couple of times in that period too when Masterton Red Star managed to create overlaps out wide but the Pioneer cover defence was equal to the task.
Karaitiana, who scored all of his team's points bar for an early dropped goal, showed his versatility by being a standout at fullback in the first half and in midfield in the second. The other Masterton Red Star back to impress was halfback Callum Buchanan. who came through a trying game with credit.
Fullback Joe Papaali made one try saving tackle for Pioneer and was always a sound last line of defence until he left the field injured late in the second half.
Halfback Tipi Rimene marshalled his forwards well and he and promising first-five Tipene Haira were generally astute in their option taking.
Nathan Rolls and Joseph Dahlberg-Paku scored tries for Pioneer while David Te Rito and Tipene Haira shared the goal kicking responsibilities, both landing one conversion and one penalty. Byron Karaitiana scored Masterton Red Star's try and also kicked two penalties and one conversion. K.Tugaga dropped a goal.
n East Coast's 12-6 win over Carterton at Carterton left it as the only unbeaten team in the premier division grade. Remarkably no tries were scored here with the Coasters benefiting from two penalties apiece by Nick Olson and Richard Farrell and Jono Hurley providing all of Carterton's points with a penalty and a dropped goal.
n Marist and Greytown were always likely to have a close battle at Greytown and so it proved with Marist sneaking home by just the two points, 23 to 21. Murray Gleeson scored two tries for Marist and Shane Lewis one. Gleeson also kicked a conversion and Kahu Matenga kicked two penalties. Senoa Isaac and Johnny Avatea scored the tries for Greytown and Richard Oakley came up with three penalties and one conversion.
n Martinborough used home advantage to good effect in their 23-13 win over Gladstone. Warren Ireland scored three tries for the green-and-blacks and Quentin Larkin landed two penalties and one conversion. David Fricker scored a try for Gladstone and Jason Kjestrup kicked two penalties and one conversion.
n Eketahuna and Puketoi played under lights at Eketahuna on Thursday night and it was Eketahuna who managed to chalk up their first success of the season, winning 18-8. John Guillard and Tau Davidson (2) scored tries for Eketahuna and Graeme Cremen kicked one penalty. Jared Bambry scored Puketoi's try and Jason Liverton kicked one penalty.