Saturday's results were highlighted by Pioneer's 21-12 win over Martinborough in the game played at the much discussed Jeans St grounds.
Martinborough went into the game as firm favourites to beat a depleted Pioneer team, who after a long unbeaten run in the Kapene Trophy, were struggling to keep their semifinal aspirations alive after losses to Gladstone and Carterton.
An early converted try to Martinborough did not bode well for the home team but from the time usual loose forward Lee Ewe, playing at second-five on this occasion, smashed his way over for a converted try, to bring the scores level at 7-7, it was Pioneer who looked the hungrier of the two sides.
Another converted try had Pioneer 14-7 ahead at halftime and when they repeated that effort in the second spell to lead 21-7, it was obvious Martinborough had the job in front of them to bridge that gap.
The visitors lifted their effort immensely in the last 20 minutes to earn a clear territorial advantage and after they had scored an unconverted try, they should have at least picked up a bonus point when they were awarded a penalty almost in front of the posts.
However, they elected to go for the five points instead and were held out by a desperate Pioneer defence. What that decision will cost Martinborough in the long run remains to be seen.
While Pioneer's victory was very much a team effort, it was the tactical nous of first-five Tipene Haira which was the individual feature of their performance.
Usually keen to run the ball at his opposition, Haira wisely placed greater emphasis on kicking for territory on this occasion and he invariably gained good ground.
The decision to play the block-busting Ewe at second-five was a masterful stroke by the Pioneer coaching duo of Mike Harmon and Dave Ewe. Not only was his try a major turning point in the game but it invariably took two or three defenders to halt his progress whenever the ball came his way and he was rock solid on defence.
All the Pioneer forwards deserve considerable credit for the manner in which they adopted a totally assertive yet constructive approach to their game.
It would be untrue to say they dominated the Martinborough eight in any aspect but considering they were missing several key players, they clearly won more quality possession.
Martinborough, for their part, will probably still be wondering why they took so long to hit their straps. They tended to operate in ones or twos through most of the first half and the first 20 minutes of the second and a couple of prime try-scoring opportunities were bombed through basic handling and passing errors.
In Toby Rowland, Martinborough did have one of the best lineout forwards on the paddock and the Hawkins boys, Josh and Jared, were their usual nuisance value in the loose.
Nine tries were scored when East Coast and Eketahuna did battle with Eketahuna actually scoring five to East Coast's four but East Coast taking the overall honours by a slender 30-27.
Loosies Johan Van Vliet and Rupeni Tamani scored two tries apiece for the latter and will be looking forward to pitting their skills against each other on Wednesday.
Then Van Vliet will be part of a Murray Mexted Rugby Academy team which plays a Wairarapa-Bush XV, including Tamani, in Palmerston North.
The Isaac brothers were to the fore when Greytown scored a 20-6 win over Carterton with Senoa, Tana and Tapaga all coming up with five pointers.
Gladstone and Bush Sports had a whale of a game at Gladstone with the home team recovering from a a 12-5 deficit to win 15-12.
Scoring details:
East Coast 30 (L. Titter, J. McGilvary, J. Meredith and J. Carroll tries; N. Olson 2 penalties and 1 conversion, J. Carroll 1 conversion), Eketahuna 27 (J. Van Vliet 2, R. Tamani 2, J. Reinhardt tries; M. Naimusudroka 1 conversion).
Greytown 20 ( S. Isaac, Tana Isaac, Tapaga Isaac tries; R. Lett 1 conversion, K. Kaiwai drop goal), Carterton 6 (D. Brown (2 penalties).
Pioneer 21 (L. Ewe, R. Marurai 2 tries; T. Haira 1 conversion, J. Thompson 2 conversions); Martinborough 12 (W. Ireland, T. Te Kani tries; C. Whittaker 1 conversion).
Gladstone 15 (I. Katia, B. Moreland, J. Temoci tries), Bush Sports 9 (scorers not listed).
