From there it was an arm wrestle to the end, with neither side wanting to give an inch, and Wanganui had to rely on the boot of Mark Davis to keep them ahead.
The only try of the second half was a stunner. Mid Canterbury halfback Mac Sykes put in a deep kick which stopped just short of the goal line, and the backline gave chase. Sykes got there to charge down the Wanganui kick and regather the ball and score.
Andrew Letham's conversion closed the gap to 24-23 and, despite the best attacking efforts of both sides right to the final whistle, that's the way it stayed.
Wanganui 24 (Darren Munro, Asalemo Mal tries; Mark Davis 4 pens, 1 con) Mid Canterbury 23 (James Carr, Mac Sykes tries; Andrew Letham 3 pens, 2 cons). HT: 18-6.
- Ashburton Guardian
East Coast 23 West Coast 16
Ngati Porou East Coast staved off a late charge by West Coast to win their Heartland Championship rugby opener 23-16 in glorious conditions at Ruatoria's Whakarua Park today.
The home side looked set for a comfortable win only for the southerners to take advantage of East Coast being reduced to 14 men for the last 10 minutes. Flanker Everard Reid, in his Coast debut, was sinbinned for fighting, blotting what was otherwise an impressive performance by the Hawke's Bay-based player.
In that period West Coast scored two tries to earn a losing bonus point.
East Coast created enough chances to put the game away but lacked the finishing touch in a match riddled with mistakes by both sides.
The hosts went ahead in just the fourth minute when Reid finished off in the corner after a quick tap was taken.
West Coast responded through the boot of first five-eighths Corey Deans, who kicked penalties in the 10th and 16th minutes to put the visitors 6-5 ahead.
Irish import John Semple, fresh from playing a season of club rugby in Christchurch and making his East Coast debut at fullback, regained the lead with a penalty.
A powerful run by Reid set up a try to centre TK Moeke in the 35th minute and East Coast went to the break 13-6 ahead.
Semple extended the advantage to 10 with a 51st-minute penalty and what appeared to be the killer blow came in the 68th minute. A West Coast backline attack broke down, Moeke pounced on the loose ball and slipped the ball to first five-eighths Rua Tipoki, who finished his run to the line with a huge dive. Semple's conversion made it 23-6.
Reid's sinbinning followed and West Coast charged home with tries to lock Brad Houston and No 8 Rowan O'Gorman, whose five-pointer was reward for a stand-out performance for his side.
East Coast looked to play enterprising rugby and the potential is clearly there but coach Ngarimu Simpkins and his assistant Tipoki will be looking for them to tidy up the errors that probably cost them a four-try bonus point today.
West Coast were competitive in the forwards but their backs struggled against a sharper opposition line.
Ngati Porou East Coast 23 (Everard Reid, TK Moeke, Rua Tipoki tries; John Semple 2 pens, con) West Coast 16 (Brad Houston, Rowan O'Gorman tries; Corey Deans 2 pens). HT: 13-6.
- The Gisborne Herald
Buller 24 Thames Valley 14
By Norman Crawshaw
Buller deservedly won their opening match of the Heartland series against Thames Valley 24-14 as they dominated the visitors for almost all the match at Victoria Square.
However, the game was a messy affair with both sides making mistakes and having difficulty clearing the ball from set pieces. As a result, the game rarely flowed, although Buller showed some good attacking phases especially when fullback Marty Banks came into the backline.
Buller dominated the first half and spent most of the game on attack but a combination of unfortunate options, dropped passes or solid defence from Thames Valley kept Buller tryless until almost halftime. With the interval approaching, all Buller had to show for almost 80 per cent possession were two penalty goals by Banks.
Just before the break, however, Thames Valley gifted Buller a try. From a lineout near the Thames Valley line, the ball was simply slapped back aimlessly by Thames Valley and Buller flanker Api Ratugoleanavu pounced on the ball to score a simple try.
With a 13-point lead, it seemed Buller might run away with the match but the first 10 minutes of the second half brought about a dramatic change.
Thames Valley, so sluggish in the first half, suddenly burst into life and, aided by some woeful Buller defence, rattled on two converted tries in the first 10 minutes. Both tries originated from Buller mistakes with the try by Jason Laurich being a spectacular effort in which virtually the entire Buller team missed tackles in a 70m dash.
Suddenly it was 14-13 to Thames Valley and the whole complexion of the game had changed. However, Buller weathered the storm and the visitors were unable to maintain their momentum.
Two long-range penalties from Banks gave Buller a cushion and after 28 minutes Buller made the game safe with a copy-cat try when the Thames Valley lineout again slapped the ball back and lock James Foster was on hand to score and make the final score 24-14.
Overall, Buller had the vast majority of possession and territory and their scrum was clearly too strong for Thames Valley. Both sides defended resolutely and the visitors' backline looked threatening on occasion but rarely had enough ball.
Outstanding for Buller was Banks at fullback in his first Heartland match. He kicked well and ran incisively. In the pack, Philip Beveridge in his 100th first-class match was as solid as ever. For Thames Valley centre Jason Laurich was the best on show.
Buller 24 (Api Ratugoleanavu, James Foster tries; Marty Banks con, 4 pens) Thames Valley 14 (Jason Laurich, Blake Hill tries; Brooke Treymaine 2 cons). HT: 13-0.
Wairarapa Bush 32 South Canterbury 21
By Gary Caffell
It was a survival of the fittest when Wairarapa-Bush beat South Canterbury 32-21 in a pulsating Heartland championship rugby match at Memorial Park, Masterton, today.
With both sets of forwards going hammer and tongs at each other from the outset, and both backlines prepared to spread the ball wide at every opportunity, the result was always likely come down to which of the two sides best lasted the distance and it was Wairarapa Bush who finished the stronger of the two.
Only once, in fact, during the course of the 80 minutes did South Canterbury have their noses in front.
After Wairarapa Bush fullback Glen Walters had landed an early penalty to lead 3-0, South Canterbury replied with the first of two tries to exciting wing Aporasa Tabulawaki to edge ahead 5-3.
Minutes later, however, Wairarapa Bush wing Cameron Hayton intercepted a loose pass and dashed 40m for a try which Walters converted. Although South Canterbury ran in two further tries through halfback Sekope Maea and Tabulawaki, they were flanked by another couple of Walters penalties and the home side led 16-15 at the break.
It was South Canterbury who called the tune in the opening minutes of the second half but stout defence from Wairarapa Bush kept them at bay and they struck back when first-five Byron Karaitiana jinked his way through the first line of defence and unloaded to ever-present loosie Johan Van Vliet who crashed over for the try. Walters converted and Wairarapa-Bush led 23-18.
A Kurt Rooney penalty for South Canterbury kept them well in the game at 23-21 but the last 20 minutes saw Wairarapa Bush maintain a handy territorial advantage and Walters ensured they would not only win the game but also deny South Canterbury a bonus point by kicking three more penalties, two of them from handy range and the other from the sideline about 22m out.
That gave the former Kuranui College pupil who now plays his club rugby for Old Boys University in Wellington a personal tally of 22 points.
Loose forwards Van Vliet and James Goodger were outstanding up front for Wairarapa Bush along with lock Andrew Mclean and hooker Richard Puddy while hard-tackling centre Jesse McGilvary and wing Cameron Hayton were the pick of the backs.
Standouts for a South Canterbury side whose effort suggested they will still be a strong contender for the Meads Cup were No 8 Kali Latu, prop Matt Fetu, halfback Maea and winger Tabulawaki.
Wairarapa Bush 32 (Cameron Hayton, Johan Van Vliet tries; Glen Walters 6 pens, 2 cons) South Canterbury 21 (Aporasa Tabulawaki 2, Sekope Maea tries; Kurt Rooney 2 pens).
- Wairarapa Times Age
In other matches North Otago edged King Country 31-30 courtesy of tries to Samisoni Tongotongo, Tala Fagasoia, Ralph Darling and Chris Talanoa.
Poverty Bay meanwhile were too strong for Horowhenua Kapiti winning 31-15 with Andrew Gardner, Henry Yortt, Kelvin Smith and Paula Tikomainaivalu all crossing over for the visitors..