Home semifinals on line as Heartland action hots up

The heat remains on in the Meads Cup section of the Heartland Championship with just one round of pool play remaining.

Wanganui and Wairarapa-Bush are the only unbeaten teams after yesterday's matches; Wanganui beating North Otago 49-37 and Wairarapa-Bush proving too good for South Canterbury 47-17.

Wanganui have 31 points and Wairarapa-Bush 30 but neither can take the foot off the accelerator as home semifinal spots remain up for grabs. They will be playing each other on Saturday and Wairarapa-Bush need the win more to confirm a home semifinal.

North Otago, with 26 points, are in prime position to snatch one of the home semifinal spots as they prepare to play bottom-placed Horowhenua Kapiti.

Wanganui winger Pati Fetuia found a new home at centre to score three tries against North Otago in Oamaru. His team sealed the match with a three-try spree through replacements Brett Turner and Paul Belliss along with Fetuia scoring his third.

Two late North Otago tries, to replacement first-five Nathan Cunningham and wing Aaron James, were not enough to haul in Wanganui's lead.

In Masterton, South Canterbury scored the opening try but, thereafter, it was all Wairarapa-Bush as the home side scored seven tries and squandered the chance to add another four.

Wairarapa-Bush dominated all facets and were particularly impressive in broken play where Tomasi Kedarabuka, Joe Harwood, Mike Robinson, Sylvanus Iro and Sam Henderson made numerous telling breaks.

In the Lochore Cup, Thames Valley, who beat East Coast 40-17, top the table with 20 points followed by Poverty Bay, 30-22 victors over Buller, on 19.

Third-placed King Country beat West Coast 32-22 to go to 15 points, leaving the battle for the fourth spot between Buller, who are favoured to win, and the two Coast sides.

- NZPA