Manawatu slip outside semifinals spot

Manawatu are in danger of drifting off the pace as the second division playoffs approach.

Seemingly a permanent fixture come semifinals time, Manawatu face the prospect of watching from afar when the top four sides scrap over the spoils next month.

They slipped outside the top four on Saturday when losing 27-18 at home to Counties-Manukau, their third defeat in six matches, and this weekend have the bye.

Counties-Manukau edged two points in front of them on 17, and three behind North Otago, last year's third division champions who continue to impress in higher company.

North Otago chalked up their fourth win from five matches, adding a dash of colour as they ran in eight tries to brush past Mid-Canterbury 54-23 in Ashburton.

Nelson Bays recovered from a heavy loss a week earlier to Hawkes Bay to beat East Coast 47-12 in Nelson to join Hawkes Bay atop the standings on 23 points.

In a battle of also-rans, Marlborough scored a try in the last movement of the match to escape with a 25-24 win over Thames Valley in Blenheim.

Counties-Manukau fully deserved their success in Palmerston North.

Both teams scored two tries, but the superior goalkicking of Simon Porter and Stephen Donald added the trimmings for the former first division side.

Counties-Manukau cleared away to a 24-6 lead at one stage before Manawatu got a grip on things, although they never seriously posed a threat.

Nelson Bays wasted no time in stamping their authority over East Coast, securing a bonus point by halftime when they led 26-12 following tries to halfback Tyson Keats, wing Colin Bisley, centre Aaron Kimura and No 8 Rowan O'Gorman.

The home side added another three tries in the second spell through Bisley, lock Tere Wycliff and flanker Mark Bright, who ran 70m after intercepting a pass.

East Coast could counter only via the boot of first five-eighths Mano Flutey.

In the third division, South Canterbury and Wairarapa-Bush leapfrogged towards a top-of-the-table clash this weekend as they flummoxed the oddsmakers. South Canterbury jumped from third to first as a powerful forward display saw them beat Buller 35-21 in Westport, while Wairarapa-Bush knocked over last week's leaders Wanganui 35-18 in Masterton.

It set up an intriguing match between the joint leading sides in Masterton on Saturday which could decide the venues for the October 11 semifinals.

Last week's second-placed side, Horowhenua-Kapiti, also stumbled at home in the biggest shock of round six, with Poverty Bay winning 28-26 to climb off the foot of the standings ahead of West Coast.

King Country moved back into the top four with a 44-23 win over West Coast in Te Kuiti.

- NZPA