KEY POINTS:
Wairarapa Bush notched their second straight Pool A win of the Heartland rugby championship with a convincing 41-5 rout of Thames Valley in Paeroa today.
First five-eighth John Dodd, a loan player from Manawatu, starred for Wairarapa Bush, scoring a total of 21 points from a try, five conversions and a penalty.
Thames trailed 5-17 at halftime and were unable to gain parity in the match as Wairarapa Bush's forwards put a stranglehold on possession in the second half.
Dodd and halfback Hamish McIntyre, who also scored a try, combined well to orchestrate their side's moves at will and Wairarapa went on to more than double their score in the second half.
Lock Tomasi Kedrabuka scored two tries for Wairarapa Bush.
Meanwhile, King Country were made to graft hard before putting away Mid Canterbury 22-14 in Te Kuiti today.
They led 5-0 at halftime during a messy spell in which neither side settled.
But King Country warmed to their work after the break when their forwards asserted dominance.
Midfield back Ronnie Patea scored two of King Country's tries, with the other coming from wing Laauli Sapau while their most influential player was blindside flanker Jamarl Hona, who shone throughout.
Mid Canterbury managed tries through Brenton Connell and Jason Rickard and were well served by openside flanker Jason Gill, who made a nuisance of himself.
Scores
Wairarapa Bush 41 (John Dodd, Tomasi Kedrabuka 2, Lance Stevenson, Hamish McIntyre tries; Dodd 2 pen, 5 con) Thames Valley 5 (Daniel Hitchcock try). Halftime: 17-5.
King Country 22 (Ronnie Patea 2, Laauli Sapau tries; Jared Murrell pen, 2 con) Mid Canterbury 14 (Brenton Connell, Jason Rickard tries; David Maw 2 con). Halftime: 5-0.
- NZPA
