Heartland Championship: Whanganui and other favourites lead the way after round one

Whanganui against Thames Valley, who both started the Heartland Championship with strong wins, playing against each other in 2019. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby

Steelform Whanganui took the first step to the top, but several of their fellow Bunnings Heartland Championship heavyweights were right there with them as the race for the Top 2 began on Saturday.

Perhaps the most impressive was Thames Valley, which did not play first-class rugby in 2020 but made up for lost time with a 42-10 win over fellow 2019 Meads semi-finalists Wairarapa Bush, on the artificial turf in Masterton.

The scoreline blew out when the Bush lost players to a red and yellow card in the 60th minute.

Carry-over 2019 Meads Cup champions North Otago got a big fright in Oamaru, as the East Coast team which has not won a Heartland fixture since 2013 was leading at half-time, before the home side scrambled back for a late 39-31 victory.

The 2019 Lochore Cup champions South Canterbury are on the hunt for a Meads Cup win which has barely eluded them for six years - travelling to Westport to upend Buller 48-13 and slide into second place on points difference.

Upcoming Whanganui opponent Mid Canterbury headed to Te Kuiti to roll over King Country 53-25.

The other union not to play in 2020 was West Coast, which could not defend home turf in Greymouth, as a far-travelling Horowhenua Kapiti picked up the important 28-21 win to take sixth spot on the table, as only six teams will get a post-regular season game in 2021.

Results, September 18

Mid Canterbury bt King Country 53-25 Mid Canterbury (Scorers not available). HT: 31-13.

Horowhenua-Kapiti 28 (D Smith 2, H Henare, R Shelford tries; J Tatu-Robertson 4 con) bt West Coast 21 (E Smith, S Soper tries, penalty try; J Scott 2 con) HT: 28-14.

South Canterbury 48 (S Buliruarua 2, S Kakala 2, A Amato, L Simote, Z McKay tries; S Briggs pen, 5 con) bt Buller 13 (Scorers not available). HT: 26-8.

North Otago bt East Coast 39-31. (Scorers not available) HT: 24-17 East Coast.

Thames Valley 42 (J Kaho 2, T Hemopo, T Doolan, S Vakapuna Etoni, L Masirewa tries; Doolan 2 pen, 3 con) bt Wairarapa Bush 10 (M Falaniko try; T Haira pen, con) HT: 15-10.

Points Table

Team P W D L B PD P

Whanganui 1 1 0 0 1 53 5

South Canterbury 1 1 0 0 1 35 5

Thames Valley 1 1 0 0 1 32 5

Mid Canterbury 1 1 0 0 1 28 5

North Otago 1 1 0 0 1 8 5

Horowhenua Kapiti 1 1 0 0 1 7 5

West Coast 1 0 0 1 1 -7 1

East Coast 1 0 0 1 1 -8 1

King Country 1 0 0 1 0 -28 1

Wairarapa Bush 1 0 0 1 0 -32 0

Buller 1 0 0 1 0 -35 0

Poverty Bay 1 0 0 1 0 -53 0