Heartland rugby: Semifinal match-ups confirmed

Whanganui take on Thames Valley in the Meads Cup semifinals on Saturday. Photo / Bevan Conley

Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby.

Steelform Whanganui coach Jason Hamlin sent a heartfelt “thank you” text message to his Horowhenua-Kāpiti opposite Aleni Feagaiga on Saturday, as the Levin side saved the Cooks Gardens semifinal for the Meads Cup playoffs.

Having lost 72-28 to Whanganui in Levin the weekend before, very little was expected of Horowhena-Kāpiti making the very long trip up to picturesque Whitianga to play third-placed Thames Valley.

Instead, while Whanganui were being outplayed by King Country in front of disappointed home supporters, Horowhenua-Kāpiti had turned their 21-14 halftime lead into a shock 41-28 advantage with the clock clicking down.

The Swamp Foxes would score one more converted try for 41-35, but they would get no closer, as despite losing a player to a red card, Horowhenua-Kāpiti kept the home side well away from their danger zone for the upset victory.

Despite Thames Valley picking up two bonus points to draw level with Whanganui on the points table, the first tiebreaker factor is who won any previous fixture played between the teams, with Whanganui’s knife-edge 16-14 victory in Thames on September 7 giving them priority.

Horowhenua-Kāpiti’s win secured a home Lochore Cup semifinal, which King Country had to content themselves with as well despite their win, after fourth-placed Mid Canterbury cruised to a 47-24 victory over bottom-of-the-table Poverty Bay in Ashburton, holding a massive 47-7 lead at halftime.

It is impressive Mid Canterbury, King Country and Horowhenua-Kāpiti missed all playoff rugby in 2023, but have climbed up to fourth through to sixth this year to be in silverware contention

Ngāti Porou East Coast will take on King Country in Taupō, after winning a virtual quarter-final with then-ninth-placed Wairarapa Bush 45-32 in Ruatōria.

A minor controversy ensued before the match when New Zealand Rugby informed East Coast only the 23 selected players could perform their signature pre-game haka, forbidding any other family or supporters from being alongside them.

Despite falling behind early, East Coast got ahead 24-22 by halftime and kept their advantage to stay alive this season.

The other away Lochore Cup semifinal spot in Levin goes to defending champions West Coast, who made a brave effort at home against the all-conquering South Canterbury, who nonetheless raised victory number 39 consecutively, scoring 43-38 in Greymouth.

Only 19-12 down at halftime, West Coast did not let South Canterbury get too far ahead, in fact scoring the last try, but it wasn’t enough to stop the streak that began in 2019 after the Cantabrians last lost to West Coast in the final round-robin game of that season.

That sets up a Meads Cup derby semifinal between South and Mid Canterbury in Timaru, with Mid Canterbury needing to improve on their 41-19 defeat back on August 31.

In the match between the also-rans, North Otago defeated Buller 55-14 in Ōamaru.

Final points: South Canterbury 40, Whanganui 31, Thames Valley 31, Mid Canterbury 30, King Country 28, Horowhenua-Kāpiti 22, West Coast 20, East Coast 20, North Otago 14, Wairarapa Bush 13, Buller 10, Poverty Bay 6.

Under-18s

The Longrun Spouting Whanganui Under-18 Girls finished their Hurricanes Youth Council tournament with a 15-5 loss to eventual champions Hawke’s Bay U-18 in the semifinals on Thursday. The competition consisted of shortened games against Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and Manawatū, playing at Napier Boys’ High School. The overall Sportsperson of the Tournament award went to Whanganui’s Acaia Kingi-Te Koari. The team MVP was Lasaini Aleke.