Late try wins it for Waitohi

Peter Jones

peter@topsouthmedia.co.nz

Waitohi picked up their first Tasman Trophy rugby win of the season at Endeavour Park on Saturday afternoon, digging deep to get the better of Waimea Old Boys 31-24.

In a see-sawing encounter, the Tohis broke a 24-24 deadlock with the decisive final play of the match.

With Waimea hot on attack, a dropped ball gave Waitohi a sniff of victory, fullback Kyren Taumoefolau kicking the loose ball ahead, regathering and sprinting away to dot down behind the posts.

After a scrappy first half, which ended 10-5 to the visitors and featured a plethora of dropped ball and inaccurate passes, both teams found more cohesion and produced some well-executed scoring plays in the second stanza.

Ahead 24-17 with 10 minutes on the clock, Waitohi lost a player to the sin bin then conceded a close-range try, the conversion setting up a nail-biting conclusion.

Waitohi spent long periods on defence, their resistance led by halfback Karlos Tautari, plus flankers Andre Hebberd and Jake Collins.

Powerful lock Joni Maleme, hooker McLeod, the elusive Taumoefolau and No 8 Campbell Hart were prominent on attack.

Scorers: Waitohi 31 (Toby McLeod, Kyren Taumoefolau 2, Seymour Lambert, Taimi Fangatua tries, Corey Bovey 3 con) Waimea Old Boys 24 (Latu, Lauvale, J

Palmer tries, Grimes pen 3 con) HT 10-5 WOB

In other Tasman Trophy matches on Saturday, the news was less favourable for Marlborough-based sides.

Central’s unbeaten record went west at Greenmeadows, Stoke prevailing 35-28 over the previous table-toppers, while Moutere were well beaten by Kahurangi, going down 67-0 at Cooks Re- serve. In the other clash, Marist eclipsed Nelson 47-10.

The Central v Stoke top-of-thetable match-up was another to go down to the wire.

Stoke quickly built a 21-0 lead after 15 minutes but the Blues, on the back of set piece pressure and a Nigel Satherley try, fought back to level the scores.

Tevita Koloamatangi dotted down next to help his side push ahead 28-21 but Central were not done, a try from a push-over scrum drawing the scores level once more.

However, in the final minutes, replacement forward Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta made the initial break, then sent Taine Robinson under the posts for the match-clinching score.

Tasman Trophy points: Stoke 23, Kahurangi 23, Marist 22, Central 22, Waimea Old Boys 6, Nelson 5, Waitohi 5, Moutere 0.

In the women’s Tasman Trophy semifinals Marist booked a place in next week’s final with a 32-15 win over Waimea Old Boys, but the Marlborough-based Wairau Wāhine crew were unable to extend their season, going down 47-10 to Kahurangi in the later game.

In grassroots division two rugby, Waitohi maintained their competition lead with a 22-12 win over Renwick, in Renwick, Central kept the pressure on the leaders with a 41-13 victory over Awatere at Seddon while Pelorus claimed their first win with a 17-7 triumph at home against Harlequins.

Division two points: Waitohi 35, Central 31, Renwick 26, Harlequins 15, Pelorus 7, Awatere 6.