Steelform Whanganui took the necessary maximum points from their first Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship away match of the campaign, but not without nervous moments with their unpredictable opposition.

Despite conceding a converted try in the opening moments from a rolling maul, one of three the big Poverty Bay would rumble over during the fixture, Whanganui would reply swiftly with a converted try and then lead for the remainder of the match at the picturesque Paddy’s Park in Patutahi, northwest of Gisborne, for a 47-36 win.

But they just could never quite put their plucky hosts away – aided by a penalty count that at one stage was a lopsided 7-1, Poverty Bay kept coming back at Whanganui right through until about the 75th minute, with a combined 13 tries being scored.

What kept Whanganui out of danger were the x-factor performances of several key figures.

Second-five Ethan Robinson brought his kicking boots by nailing his first five straight conversions, finishing with six from seven, while his opposite in fullback Paoraian Manuel Harman could only make three –as Robinson’s try double took him to a 22-point haul.

Flanker Josefa Namosimalua made more line breaks by himself than the whole Whanganui team managed the weekend before with South Canterbury, scoring a try and laying the ground work for others, while shoring up on his kickoff retentions.

Late in the game when Poverty Bay had a series of lineouts in Whanganui’s half, looking to cut down their 11-point lead, lock Matt Ashworth starved them of that crucial possession by batting down multiple opposition throw-ins.

The bench provided a big boost with front-rowers Keightley Watson and Joseph Edwards both driving low to score tries, while after practicing in the lineout during the morning warm-up, the team’s ‘Swiss Army Knife’ in Luke Whale was asked to cover the midfield for the final quarter and handled it with aplomb.

It is good that Ashworth cut off as much lineout ball in the air as he did, given Whanganui still struggled to close down Poverty Bay’s well-set rolling mauls, with mauling not being a massive feature of the local Premier club competition in 2024.

But with ball in hand, they were excellent transferring across the field and getting to the gaps – centre Alekesio Vakarorogo beating three tacklers on the fringes for a great try, along with the busy Robinson’s double, while skipper Jamie Hughes also dotted down.

The victory lifts Whanganui up from seventh on the points ladder to fifth place, two points behind the four remaining unbeaten teams.

“Just glad we got the win,” said coach Jason Hamlin

“It’s very similar to last week, and while we get the result, the quality of play and execution of stuff – I wasn’t really happy with it.

“But they played some real good footy.”

Good decision-making remains crucial as Whanganui gave away more penalties at the breakdown than they would have liked, stifling their own momentum and giving Poverty Bay’s forwards the piggy-back up the field they needed.

“We let them in the game too easy.”

Hamlin praised Ashworth for breaking the home side’s momentum in the final ten minutes – Poverty Bay hesitating on their lineout throws as they tried to keep the ball away from him.

“He’s been consistent ever since the last Heartland season and in the lead up, he’s been outstanding,” said Hamlin.

“It’s one we count on, week in and week out, to be fair.”

The coach also acknowledged Namosimalua for his powerful runs deep into enemy territory, while still backing up for support play and multiple carries in the same attacking movements.

 “A key is how long we keep having him. He was very, very good.”

After a wild start where both sides spread the ball and promptly lost it coming into contact, Poverty Bay’s first penalty saw them kick for field position and then drive from the lineout to score.

The reply came immediately as No8 Doug Horrocks secured a missed restart by the defenders, and after good leadup work from hooker Alesana Tofa, Namosimalua, lock Reuben Allen, prop Gabriel Hakaraia and Hughes – Robinson took the last ruck pass and forced his way through two tacklers for a converted try.

Whanganui stayed on attack, Poverty Bay struggling to find touch on their clearances, and after Vakarorogo fought his way through tacklers to be stopped just at the line, again it was a quick ruck pass, this time to Hughes, which caught the stretched defence short for 14-5 in the 15th minute.

But a lost lineout on their own throw, followed by a ruck penalty, left Whanganui vulnerable and the Poverty Bay pack took care of the rest, driving in to narrow the gap to 14-12.

Whanganui again lifted a notch, Namosimalua regaining the kickoff and Vakarorogo again stretching the defence out wide, before the ball was transferred to the other side for Robinson to draw two defenders and offload basketball style to Namosimalua to dash through the gap and score.

It looked like Whanganui was beginning to pull away when Poverty Bay again missed a touch-finder, with first-five Dane Whale feeding fullback Tyler Rogers-Holden to centre the attack, before the ball was transferred out to Vakarorogo on the outside shoulder of his marker and that was all she wrote – last season’s top try-scorer opening his account for 2024.

But Poverty Bay roaring back with tries both four minutes before and after halftime – both from lineout drives, as following one maul openside flanker Keanu Taumata went blindside and twisted through tackles to score, and then in the second stanza the drive straight from the lineout came up trumps for a concerning 28-24.

A brilliant run from Namosimalua got Whanganui back where they needed to be, and after Horrocks, Vakarorogo and winger Lafo Takiari Ah-Ching attacked down the far side, prop Kamipeli Latu brought the ball back to the middle and Robinson was on the end of a long Dane Whale pass to slice through the line and run back to the posts for another converted try.

Poverty Bay then brought on reserve Jarryd Broughton, known as the largest prop in captivity, and after the home side worked into position through lock Harawira Kahukura and No8 Hugh Taylor, with Taumata nearly scoring again, the monster Broughton took the ball and no-one could stop him from that close and a 35-31 scoreline.

Once again, Whanganui replied quickly, finally starting to get some penalties themselves from their tiring opposition, and after Vakarorogo took a hard run off a penalty lineout, Watson received the pass and burrowed in for his own close-range try.

At 40-31, Whanganui just needed a good exit from the restart to put Poverty Bay away, instead they missed the kick and Poverty Bay rapidly spread to the corner, where winger Te Peehi Fairlie dashed in at the corner flag.

Whanganui would not make that mistake again – Vakarorogo and others rushing up on defence to pressure the home side, and then he and Namosimalua led the next breakout, with Horrocks and Rogers-Holden also carrying on the momentum, backed up by returning reserve flanker Samu Kubunavanua, who linked with reserve winger Mitai Hemi.

From the ruck, Edwards took the pass to score his first ever First Class try for Whanganui, with Robinson’s conversion putting Whanganui clear once again, and this time they made sure Poverty Bay could not get any closer.

By Jared Smith
Photo Credit - Paul Taylor, Action Press

Whanganui 47 (E Robinson 2, J Hughes, J Namosimalua, A Vakarorogo, K Watson, J Edwards tries; Robinson 6 con) bt Poverty Bay 36 (K Taumata, J Broughton, T Farlie, three unknown tries; P Harman 3 con). HT: 28-19.