Green and white colours flew high over the weekend as Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist completed their best Tasman Tanning Premier regular season since 2017 with a tough 27-17 win over Tāmata Hauhā Rātana at Spriggens Park.

Although circumstances Marist could not control where Waverley Harvesting Border’s upset at Memorial Park now has them travelling to Taihape rather than across town for a Country Club semifinal, Saturday’s victory over the already-eliminated Rātana still capped a strong run with wins in five of their last six on-field games.

It highlighted another big weekend where Whanganui Marist RSC swept all four of their matches, as the end of Premier’s round-robin officially confirmed a comfortable Weekes Cup win for the club.

The Weekes Cup is awarded to the best performing club across both Premier and Senior grades combined, with Marist Premier’s finishing third while their highest-ranked Senior team, the Forest 360 Marist Knights, had wrapped up second place before Saturday’s quarterfinals.

But facing a Rātana team with nothing to lose in their last Premier fixture, Marist did not have it all their own way, being deadlocked 12-12 at halftime.

The visitors wanted to get their talented backline into action as winger Taylor Kirkwood would score a double, while on the opposite side Hawira Gardiner also dotted down, with Rangi Kui returning to his starting fullback position and slotting a first-half conversion.

But Marist pulled clear over the second stanza with their tries coming from winger Sanaila Tawake, lock and skipper Ben O’Leary, halfback Daniel Kauika and prop Jonty Bird - continuing his outstanding form after representing Rangitīkei in the previous week’s sub-union game.

Returning fullback Wiremu Morgan slotted a conversion in each half and then at 24-17 put over the decisive penalty to make the game safe with only a few minutes remaining.

Marist clubroom celebrations were already well underway as in what could likely be an historic first, both their Senior teams have qualified for the championship semifinals.

On a weekend where all four ‘home’ sides won their quarterfinals, Spriggens Park already hosting two fixtures meant Direct Connect Marist Celtic took their derby game with Seales Winslow Pirates over to the neutral City College, winning 36-19 in the battle of fourth vs fifth.

Back at Spriggens, the Knights made sure Kelso Hunterville did not get a sniff of a chance this season after their competitive semifinal in 2024, scoring a point-a-minute in the first half and romping to a 73-16 victory.

Once again, it was the third vs sixth quarterfinal which proved the most competitive, but unlike last year there would not be an upset, as McCrea Scanning Counties withstood a spirited fight-back by defending champions Utiku Old Boys 26-17 at Macnab Domain, continuing their transformative season.

Up at Rochfort Park, undefeated McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu received a plucky challenge from the massive underdog Border ‘Rat Pack’, only leading 12-0 at halftime before pulling away for a 26-0 victory.

Results, June 27th-28th

Tasman Tanning Premier 

Barracks Challenge Shield - Waverley Harvesting Border 15 (Harry Symes, Ross McDonald tries; Tyrone Albert pen, con) bt Byford’s Readimix Taihape 10 (Kaleb Sweet try; Chad Whale pen, con). HT: 10-3.

Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist 27 (Sanaila Tawake, Ben O’Leary, Jonty Bird, Daniel Kauika tries; Wiremu Morgan pen, 2 con) bt Tāmata Hauhā Rātana 17 (Taylor Kirkwood 2, Hawira Gardiner tries; Rangi Kui con). HT: 12-12.

Tasman Tanning Senior Quarterfinals

Rochfort Park: McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu bt Border 26-0.

Spriggens Park: Forest 360 Marist Knights bt Kelso Hunterville 73-16.

Macnab Domain: McCrea Scanning Counties bt Utiku Old Boys 26-17.

City College: Direct Connect Marist Celtic bt Seales Winslow Pirates 36-19.

Tasman Tanning Women

Cooks Gardens: AGC Training Marist Clovers bt Byfords Construction Taihape 64-7.

Cooks Gardens: Silks Audit Rātana bt Heidi Macaulay Realty Bulls 86-0.

Marton Park: Hunterville bt Marton Queenbeez 61-0.
 

By Jared Smith