The first town derby bragging rights for the season in Division 1 goes to Davie Hoskin Carriers Marist after a 22-17 win over neighbours Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau at the Country Club on Saturday.

However, the victory was not without controversy as the referee would make the decision to end the match with around 23 minutes still remaining due to alleged backchats and comments directed towards the official.

It was a bizarre conclusion to a game that was building to an exciting finish, as the other matches in Week 4 of the Trevor Olney Taonga round would prove to have.

Marist struck first with a breakout from their own half by second-five Shaun O’Leary, and from the tryline ruck the defence could not get back to stop lock Bradley Graham diving across, with Dominic Devine converting.

The visitors’ unfortunately lost influential halfback and skipper Daniel Kauika early to a blood bin, coming back on later with the recently-returned Rory Gudsell covering for him, with Devine extending their lead with a 19th minute penalty.

Marist were hitting all their marks as the forwards drove off the set piece for flanker Te Hiiri Ponga to score for 15-0.

Kaierau hit back in the 32nd minute when a box kick was partially charged and Marist hands batting the ball back saw it go into the in-goal where chasing reserve hooker Sevanaia Vudiniabola won the race to dive on it, first-five Brook Tremayne converting.

The home side kept the momentum up from the kickoff as they got position and attacked down the far touch, the forwards advancing to the other side of the posts before the ball went out to second-five Nemia Adrole to beat his man and dot down for 15-12.

Marist reasserted themselves with Kauika attacking off a 10m scrum, with the forwards then taking control for reserve Lucas Reardon to drive under the heap to score, with Devine converting.

But Kaierau wouldn’t go away as a midfield turnover saw the ball transferred wide and winger Peniani Waqatabu showed a clean pair of heels to outstrip the cover and score in the corner.

But the game did not have long to go as after Kaierau reserve halfback Cody Mitchell was sinbinned following a professional foul, Marist advanced into the attacking half and got penalised at the ruck in the clubroom corner, and play was then halted.

Marist move into the Top 4 with a game in hand on the two sides immediately above them, which includes Byfords Readimix Taihape, who slogged their way to a tough Northern derby away win over Ruapehu, 17-12.

In the first top grade game played at Ohakune’s Rochfort Park since 2023, Taihape brought a light reserve bench with them as their club tries to balance numbers across two teams, and were under pressure as the home side received a seven-point penalty try while prop Ezekiel Anderson also dotted down.

However, showing their signature resolve, the defending champions rallied with a try from skipper and flanker Jack Kinder, who along with prop Te Uhi Hakaraia was facing their old club for the first time, as well as tries from second-five Cyrus Tasi and reserve Xzaviyah Ralph, with first-five Dane Whale adding one conversion.

In the Division 2 Peter Rowe Cup fixtures, there was a Memorial Park double feature, including RockGas Whanganui Pirates retaining their newly-won Challenge Shield with a big 62-10 win over Horizon Networks Taihape.

The large victory moved Pirates back to the top of the table ahead of Utiku Old Boys, who claimed their inter-club Puketiro Cup against title rivals Kelso Hunterville, 25-22 in an important clash in the race to see who will lift the inaugural Peter Rowe Cup.

Direct Connect Marist Celtic bounced back from their Challenge Shield loss to Pirates to hang on in a 20-19 thriller against Marton at Spriggens Park.

The Hunterville and Marton losses puts them under just a slight bit of mathematical pressure in the race to be in the Top 5 when Division 2 splits into the Championship and Minor Championship grades at the end of the month, after Border moved to within three points of them on the table following a 39-21 win over Whanganui Can-Am Counties, in a game played on Thursday night at Macnab Domain.

Also on the climb in the Tasman Tanning Te Awa Wahine competition are Byfords Construction Taihape, whose big 58-0 win over local rivals Silks Audit Rātana on Friday night at Memorial Park moved them up to second place on the table.

The AGC Marist Clovers got their first win of the new-look competition, also beating a fellow WRFU team in Rangitikei 58-7 at the Hunterville Domain on Friday.

In the other games, Freyberg beat OBM 34-22 while unbeaten table leaders Bush defeated Kia Toa 43-0.

Results, April 30th- May 2nd 

Division 1

Counties bt Rātana 20-18. HT: 15-13.

Marist bt Kaierau 22-17. HT: 15-7

Taihape bt Ruapehu 17-12. HT: 12-0 Ruapehu

Division Two

Challenge Shield - Pirates bt Taihape 62-10; Utiku Old Boys bt Hunterville 25-22; Marist Celtic bt Marton 20-19; Border bt Counties 39-21.

Te Awa Wahine

Freyberg bt OBM 34-22; Marist Clovers bt Rangitikei 58-7; Taihape bt Rātana 58-0; Bush bt Kia Toa 43-0.
 

By Jared Smith