North Otago on record-breaking spree

North Otago went on a record-breaking spree when beating East Coast in Ruatoria 116-3 on Saturday.

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Previously the highest score in Heartland Championship rugby was 73 scored by Horowhenua Kapiti against East Coast in 2008.

In achieving the win, North Otago also blitzed the most tries in a match record which was 11 held by four teams when it touched down for 17 tries. Ben Patston could have claimed the record for most conversions in a game but equalled the record of nine before Billy Guyton took over the duties to land five conversions of his own.

The win also created the biggest winning margin in the competition surpassing Horowhenua Kapiti's 66-point margin when beating East Coast.

In other games, defending Meads Cup champion Wanganui scored the only try of the game to beat South Canterbury 13-6 while King Country had to come from 0-12 down at halftime to beat Horowhenua Kapiti 17-12.

Pool A:

Thames Valley 36 (David Harrison, Alan McLean, Barton Thompson, Sam Ward tries; Harrison 2 con, 4 pen) West Coast 18 (Tom Gilmour, Maleli Tora tries; Willie Brown con; Luke Hughes 2 pen). HT: 14-7
King Country 17 (James Hemara 2 tries; Tanner Vili 2 con pen) Horowhenua Kapiti 12 (Gary Phelps try; James Hamilton try, con). HT: 0-12
Wanganui 13 (Sam Scown try; Mark Davis con, 2 pen) South Canterbury 6 (Jason Merrett 2 pen). HT: 10-3

Pool B:
East Coast 3 (Nathan Langsford pen) North Otago 116 (Luke Herden 5, Kilifi Fangupo 2, Sione Pangata 2, Kasanova Soane 2, Hamish McKenzie 2, David Simpson, Palenapa Mafi, Josh Collier, Tevita Fifita tries; Ben Patston 9con, pen; Billy Guyton 5 con). HT: 53-3

Mid Canterbury 20 (James McLeod, Vesi Luatua tries; David Maw 2 con, 2 pen) Poverty Bay 25 (John Stewart 2, Kahu Tamatea tries; Tamatea 2 con, 2 pen). HT: 12-10.

Buller 16 (Joseph Bradley try; Andrew Stephens con, 3 pen) Wairarapa Bush 23 (Sam Mitchell try; Jeremy Te Huia 6 pen). HT: 14-13.