Week 3 review - Wairarapa Bush and North Otago set the pace after Round 3
Wairarapa-Bush and North Otago took clear leads in their respective AA Rewards Heartland Championship pools, both scoring their third straight wins.
Wairarapa-Bush, the reigning Meads Cup champions scored a scratchy 16-8 win over King Country at Masterton.
North Otago overcame traditional rivals South Canterbury, but missed out on a bonus point, with a 26-7 win in Oamaru.
Wairarapa led King Country 6-0 at halftime through two John Dodd penalties but the King Country pack had a clear edge in the forward exchanges, especially in the scrum where the home side struggled to maintain a stable platform.
An early second-half try by lock Dan Griffin gave Wairarapa an 11-0 lead and after Jared Murrell kicked a penalty for King Country, the home side were in again, winger Lance Stevenson scored an intercept try.
King Country had the final say with Eric Vaogo scoring a try on fulltime but by then it was a case of too little too late.
North Otago prop Lotu Tonga scored an early try and three penalties to second five-eighth Glenn Dickson had South Canterbury 16-0 down at halftime and struggling.
North Otago stretched their lead when winger Lemi Masoe crashed through two tackles to score straight after the break, but South Canterbury worked their way back into the game, pinning North Otago in their own 22 for 10 minutes.
The visitors were finally rewarded after 69 minutes when fullback Garth Hand finished off a break from second five-eighth Steve Kotua to reduce North Otago's lead to 21-7.
North Otago's third try was scored by flanker Seko Qaraniqio with four minutes.
In Ruatoria, Buller midfielder Marcus Taylor scored four tries in a 38-7 win over East Coast.
The Coast had no answer to the strong running second five-eighth, who also set up a try for No 8 Jo Yalayala as Buller banked a bonus point within the first 30 minutes, racing out to a 31-0 halftime lead.
Last year's Meads Cup runners-up, Wanganui came from behind to pocket four precious points, beating Poverty Bay 22-20 in Wanganui.
Wanganui were 7-20 down at halftime but led by some ferocious play from prop Mike Thompson, Wanganui had two second half tries on the board within five minutes and went in front for good with a Steelie Koro penalty 20 minutes later.
At Greymouth, West Coast turned on a second half try-fest to beat Thames Valley 34-17.
It was their second win in three games after they beat Horowhenua-Kapiti 31-17 last Saturday.
Behind 12-14 at halftime, with Thames Valley scoring two converted tries through No 8 Peni Halai and midfield back Steven Hill, West Coast took control of the game in the second half and emerged with maximum points.
Maleli Tora, Nick Linklater, Nathan Iafata, Ofa Misa, Eroni Uluiborotu and James Ferguson scored a try each while Cory Simpson kicked two conversions.
