Round 3 Winners
Mid Canterbury extended its lead in the Pink Batts Heartland championship on Saturday when beating closest rival Wairarapa Bush 29-23 at Ashburton.
Mid Canterbury had to come from behind, however, as they were down 9-17 at half-time.
However, two tries to wing Dwayne Burrowes and good goal-kicking from Murray Williams, who landed 19 points from five penalty goals and two conversions, saw Mid Canterbury come home hard.
Wairarapa Bush could only score through two penalty goals to Glen Walters in the second half.
North Otago claimed a key win when ending East Coast’s three-year unbeaten run at home when winning 25-23 while Wanganui got their first win with a 25-23 victory over South Canterbury.
Pink Batts Heartland Championship:
Mid Canterbury 29 (Dwayne Burrows 2 tries; Murray Williams 2 con, 5 pen)
Wairarapa Bush 23 (Johnie McFadzean, Paul Tikimainavalu tries; Glen Walters 2 con, 3 pen). HT: 9-17
Thames Valley 23 (Kent McFarlane, Kane Adams, Carlin Hana tries; Adams con, 2 pen)
Buller 18 (Phil Beveridge, Iliesa Ravudra 2 tries; Jesse Elley pen). HT: 20-0
Wanganui 24 (Andrew Evans, Vaan Rauhina tries; Zyon Hekenui con, 4 pen)
South Canterbury 23 (Kurt Rooney, Timaru Tafa tries, Sam Vaevae 2con, 3 pen). HT: 23-11
East Coast 23 (Whaimotu Craft-Chemis, Ricky Waitoa, Lloyd Gabriel, Tom Teaeki tries; Sikeli Vorenasu pen)
North Otago 25 (Uilisoni Tahitua, Robbie Smith tries; Ben Patston 3 pen; Ed Keohane 2 pen). HT: 10-11
Horowhenua Kapiti 19 (Etuale Togia, Alfred Pelenise tries; Adrian Curry 3 pen)
King Country 18 (Whakataki Cunningham, Anthony Wise tries; Cunningham con, 2 pen). HT: 9-6
West Coast 30 (Nick Makea, Suamalie Tuiletufuga, Heroshi Tea, Rowan O’Gorman tries; Tim Priest 2 con, 2 pen)
Poverty Bay 14 (Leon Ake try; Sam Parkes 3 pen). HT: 8-11
Adams help Thames Valley to the top
Thames Valley’s run in the Pink Batts Heartland Rugby competition owes plenty to the goal-kicking of Kane Adams.
He is the dominant scorer with 41 points, from a try, three conversions and 10 penalty goals in the competition’s three rounds to date.
Top points scorers in Pink Batts Heartland Rugby
41 Kane Adams (Thames Valley) one try, 3 con, 10 pen
35 Tim Priest (West Coast) 4 con, 9 pen
Glen Walters (Wairarapa Bush) 7 con, 6 pen, 1 dgoal
33 Murray Williams (Mid Canterbury) 6 con, 7 pen
28 Whakataki Cunningham (King Country) 2 tries, 4 con, 3 pen
23 Liam Edwards (South Canterbury) one try, 3 con, 4 pen
Adrian Curry (Horowhenua Kapiti) one con, 7 pen
Top try scorers:
2 Iliesa Ravudra (Buller)
Tom Teaeki (East Coast)
Ricky Waitoa (East Coast)
Whakataki Cunningham (King Country)
Dean Church (King Country)
Anthony Wise (King Country)
Esera Lauina (Mid Canterbury)
Dwayne Burrowes (Mid Canterbury)
Finbarr Kerr-Newell (Wairarapa Bush)
Paul Tikimainavalu (Wairarapa Bush)
Rowan O’Gorman (West Coast)
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