Buller in final
THE country’s smallest union Buller will take on defending champions Wanganui in the final of the Heartland Championship.
A brave Buller outfit upset South Canterbury 16-6 in Timaru yesterday while Wanganui had too much class for a plucky Wairarapa Bush, winning 58-26.
It will be Wanganui’s ninth Meads Cup final since the championship began in 2006 and they are hot favourites to add a fifth title at Cooks Garden.
In the Lochore Cup semifinals (for fifth to eighth place), North Otago stunned top qualifiers Mid Canterbury with a 36-24 victory.
North Otago will travel to Te Kuiti to take on defending champions King Country, who had a hard-fought 48-26 win over Poverty Bay after being up 20-0 early.
Buller coach Craig Scanlon was delighted with the win.
‘‘It was a gutsy effort, especially in defence. I never thought we would be able to hold South Canterbury to one try,’’ he said. ‘‘I am very proud of the boys.’’ In Wanganui the classy hosts put in a burst of 32 unanswered points in 12 minutes, midway through the first half, to burn Wairarapa Bush.
After that both sides scored 26 points but the game was gone.
Wairarapa Bush coach Josh KAI SCHWOERER/GETTY IMAGES Syms said they went to Wanganui with high hopes but in the end didn’t have the firepower to chase the game.
‘‘Wanganui were just bigger and stronger at the breakdowns and we couldn’t match their physicality.
‘‘They are a classy outfit so we are not too disappointed.’’
In Ashburton, the Lochore Cup’s lowest-ranked team North Otago belied their status with a great performance.
With halfback Robbie Smith outstanding they stretched their 22-8 halftime lead to 38-8 before Mid Canterbury salvaged a couple of late tries. Lock Jared Whitburn also put in a great performance for the victorious Old Golds.