Buller upset South Canterbury

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 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.

For Buller, No 8 Daniel Hytongue had a huge game while hooker Anthony Ellis was everywhere.

First-five James Lash showed his class in the second half, cleverly using the strong easterly wind at his back to keep South Canterbury pinned in their own half.

Outside Lash, Penijamini

Nabainivalu played well while fullback Anthony Tailua tested the defence when he ran and was superb under the high ball.

South Canterbury’s best were loose forwards Matt Etheredge and Nick Strachan.

The ‘Green and Blacks’ backline largely misfired although second-five Kevin Moore made some strong runs but never looked like breaching Buller’s abrasive defence in the second half.

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.

Wanganui put in a comprehensive team performance from one through to 22 and scored six tries.

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.

King Country ensured at least one of the two top teams would be in the final and will be favoured to retain their Lochore Cup crown.