Edendale, Midlands book top four spots with big wins

In Southland’s division one club rugby action it was Edendale and Midlands who were the big winners in the penultimate week of the second round on Saturday.

Both teams confirmed their places in the top four alongside Wyndham after their wins on Saturday.

Midlands beat Waikaka 37-13 in Waikaka. Waikaka created the most opportunities in the first half but let most of them slip.

When Waikaka lost a midfielder to the sin-bin the Midlands backline took advantage of the overlap and scored to make it 8-8 at half time, Midlands had struggled to go forward in the first half but were clinical in the third quarter scoring four tries.

Ben McKercher was equally good at first five-eighth and in at halfback in the second half.

Blindside Sam Brame had another good game and lock Hamish Anderson worked hard for the full 80 minutes.

Edendale remain in second place on the points table after their 52-3 win against DrummondLimehills-Star.

DLS were still in contention at half time when trailing 14-3, but the well-drilled Edendale team were just warming up.

The magpies scored four tries in the last quarter. Fullback Bram Fodie score three of his teams eight tries. Nathan Gutsell, Kurt Schrader and Ziggy Marley were the other top performers.

Midfielders Jack Maguire and Dan McIlwrick were the visitors best, halfback Richie Alison also had a high work-rate.

DLS assistant coach Anton Langford said; ’’We held them until half time but then ran out of puff, they were too slick out wide and we couldn’t contain them.’’

Wyndham recorded a 24-0 win over Waiau Star in Tuatapere.

Wyndham started with the elements at their backs and gained the territory advantage and used it to good effect. They scored all of their points in the first half. Captain Joe McRae was man of the match in the midfield, lock Logan Howe and wing Sione Kaufonoga also impressed.

Wyndham manager Mike Henderson said they made hard work for themselves for periods of the first half.

‘‘Waiau’s forwards hit us hard up front, full credit to them for keeping us scoreless in the second half. We were really proud of our boys discipline and not reacting to the negative play in the last 20 minutes.’’

Waiau spokesman Blayne deVries is getting disappointed with his teams familiar slow starts but found positives from the overall performance.

‘‘We kept them behind the advantage line regularly and we felt we had the better of the second half - even with 14 players for a time. We were lucky some players came out of the woodwork to ensure we had a full team, these new combinations showed against a well organised unit.’’

Prop Cody de Vries played some good rugby while halfback Liam Adams and wing Callum Swan also had some classy touches.

Riversdale earned a much needed 20-17 win in Te Anau. Riversdale were ahead 7-5 at halftime.

Hooker Mathew Tayles and flanker Caine McIntyre were the standout players. First five-eighth Willy Tree controlled the game well.

Riversdale coach Garth Lindsay was pleased with the win.

‘‘It was a tough physical battle - as it should be when playing for the Bedford Compton Shield. It was a strong forward effort on the back of a dominant scrum, which was very pleasing considering we only had eight fit forwards who all played 80 minutes.’’