Late try flurry for home side

Extraordinary goings-on at high-altitude Kimbolton almost rendered the first 75 minutes of the clash there redundant on Saturday.

Home team Feilding Old Boys-Oroua scored three tries in the last five minutes to retain the Centennial Shield lead and were ecstatic to shut out a distraught Te Kawau by 41-29.

Yet with 20 minutes to play, Te Kawau led 26-20 and were on track to get the win they badly needed to press for a top-four spot.

The Stags were as desperate as any of the deer variety not far away in the Ruahines.

On came dreadlocked No 8 Sam Aupouri, the man who had time with the Canterbury Bulldogs rugby league club, who'd been out with an infected leg, and immediately he scored.

The Stags led 27-26 only for a scrum penalty to put the Real Blokes up 29-27.

Aupouri terrified the home aficionados by grabbing the ball two metres out instead of going for goal from a penalty; he dived at Te Kawau feet and scored.

Everyone thought time was up with Te Kawau five metres from the tryline but no; they were given a penalty, spilled it and FOB-Oroua hooker Johnny Galo galloped 95 metres and the Stags scored try No 5.

The Stags won't lose their lead next week either because they clash with Freyberg who they beat 73-3 in the first round.

FOB-Oroua finished with five converted tries and survived a flat spell after halftime with Te Kawau capitalising on their mistakes.

Te Kawau, whose best were Dan Fitzgerald and second-five Brad Moffat, scored on halftime to close the gap. They now face the daunting task of having to beat Varsity next Saturday.

At Kimbolton Domain: FOB-Oroua 41 (Sam Aupouri 2, Lewis Marshall, Craig Woods, Chris Hansen, tries; Woods 5 con, 2 pen) Te Kawau 29 (Lote Raikabula 2, Hayden Stratford, tries; Bryce Hesselin con, 4 pen) HT 20-14

Varsity 27 College OB 14 Even without key loose forwards James Oliver (shoulder) and Callum Gibbins (hamstring) as well as Rob Thompson (flu) and Dan Fitzharris (in USA), Varsity avenged their narrow first-round loss by scoring four tries to two.

Back were wing Max Pearson and Steve Barron. Turbos prop Grant Polson was also back from Europe and stiffened the superior Varsity scrum while Willie Tran was at hooker and Turbo Rob Foreman on the flank.

In a furious first half with both teams throwing the ball around, Varsity had four chances, bombed one and nailed two to lead 10-7.

Varsity won the second half 17-7 but New Zealand under-20 triallist wing Jason Harvey scored off a fine COB back attack, following a good long-range individual try in the first half.

 Both teams were out on their feet after long phases of play but Varsity's domination led to a Max Pearson try from broken play.

Most of COB's attacking came in the last 10 minutes with Chris Long, David and Duncan Walker their best. Other students to shine were lock Brad Kilgour and halfback Dan Waldon.

At Arena Manawatu: Varsity 27 (Steve Barron 2, JJ Carberry, Max Pearson, tries; Cody McGrath 2 con; Isaac Thompson pen) COB 14 Jason Harvey 2 tries; Brad Truesdale 2 con) HT 10-7.

Linton Army 20 Feilding 12

Linton snared their third win in a row, keeping their structure and not giving away intercept passes.

They had a strong first half, mostly camped on the Yellows 22 but led only 3-0 until Feilding scored a good try through the backs.

Linton replied with a converted try to lead 10-5 at halftime.

The second spell was tighter, marked by good defence, turnovers and dropped ball.

With 20 to go, a Feilding turnover on attack saw Linton score from 95 metres out, Nick Wickham zig-zagging past seven players.

Feilding hit back when Matt Harvey finished a 70-metre attack to trail only 15-12 with 10 minutes left.

Linton's forwards controlled the last 10, scored in the last play and Yellows lost their bonus point. Brad Carr had an off day with his goal-kicking for Feilding.

At Linton Army Camp: Linton Army 20 (Tom Kirikiri, Nick Wickham, Dane Berghan, tries; Vince Salmon con, pen) Feilding 12 (Dan Smith, Matt Harvey, tries; Brad Carr con) HT 10-5.

Kia Toa 29 OB-Marist 20

This was an arm wrestle in scrums and breakdowns but OB-Marist can look at their fatal errors.

An early Kias try came when Vaha Kilisimasi charged down a Jason Temara clearance, Jason Osborne scored from an intercept off Frankie Bryant, Temara missed a kick from almost in front and Tevita Taufui scored a runaway when the defence opened up.

Those tremors aside, OB-M had more territory, especially in the second half. Both teams were counting their wounded – Kias without Tonga Folau (serious leg injury), Scott Curry (elbow), first-five Whitiaua Black gone for the season (pectoral tear) and hooker Bryn Templeman injured a knee after a few minutes.

OBM were minus Sean O'Connor (neck) and later lost Ryan O'Connor injured.

Prop Isaac Tupai had another burly game but their star and maybe a Turbos prospect was wing Waisea Qiokata who scored two tries and saved another with a tackle in the corner on Paul Tietjens.

Again Taufui was lethal for Kias as he chopped through. Kilisimasi was aggressive until binned and David Towers found gaps from the OBM wing.

At Bill Brown Park: Kia Toa 29 (Vaha Kilisimasi, Bethel Fauolo, Jason Osborne, Tevita Taufui, tries; Paul Tietjens 3 con, pen) OB-Marist 20 (Waisea Qiokata 2, Chris Long, tries; Jason Temara, con, pen) HT 22-12.

Freyberg 44 Dannevirke 17

Freys did the double against Dannevirke, scoring seven tries to three, belying a closer game than that.

Possession and territory were shared and Freyberg led only 10-5 at halfway and 17-10 before the final quarter.

Dannevirke backchat didn't help them and Freys scored four tries in the last 10 minutes, 34 points in the second half.

Their men who had played for the Bs, including coach Koli Sewabu, began making the breaks, most from inside their own half.

For Freys, Iliesa Salusalu and Viliami Fakava were strong in midfield and sound games from Willie Liuvaie, Hese Lomu, Josh Mackey, Taha Wihongi and Willy Doctor.

Dannevirke made breaks but couldn't finish, notably wing Wilton Atkins and centre Josh Roberts and lock Vaughan Wrenn prominent in a strong scrum and lineout.