However, two hours later Blaketown also took a bonus point from its 32 - 8 victory over South Westland to finish the one-round competition tied with Marist on 22 points.

Blaketown, with 205 points scored and 58 conceded, had a better differential than Marists 161-73 but competition rules demand that the trophy be shared. In the other game, Kiwi drew 5-5 with Grey Valley to salvage some respect for Westland, which hosted all three senior
matches.

Home ground advantage counted for little as Wests succumbed to an under strength Marist on a sodden Westland High School ground. Marist`s win was not as easy as the score suggests, Wests were willing but lacked the size and grunt up front.

They held the Greens to 12-3 at half-time and were unlucky to not claim two tries.

One was ruled out when the player who touched down was ahead of the teammate that toed the ball over the line and the second, another old-fashioned dribbling rush, ended with the final kick rolling over the dead ball line before the chasers could get to it.

"Welsh prop Aled Thomas leaves a trail of destruction behind him,
as he crashes over for a try against Wests on Saturday"

Marist’s first-half points came from wings Melali Mudu and Callum Hart, and a superb sideliner conversion from fullback Alex Webber, Young No 8 Napoleone Langi played a big part in the victory; scoring a second half hat trick to take the score, with conversions, to 29-0 before a Field goal from the Welsh wizard, Webber, and a late try to another Welshman, prop Aled Thomas, completed the scoring.

Wests struck First with a Sean Meldrum penalty and their backs looked threatening early; but eventually fell into a pattern of kicking everything away a folly because Webber used his prodigious boot or counter attacking skills to return every kick, with interest.

Langi had a powerful game off the back of the Marist scrum. Thomas and lock Mike Meehan toiled in the tight, and little wing Melali Mudu was totally involved on a field not conducive to his fleet of foot.

Loose forward Jeremy Dwyer was Wests player of the day and he had good support from the tireless Lee Foster.

By the time Kiwi and Grey Valley took the field two previous games had turned the Westland High School ground into a mud bath.

The scores were tied 0-0 at the break and it was midway through the second spell beibre Thomas Payne crashed over wide out to put Kiwi in front, 5-0.

First-five Dan Tauwhare revelled in the conditions, as did 40 year old Hooker Garry Lang, who set a fine example for the Kiwi pack.

Valley levelled the scores with a late try beside the posts but, fittingly, the conversion missed and the honours were shared.

Marist 37 (M Mudu, C Hart, N Langi 3, A Thomas tries, Webber 2 cons, field goal)
Wests 3 (S Meldrum pen)