South Canterbury’s impressive 56-0 win over Buller has put the Green and Blacks clear at the top of the Heartland Championship.
South Canterbury scored eight tries at the Raukapuka Reserve, with first five Willie Wright landing all eight conversions.
It was their third win in three games, all with bonus points, putting them two points clear of Thames Valley, the only other unbeaten side who they face in round six of the championship in Paeroa.
South Canterbury also extended their championship streak to 24 and remain hot favourites to complete a threepeat of titles.
North Otago were stunned by East Coast 38-29 to lose their unbeaten record. Those two sides are tied in third place on 11 points.
Mid Canterbury managed their first win of the season to get off the foot of the table with a 43-14 win over Horowhenua Kapiti.
South Canterbury head to Oamaru on Saturday to take on North Otago, with the added spice of three trophies on the line against the Old Golds — the Bill Direen Memorial Cup, Phil Gard Memorial Cup and Hanan Shield.
At Geraldine, Buller made the early running and missed three penalty attempts so South Canterbury were lucky to be ahead 21-0 at the break, with two tries late in the half.
In the second half the flood gates opened with South Canterbury running in a further five tries as Buller had no answer to the hosts.
Wing Lisiate Folau scored a brace along with the impressive No 8 Siu Kakala, with blindside Solomone Lavaka, wing Clarence Moli and fullback Liueli Simote also dotting down.
The other games in the round were relatively close, with King Country 23 beating Whanganui 17, Wairarapa-Bush 30 getting past Poverty Bay 24 and secondplaced Thames Valley 30 defeating West Coast 22 in Greymouth.
Only Buller and Horowhenua-Kapiti are winless so far this season.
Points: South Canterbury 15; Thames Valley 13; North Otago, East Coast 11; West Coast, Wairarapa-Bush 10; Poverty Bay, Whanganui 7; Mid Canterbury 5; King Country 4; Buller 1.
