Scouts were scouring the nooks and crannies of Linton Camp for players as crisis time looms for the soldiers next weekend.

On Saturday, Linton Army got the win it needed over Te Kawau to stay alive in the race for the top six.

But this week, the New Zealand Army team is at the inter-services tournament in Auckland and 15 of Linton's 26-man squad will be playing there.

A handful might be able to return for next Saturday's clash with Kia Toa but even so, the soldiers will need more reinforcements than that. Army rugby is important just now with the Army test against the British army a big deal at Arena Manawatu on Friday, May 25.

The backline depth of the supercharged College Old Boys has also been hit. First-five Blair Campbell is due to have his cast removed from his wrist, Turbos wing Andre Taylor injured his liver playing for the Manawatu academy against Palmerston North Boys' High School's 1st XV last Wednesday and is out for six weeks while midfield back Sam Mitchell was heavily concussed on Saturday and sent to hospital by ambulance. A citing might be pending from that after an alleged dangerous tackle.

Kia Toa leapt into second spot with a hard-fought win over Feilding but lost ace flanker Ma'ake Tu'ipulotu in the opening minute with a shoulder injury.

Coach Tasi Tahuna wasn't bothered by missing a bonus point because the top three looks safe and Feilding has games against the leading sides to come.

In an otherwise clean game, there was an all-in brawl which saw Kia lock Fraser Stone and a bloodied Nick Crosswell sinbinned. Turbos player Crosswell got through his first game of the season.

Oroua envoys were hollering about the unfairness of chopping the competition when Marist needed a last-second try to beat Oroua on FMG Stadium.

FOB secured its best scalp and probably a top six spot by holding out Varsity.

FOB 14 VARSITY 10
A forward battle took place with Varsity hammering away in the last 20 minutes but great FOB defence held out. FOB scored two tries to one, one from a backline move but otherwise the back play was ordinary. Varsity's ball never got past the centre.

FOB led 14-7 at halftime, took two tightheads in the first half but the scoring was all over after an hour. The game was marred by a lot of penalties and FOB did well not to have someone binned during the last-quarter onslaught.

Lock Jeremy Waitoa continued his top form as did captain Exham Wichman. Ref Mark Jackson went off injured 30 minutes from time.

At Johnston Park:
FOB 14 (Lawrence Brickland, Jeremy Waitoa tries; Gordon Thomas 2 con)
Varsity 10 (Max Pearson try; Chris Brown con, pen)
HT 14-7.

MARIST 22 OROUA 18
By the 13th minute, Oroua had scored its two tries and led 12-0. That irked Marist, which rolled over from a lineout three minutes later but the killer was a try on halftime by lock Chris Long to close it to 15-14 to Oroua.

The second half was up and down the Oval, both packs going well, the Oroua forwards up a notch on the previous week. Desperate cover defence halted Marist's threequarters while Turbo Johnny Leota made many strong breaks. It took until the 75th minute before more points were scored, and way into injury time, Marist lock Lisiate Fa'aoso scored to break Oroua's hearts.

At FMG Stadium:
Marist 22 (Fred Whitton, Chris Long, Lisiate Fa'aoso tries; Johnny Leota 2 con, pen)
Oroua 18 (Daniel Rodden Shaun Poole tries; Walker Jacobs con, 2 pen)
HT 14-15.

BUSH 18 FREYBERG 10
This was an open game, Bush producing a solid forward effort including a strong scrum. Two tries to promising hooker Jacob Tipene, one after half an hour and the other in the 60th minute, saw Bush go 18-3 ahead.

Freyberg's try to American Cory Joseph came 10 minutes from the end after a quick tap by flanker Elliki Gavidi. Bush tried moving the ball in the backs but Freys' rearranged backline shut it down. Freys had a good second half and their fitness held until the end. Halfback Daniel McLean was again into everything for Freys as were Duncan Law, Chris Harris and Brandon Young for Bush.

At Colquhoun Park:
Bush 18 (Jacob Tipene 2 tries; Matty James 2 pen, con)
Freyberg 10 (Cory Joseph try; Joel Burns pen; Taha Wihongi con) HT 11-3.

LINTON ARMY 25 TE KAWAU 15
Linton should have been out of sight at halftime but instead led only 6-3. The first half was all Linton, countless attacks with first-five Cody Hall kicking to corners but thanks to poor finishing, couldn't get through the Te Kawau defence.

The 15 minutes after halftime saw a blitz of scoring, Te Kawau over from the kickoff and Linton replying immediately through weak tackling. It was an even second half, Te Kawau fighting back in the last 10 minutes with a late try and close to another, but Linton was out to 25-10 by then.

Te Kawau even turned down a late penalty for a bonus point. Its best were Bryan Matenga and wing Nathan Ellwood.

At Linton Camp:
Linton Army 25 (Tim Kareko, Aaron James, Hayden Triggs tries; Jimmy Reid con; Cody Hall con, 2 pen)
Te Kawau 15 (Anthony Porima, Aaron Arnott tries; Karl Field pen, con)
HT 6-3.

COLLEGE OB 59 HSOB 7
COB bombed three tries at the start but still ran in nine tries, lethal down the blindside. Like a swarm of angry bees, COB ran from everywhere and was too fast using quick ruck ball. At the end it took the foot off to allow HSOB a consolation try.

HSOB was blown away by the pace and fitness of COB, was barrelled in the scrums but competed in the lineouts. HSOB's best were Paul Rodgers, Damon Neal and Bertus Mulder but it badly missed Rob Foreman and Ben Stanley. The backs saw little ball and fell off tackles.

At Arena Manawatu:
COB 59 (Thomas Trollope 2, Fabian Snaith 2, Sam Mitchell, Hamish Gosling, Talau Hala, Matt Ball, Jason Morgan tries; Aaron Cruden 2 con; Morgan 2 pen, 2 con)
HSOB 7 (Frank Lene try, con).

KIA TOA 26 FEILDING 8
A sexy banana kick off the right boot of Kias first-five Graham Smith was collected by wing Siaosi Anamani who scored to kill Yellows' hopes.

After a penalty shootout at the start between Smith and Brad Carr, Feilding had the better of the first half, playing downhill, robbing ruck ball, its scrum strong and its backs catching Kias out wide. Paula Maisiri's corner try was inevitable but a try on halftime by Kias centre Jarred Saunders off a lineout was key.

Kia Toa did the same in the second half, more ball and territory, putting up lofted kicks and keeping the pressure on. Feilding strangely passed up numerous shots at goal and resorted to running from its own line from which Anamani intercepted for his second.

Antony Papenfus and Aaron Smith shone for Yellows as did Joggie Viljoen and Tonga Folau for Kias.

At Bill Brown Park:
Kia Toa 26 (Siaosi Anamani 2, Jarred Saunders tries; Graham Smith 3 pen, con)
Feilding 8 (Paula Maisiri try; Brad Carr pen)
HT 14-8.