Kia Toa might never get a better chance of putting the skids under the almost indomitable College Old Boys than on Saturday.

But no matter how hard Kias tried, COB still won going away and snared yet another bonus point for four tries, as the maroon men did against Kias in week three.

It is also likely COB will be able to more easily replace its key Manawatu Turbos players from its well- stocked cellar than will Kias who rely heavily on Joggie Viljoen, Graham Smith and Daniel Alofa.

They produced a quality match at FMG Stadium but COB had extra scrum grunt when needed and extra octane in the backline as gaps opened.

After Saturday's results, if there was a latent challenger perhaps it was Feilding Old Boys who put Varsity to the sword by 35 points at Johnston Park with an astonishing seven tries to zip. On the downside, FOB lost lock Alister Cox to injury.

Marist might have piled on 24 unanswered points to run over Feilding but neither appeals as a Hankins Shield-winning candidate. For Marist it was a 31-point turnaround after losing 40-19 in round one.

It was easier for players than spectators on an icy Saturday. Freyberg, with its heavy ration of Pacific Islanders, would have preferred to stay cowering in the sheds than face the polar blast at Kimbolton Domain.

Oroua might be the 11th team out of 12 but in two outings against Freyberg has scored 90 points, two doses of 45. And playing his best game in the Oroua jersey was prop Aidan Nicols, a sight that would have pleased his late father Chris.

At the army camp, Linton Army had only to put the ball into touch to snatch a draw with High School Old Boys but chaos ensued and HSOB scored the winning try with time up.

Despite missing out on the top- six, Te Kawau looks to be heading for the top-eight after blasting Bush away at Rongotea.

FEILDING OB 43, VARSITY 6
Everything clicked for FOB, the whole team played well and afterwards the Varsity men looked as if they'd won a holiday to Baghdad.

Varsity had the wind in the first half and tried running everything instead of kicking. But the FOB brick wall knocked the students over. Varsity had only one chance to score and a wild pass ruled it out, while Louis Maxwell was binned for a high shot.

Varsity didn't start with Grant Polson, Josh Bradnock or Isaac Thompson, all with niggling injuries but Bradnock and Polson came on as FOB was running amok. Led by big runs from No 8 James Su'a and flanker James Gutsell, FOB scored one try from a 35-metre maul and finished off with Hato Paora College lock Aaron Kelly scoring.

FOB piled on 26 points in the second half despite losing a string of lineouts when Cox went off.

At Johnston Park:
FOB 43 (Crete Cribb, James Su'a, John Robin, George Taura, Jeremy Waitoa, James Gutsell, Aaron Kelly tries; Gordon Thomas 2, Cribb cons).
Varsity 6 (Chris Brown pen, dg).
HT 17-6.

COB 25, KIA TOA 13
Everyone is asking; what if COB could nail its goal-kicks. So far it is winning just by scoring tries as five- eighth Aaron Cruden has yet to find his range with the boot, even if he is making searing breaks.

COB scored its customary early try and made all the early running but with the Kia forwards lifting their act, Graham Smith popped kicks into the corners although many rolled dead, and Joggie Viljoen also kicked deep.

A blindside dab saw wing Moeaki Samita over after Kurt Baker and Smith had gone close to make it 8-all at halftime. COB over-used centre Jason Morgan as the backline pivot but Aaron Good's try after a Morgan bust set the more adventurous COB away and when Thomas Trollope ran a Kias kick back, Morgan was over.

Flanker Tonga Folau scored after a 30-metre maul by Kia Toa but it badly missed Smith when he injured an ankle. Morgan and Baker were sinbinned after a needless fracas and COB, far from perfect, used its outside backs better. Vili Tosi, Matt Ball and Talau Hala also excelled for COB as did lock Fraser Stone and Stu Ross for Kias.

At FMG Stadium:
COB 25 (Fabian Snaith, Aaron Good, Jason Morgan, Aaron Cruden tries; Cruden pen, con).
Kia Toa 13 (Moeaki Samita, Tonga Folau tries; Joggie Viljoen dg).
HT 8-all.

MARIST 30, FEILDING 20
Marist's never-say-die attitude got the better of an incohesive Feilding with two late tries giving the home side a deserved win.

Feilding looked to be cruising after crossing for three tries inside the first 35 minutes, but was stung on halftime when Marist right wing Waisea Qoikata dotted down after being given room near the touchline. It gave Marist the confidence to launch its second-half rearguard action, though Feilding clung to a 20-16 lead until the 70th minute.

Then it was all Marist as first No 8 Nathan Jefferies then replacement back Mike Stack finished off well- worked blindside moves.

At Arena Manawatu:
Marist 30 (Waisea Qoikata, Nathan Jefferies, Mike Stack tries; Jason Temara 3 con, 3 pen).
Feilding 20 (David Marshall, Mike Parr, Sami Hau tries; Brad Carr con, pen).
HT 13-20.

HSOB 17, LINTON ARMY 12
Linton got its customary try after five minutes but the rest of the half was even, HSOB replying midway through the spell. A chip ahead on halftime saw Aaron James over for the soldiers to lead 12-5.

HSOB dominated territory in the second half and won it 12-0, Linton riskily running from its own 22. HSOB won good ball through lock Ben Stanley who ran like a back and its second try evened it up.

HSOB missed a penalty shot with time up, Linton attacked from it, turned it over on halfway and after two phases Alani Ngata crashed over for the winner in an entertaining game.

At Linton Camp:
HSOB 17 (Joe Harawira, Noel Corbett, Alani Ngata tries; John Dodd con).
Linton Army 12 (Grant Robson, Aaron James tries; Jon Adams con).
HT 5-12.

OROUA 45, FREYBERG 0
Oroua No 8 Kris Callon has scored five tries in two games against Freyberg, got two on Saturday and came close to four. He, Nicols, Karl Shepherd, Mike Rowe, Ali Webb and Ian Honeyfield were all over a disinterested Freyberg.

Freys didn't enjoy the sleet before the game or rain during it, spending barely a minute in the Oroua 22 despite a valiant effort from flanker Karl Robinson.

Freys' thrower and lineout jumpers were on different scripts. The Oroua forwards dwarfed Freyberg's and while they didn't play in top gear in the first half to lead 15-0, they turned it on after that.

Oroua added 30 points in the second half and could have got more than its six tries.

At Kimbolton:
Oroua 45 (Kris Callon 2, Tim Hale, Ian Honeyfield, Alistair Webb, Ashley Wildbore tries; Walker Jacobs 3 pen, 3 con).
Freyberg 0.
HT 15-0.

TE KAWAU 46, BUSH 10
Te Kawau, with former rep players Charlie Beetham and Sam Leung- Wai in the vanguard, ran in seven tries to one in a Rongotea romp.

Te Kawau had it won at halftime, scoring tries out wide with fullback Nathan Ellwood prominent.

The home team added another four in the second half into the wind, over-running Bush in one of Te Kawau's best efforts of the season. Its scrum was on top, forwards gelling even with big prop Anton Edwards having departed to a job in Taranaki.

Bush tried but was outplayed and managed only one first-half try.

At Rongotea:
Te Kawau 46 (Nathan Ellwood 2, Pio Savali, Luke Harvey, Anthony Porima, Aaron Eveleigh, Matt Avery tries; Porima 3 con, pen; Leighton Amey con).
Bush 10 (Zane Gardiner try; Matty James con, pen).
HT 29-10.