For the Sky Blues’ starting 15, wily Peter Mirrielees moves from hooker to loosehead prop for Jody Tuhaka, second-row players Riki Waitoa and Richard Green have made way for Gabe Te Kani and Trent Boswell-Wakefield.
Green moves to the blindside flank, captain and No.6 Hone Haerewa is the new fetcher, in place of last week’s MVP (most valuable player) Tanira Tamanui-Nepia.
Teina Potae — a late change from the reserves bench to the right wing last Saturday —will start on the left wing for Ngarohi McGarvey-Black. Tutere Waenga is at centre for a try-scoring hero from last week, Tawhao Stewart, who moves to the right wing.
For Buller, Tuala Tauasosi has come into tighthead prop for Tim Dallison, lock Sam Godwin replaces Luke Watson, Jack Ferguson is at halfback for Thor Manawatu, and Erenimo Tau will start at centre for Mitieli Kaloudigibeci, who moves to fullback in place of Jesse Pitman-Joass.
Barry Townrow, Buller Rugby Football Union life member, past president of the Buller Rugby Union and the radio voice of cardinal-and-blue rugby since 1985, said: “Our guys make a huge effort all over the park every week and they’re impressive in the forwards. Anthony Ellis (captain and hooker) takes a huge lot on his shoulders there, and he leads from the front.”
Last night, Gear said of his NPEC crew, that: “The boys are pumped up for an exciting occasion. It’s club day and our halfback Sam Parkes’s 50th game as well.”
Parkes, who won 19 Poverty Bay caps in 2013 and ’14, debuted for the Coast on June 2, 2012 — the Sky Blues’ unsuccessful bid for the PJ Sayers Cup, contested in games against Poverty Bay when the Coast play at home. The Bay won 42-27, in Ruatoria.
In 2012 he came off the bench in the second half of the Coast’s 29-27 Meads Cup final victory, for NPEC centurion Charlie Harrison. His captain from second five-eighth at Whakarua Park that day, former New Zealand Maori representative Te Rua Reihana Tipoki, said: “Sam was a fierce competitor from the start and it’s been great to see him become a leader for that team . . . who’s experienced the highs and lows. That team, that jersey, means as much to him as anyone.”
Also on the bench tomorrow for the Coast will be Sky Blue No.1005, the mercurial, Meads Cup final match-winning try-scorer, utility back Verdon Bartlett.
The Coast (three points), Wairarapa-Bush (one point), Buller and King Country are placed ninth to 12th in the competition, with the Sky Blues the only one of those four sides to have come within seven points of their opposition a month before what will be the inaugural three-way split into top four (Meads Cup), middle four (Lochore Cup) and bottom four (trophy as yet unnamed).
NPEC pushed North Otago, in the season opener, and Horowhenua-Kapiti, in Week 3, to the final whistle. They trailed Thames Valley 18-14 at halftime on September 25 and only a converted try separated them from competition leaders South Canterbury (20pts) at the split last Saturday.
This season, Buller haves fought hard in tough losses to South Canterbury, who took the spoils 48-13, Poverty Bay (76-14), Thames Valley (30-15) and Horowhenua-Kapiti (27-12). Games 1 and 4 were home games.
Tomorrow the home team will be looking for their ninth win against Buller, in the 30th meeting between the teams, since the men in cardinal and blue beat NPEC 33-4 at Victoria Square in Westport on May 15, 1976.
Buller beat the Coast 54-19 at Westport on August 24, 2019, having won the last game at Ruatoria by 54-17 on September 30, 2017. The Sky Blues’ last win against Buller, 20-18, came at Whakarua Park on September 8, 2012.
Buller beat NPEC 10-3 at Ruatoria on June 9, 1979, on their first trip up, with the Coast’s first win — 40-22 — on home soil coming at Uawa Domain, Tolaga Bay, on August 29, 1987.
The referee for tomorrow’s game is 29-year-old Tipene Cottrell, of Hawke’s Bay. He controlled the Sky Blues’ 2021 season opener against Thames Valley at Whakarua Park. His NPEC assistant referees are Eruera Kawhia (AR1) and Matt Richards (AR2).
