A dream-come-true final

TVC skipper Moana Mato with the Rangiora Keelan Memorial Shield after victory over Hikurangi in the 2017 final.

RUGBY

Tihirau Victory Club versus Uawa is a sports nut’s dream come true.

TVC go into the 2021 Enterprise Cars Ngati Porou East Coast club rugby final at home — Te Kura Mana Maori o Whangaparaoa at 2.30pm tomorrow, having won 11 of 12 games and the Kath McLean Memorial Cup and Jury Harrison Memorial Cup for Rounds 1 and 2 respectively. They beat a gutsy Ruatoria City crew 22-14 in the 1 v 2 semifinal.

TVC’s player-depth and nous is such that the changes head coach Whetu Haerewa has made to last Saturday’s starting line-up have odds-on been made primarily for tactical reasons, because the individual skills, form and confidence of every squad member is at peak.

Hooker Te Taawhi Takuira-Mita is in for Ben Houia, lock Duane Waititi replaces Tee Oeti, and Ngarangi Haerewa is at halfback for Anaru Waiariki.

Mo Mato — the man who in 2017 led TVC to their first title in 27 years, the epic, 24-21 extra-time deliverance from then-defending champions Hikurangi at Whakarua Park in Ruatoria — has reminded his people of the journey they’ve made and what may now be coming their way.

“We’ve been looking forward to this. It’s been an awesome season for us — week by week, we’ve grown,” said Mato, a member of the side for nine years.

“We expect to face fit, well-drilled opponents in Uawa. The whole competition has been tight — we expect another tough game. We’ve got to keep an eye out for Sam Parkes (halfback) with his experience and vision, and BJ Sidney (fullback) is a hard man to put down on kick-returns.”

Uawa’s Chris Richardson was a great player and is an astute coach. His message to the mighty men in blue is: “Turn up prepared to play and enjoy the moment. TVC are a very good team across the paddock — their results prove that — so we’ll have to compete hard in all facets of play.”

For the final, regular captain Scott Lasenby will take the reins back from Parkes, the Uawa game-day skipper in the 2 v 3, 29-17 semifinal triumph at Te Araroa. Lasenby will start at lock for Rikki Kernohan, with Jesse Rye coming into the side for Te Hemokai Aupouri-Akuhata on the right wing.

Lasenby’s outfit have shown real character and commitment in turning their season around. They lost to Tokararangi by 18 points to end the first round and then lost the first two games of Round 2. Incredibly, they may have learned more and gained more during the course of this season than in their years as back-to-back champions, 2018 and 2019. Then, they were simply in a class of their own.

But having to fight for it suits Lasenby and company just fine.

“Their forwards are big and their backs are slick but for us, the job now is the same as it is every time out,” said Lasenby, who has twice lifted the Rangiora Keelan Memorial Shield on behalf of Uawa.

“That job is to focus, give it everything we’ve got.”

The referee for the 2021 final is Jackson Reuben-Swinton, with Eruera Kawhia as assistant referee No.1 and Matt Richards, who controlled the 2018 and 2019 finals but coached Hikurangi this year, as AR2.

Round 1 for the Kath McLean Memorial Cup

Beat Tokomaru Bay United 81-0 A, b Uawa 26-20 A, Wk 3 cancelled, b Tokararangi 13-8 A, b Hicks Bay 41-7 A, bye, b Ruatoria City 43-10 A.

Round 2 for the Jury Harrison Memorial Cup

*Beat TBU 28-0 H, b Uawa 33-14 A, b Hikurangi 27-10 H, lost 13-14 to Tokararangi A, b HB 29-5 H, bye, *b RC 28-0 H.

Beat Ruatoria City 22-14 H.

Round 1 for the Kath McLean Memorial Cup

Beat Hicks Bay 31-13 A, lost 20-26 to TVC H, Wk 3 cancelled, b TBU 22-17 A, bye, b Hikurangi 29-3 H, lost 10-28 to Tokararangi A.

Round 2 for the Jury Harrison Memorial Cup

Lost 22-24 to Hicks Bay H, lost 14-33 to TVC H, b RC 17-15 A, b TBU 67-5 H, bye, b Hikurangi 31-10 A, lost 21-26 to Tokararangi H.

Beat Tokararangi 29-17 A.

Hikurangi beat Uawa 8-6 in Ruatoria (referee Whiti Timutimu).

Hikurangi beat Uawa 22-9 in Tolaga Bay (referee Paora Brooking).

Uawa beat Hikurangi 7-5 in Tolaga Bay (referee Paora Brooking).

Tokararangi beat Hikurangi 18-10 in Te Araroa (refeee Jimmy Green).

Tokararangi beat Uawa 17-8 in Te Araroa (referee Dallas Bond).

Uawa beat Tokomaru Bay United 24-17 in Tolaga Bay (referee Colin Shanks).

Hikurangi beat Uawa 17-11 in Ruatoria (referee Whiti Timutimu).

Hikurangi beat Waiapu 23-6 in Ruatoria (referee Tuki Sweeney).

Waiapu beat TVC 18-15 at Cape Runaway (referee Lewis Tata).

Hikurangi beat Waiapu 10-3 in Ruatoria (referee Lewis Tata).

Hikurangi beat Hicks’ Bay 26-11 in Ruatoria (referee Chris Wanoa).

Tokararangi beat Hicks’ Bay 14-5 in Te Araroa (referee Joe Coleman).

Hikurangi beat Uawa 18-16 in Tolaga Bay (referee Joe Coleman).

TVC b Hikurangi 24-21 in extra time in Ruatoria (referee Chris Wanoa).

Uawa b Tokararangi 25-21 (referee Whiti Timutimu).

Uawa b TVC 24-23 in Tolaga Bay (referee Matt Richards).

Tokararangi b TVC 13-12 in Te Araroa (referee Matt Richards).

(1-22) Rika Mato, Te Taawhi Takuira-Mita, Hirini Delamere, Bevan Hiha, Duane Waititi, Donovan Raimona, Moana Mato (captain), Hoani Te Moana, Ngarangi Haerewa, Manu Herewini, Ron-Paul McRoberts, Ash Busher, Tutere Waenga, Taleq Simeon, Verdon Bartlett. Reserves: Tuamutu Poihipi, Hamiora Ngatoro, Darryl Jackson, Sakaio Saitofiga, Tee Oeti, Tawhao Stewart/Keegan Rowley, Anaru Waiariki.

John Mathias, Jack Westenra, Maia Fox, Scott Lasenby (captain), George Waddy, Te Atapo Kirikiri, Tanira Nepia, Patrick Allen, Sam Parkes, Josh Dearden, Tipene Meihana, Te Ahimanawa Westrupp, George Sheild, Jesse Rye, BJ Sidney. Reserves: Rikki Kernohan, Guy Collins, Jay Matenga, Caleb Billington, Chance Pohatu, Chris Richardson.