Six OBM players are set to make their debut off the reserves bench: Te Aho Morice, Shaquaid Hihi, Jordan Kingi, Josh Talaese, Rico Te Kani and Manny-Patrick Crawford. Changes in personnel often reflect the vitality of a club and in terms of quality, Morice — Ngati Porou East Coast representative No.1168 — debuted for the Sky Blues in 2018 and is an elusive speedster.
OBM head coach Clint Pirihi is enjoying his role: “I’m excited about the young guys we have coming through, as I’ve yet to see what they can do, and guys impressing me at the moment are tomorrow’s starting front row of Myles, Lance Dickson and Ngahiwi Manuel, but I can’t go past Keanu Taumata (fetcher) and our captain No.8 Rikki Terekia. Leroy, De-Villa and our young halfback Cruz Hinaki — they’re all putting their hands up.”
HSOB will field no debutants in Week 2. As a unit, they have discussed improving on and off the field of play and with setting a good example in mind, Danny Boyle said: “In this starting line-up, we’ve gone for experience in the forwards — we want them to lay a stable platform on which our backs can express themselves.”
That HSOB conceded only two second-half tries against the defending champions Waikohu last week — that juggernaut having led their hosts on Oval 2 by 31-0 at halftime — may be taken as a character reference. It is easy to throw the hands up, scatter or flee against opponents like Waikohu. HSOB did none of those things, although the final score was 43-0.
A hard-earned win or good competitive showing can turn a club’s prospects and outlook around. Both HSOB and OBM have the pedigree and ability to play excellent rugby. OBM fetcher Keanu Taumata and HSOB skipper and No.8 Tamanui Hill are both coming off Taste One Most Valuable Player award-winning performances. YMP No.8 Stuart Leach undoubtedly was a worthy recipient of the 2022 Tiny White Medal as the best player on Opening Day, but Taumata and Hill were in the reckoning.
Their clubs will want that same effort again and then some, one side having held their opposition scoreless, the other yet to score. They’ll have equal opportunity under Les Thomas, a mature official who last Saturday controlled a Senior 1 then Premier game back to back.
Whether the easterly wind or rain forecast for tomorrow do eventuate, Thomas and his fellow referees deserve and do appreciate good behaviour from the rugby community.
The feeling between YMP and Ngatapa is the stuff of club rugby legend.
That was proven on the game’s greatest stage at Rugby Park in 2005, when right wing Blake Charteris scored all 18 of Ngatapa’s points in their 18-15 win against YMP in the grand final. It was the first time the green and whites had won the Premier Grade in 22 years.
A year later, Paul Nepe scored the try and Kahu Tamatea kicked the conversion and penalty goal that gave YMP a 10-7 win — and the Lee Bros Shield.
Tamatea, in his role as head coach of YMP, now as then sees the big pictue but keeps things as simple as possible for his hard-working East Coast Farm Vets YMP crew.
“We simply want to build phases, keep our discipline and have fun,” he said.
“As for players to keep an eye out for tomorrow, Xavier Bartlett — who’s moved up from Christchurch — has got a great skill-set and can play anywhere in the backline.”
Bartlett will again play on the left wing, but YMP — coming as they are off a 53-10 win against Pirates — are also happy with where they are up front.
Loosehead prop Nehe Papuni got a well-deserved try last week, captain hooker Shayde Skudder is as industrious as he is focused and they have ball-winners of the calibre of Willis Tamatea at lock, not to mention 2022 Tiny White medallist No.8 Leach.
Former Waikohu Lee Bros Shield-winning player-coach Ra Broughton at halfback gives his new club the same passion and, with the likes of right wing Te Peehi Fairlie — who scored the Senior 1 YMP Bumbles’ last try to earn a 22-22 draw last Saturday — and 2019 Tiny White medallist Andrew Tauatevalu at fullback, there is black-and-white firepower.
The front-row battle, in terms of a contest, should be a great one at Barry Park. It is a home game for YMP, but Ngatapa loosehead prop Campbell Chrisp thrives on contact. He led the great country club to Lee Bros Shield glory in 2013 as he did the Campion College first 15, alongside the Broadhurst brothers (lock and loose-forward Michael, who scored seven tries for Japan, and All Black test lock James) under legendary coach John McInnes at u19 level in 2004.
Larsawn Ngatapa pushed, prodded and poked OBM first-up at the Oval but could not break through. That said, they are honest toilers, none more so than captain and blindside flanker Dan Law.
“Hopefully we got all the rust out last weekend, because I think YMP look like a hard, fast team again this year,” Law said.
“Tomorrow will be a tough battle, but the boys have dusted themselves off and are keen to go again.”
Ngatapa coaches Heith Hawea and Matt Evans have given the upcoming contest just as much thought.
“Last night we had a clarity session,” Hawea said.
“We need to be accurate and get good ruck-ball, so we can control the tempo of the game.
“They came on Tuesday to fix what needed to be addressed from Saturday. They want to improve and we know that we can play better.”
