Back on deck

WELCOME BACK KEN: Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates skipper Ken Houkamau is tackled by Larsawn Ngatapa’s Peter Livingston and Chris Richardson (9) on the opening day of the Poverty Bay premier club rugby season. Houkamau won the Tiny White Medal for overall player of the day but has missed the last three matches through injury. He returns tonight against Ngatapa in the opening game of round 2. Picture by Paul Rickard

PIRATES coach Steve Smith got a triple boost ahead of his side’s premier club game against Ngatapa at Rugby Park tonight (7.30pm kick-off).

No.8 Ken Houkamau and backs TK Moeke and Carl Riini return for the clash between the bottom two teams.

“It’s Carl’s first start of the season and it couldn’t have come at a better time, the first game in the second round,” said Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates skipper Houkamau, who makes his comeback from a collarbone injury that put him out of the last three matches.

“TK hasn’t been available the past couple of weeks and having his experience in the backline is huge. Carl, who can play wing or fullback, gives us genuine strike power.”

Houkamau will resume as captain from halfback CJ Fox, who has been one of the team’s most consistent players.

Prop Anthony Kiwara, openside flanker Koro Miringaorangi and 18-year-old centre Devonte Martin have also stood out in what was a tough first round for the Buccaneers.

Miringaorangi and Martin made impressive debuts for Poverty Bay against the New Zealand Universities team here on Monday night.

“The boys who played on Monday have come back full of confidence and on paper we have a strong team, but it’s all about putting together a performance on the field,” Smith said.

Larsawn Ngatapa lost 16-14 to Pirates on the opening day after leading 14-0 with 15 minutes to play.

“It was a game we should have won and if we had we wouldn’t be still looking for our first win,” said coach Will Faulks.

Sore but ok“The guys who played for the Bay — Paddy Allen, Campbell Chrisp, Misi Akana and Cameron Rowden — all came back a bit sore but otherwise OK.

“Looking at our loss to YMP last week, we gave away too many penalties and gave the ball away to often.

“You can’t do that and expect to win so we’ve gone back to basics for tonight — catching, passing, communication etc. We need to win to get the monkey off our back.”

One player exempt from criticism for last week’s loss is skipper and Bay prop Campbell Chrisp.

“Campbell was our man of the match,” Faulks said. “He made a lot of runs and broke a lot tackles.

“He’d probably prefer to play prop but we have been forced to use him at No.8. But he’s a guy who would play anywhere I asked for the good of the team.”

Chrisp will return to loosehead prop tonight while Moses Mau makes his debut for the team at the back of the scrum.

Rowden, a first-year cadet at the Waipaoa Station Training Trust, is another who played well against YMP.

“He’s just come into the premier side. He’s not the biggest but he’s brave for a little fella and he’s settling in well.”

The good news for Ngatapa supporters is Bay centurion Sione Ngatu is back training after cutting a bone in his hand before the season started.

“Hopefully it won’t be long before Sione is playing again,” Faulks said.

“Alex Chrisp (No.8) is at least another week away from playing and we won’t have Anthony Karauria (midfield back), who is out with a head knock.”