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Home / Gisborne Herald / Sport

Back to back victories for Woodbank HSOB

Gisborne Herald
18 Mar, 2023 04:39 AMQuick Read

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Woodbank HSOB retained their status as Poverty Bay’s No.1 premier club rugby team with a 16-2 victory over Enterprise Cars OBM in the Lee Bros Shield grand final at Rugby Park on Saturday. After trailing 2-0 early on, HSOB assumed control and once they went ahead 6-2, never looked like being caught. The match ended on a sour note, with three players red-carded on fulltime after an altercation, but that was only an aside to a winning send-off for head coach Wayne Ensor. “You deserve it,” HSOB captain Jody Tuhaka said as players gave Ensor a guard of honour. Pictures by Paul Rickard

Woodbank HSOB retained their status as Poverty Bay’s No.1 premier club rugby team with a 16-2 victory over Enterprise Cars OBM in the Lee Bros Shield grand final at Rugby Park on Saturday. After trailing 2-0 early on, HSOB assumed control and once they went ahead 6-2, never looked like being caught. The match ended on a sour note, with three players red-carded on fulltime after an altercation, but that was only an aside to a winning send-off for head coach Wayne Ensor. “You deserve it,” HSOB captain Jody Tuhaka said as players gave Ensor a guard of honour. Pictures by Paul Rickard

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FOR club, for team, for coach, and for history.

Woodbank HSOB had no shortage of inspiration as they achieved back-to-back Poverty Bay premier club rugby titles with a dominant 16-2 win over Enterprise Cars OBM at Rugby Park on Saturday.

It was the first time the club had done the repeat since the 1998 and ’99 seasons, and was a fitting farewell to coach Wayne Ensor, in his 129th premier game in charge, and co-coach Ian Loffler, who leaves after four seasons.

Ensor, who is co-coaching the Ngati Porou East Coast team in the Heartland Championship, was quick to deflect the praise to others.

“It’s about the whakapapa of the club, the players who have gone before, the current players and all the supporters down through the years,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier for them all.

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The man known as Lurch, however, was not about to get away with a low-key departure.

After most of the crowd had left the ground, the HSOB players and supporters formed a guard of honour from the pitch to the tunnel, as skipper Jody Tuhaka handed Ensor the shield.

“This is for you from the boys. You deserve it, “ said Tuhaka, as he handed his coach the coveted Lee Bros Shield to carry to the dressing room.

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Although his team were always in control and never looked like losing, Ensor admitted he was “worried before the game, worried throughout and worried until referee Damien Macpherson blew the final whistle”.

“Apart from the first five minutes, when OBM kicked a penalty, I felt we controlled possession and territory. Our lineouts were good and we put a lot of pressure on OBM on their throw.

“But only 14 points ahead means they were only two converted tries away from winning, so we could never really relax.”

Strong forwardsThat HSOB were so dominant was down to their forwards — Hikanui Curtis (loosehead prop), Russell Burns (hooker), Jody Tuhaka (tighthead), Leslie Hills (lock), Tanieiu Miikosi (lock), in particular their loose trio of man of the match No.8 Siosiua Moala, openside Trent Proffit and blindside Tevita Maka.

All three were men on a mission — to destroy their opposites — as they hit rucks and mauls, made tackles and took on the OBM line.

Moala, who was unable to train last week after an ankle injury in the semifinal, scored the opening try in the eighth minute.

HSOB were awarded a kickable penalty after good work from Moala, Proffit, Maka and Tuhaka.

While others debated whether to take the points or go for the touchline, Tuhaka pointed to the touchline.

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First five-eighth Corey Reihana kicked the ball to within five metres of the OBM line. Miikosi, who gets better with every game, secured possession and when the drive came on, there was no stopping Moala.

“It was good to get that try so soon after OBM scored,” Tuhaka said.

From then on, it was all HSOB as OBM were forced to defend. On the rare occasions they got their hands on the ball, it was turned over. Starved of possession, their backs had to live off scraps.

OBM halfback — and their best player on the day — Willy Grogan saved what looked to be a certain six-pointer when he stopped centre Sione Tamale from adding to the HSOB tally midway through the half.

HSOB halfback Andrew Knight put a grubber kick in behind the OBM defence. Tamale regathered and — with no defender in front of him and the line only 20 metres away — he was cheered on by HSOB supporters on their feet anticipating a try. Grogan, however, got back, caught Tamale and stopped him in his tracks.

HSOB continued to attack but had to be content with a 6-2 lead at the break.

“We didn’t use the wind at all in that first 40,” said OBM coach Stu Blair, who lost a key player during the warm-up, with blindside flanker Lynden Manuel ruled out with an ankle injury.

Pressure on Grogan and RuteneManuel had been in tremendous form amd his absence put even more pressure on James Grogan (openside) and James Rutene (No.8).

“I”m really disappointed, not so much that we lost — HSOB deserved to win — but that we didn’t play as well as I know we can,” Blair said.

Corey Reihana stretched the HSOB lead with a penalty two minutes into the second half. And after Tevita Maka was driven over following another successful lineout, six minutes later, Reihana converted for a 14-point margin.

This never looked like being closed, as OBM were forced to play the game at the wrong end of the field, apart from the odd breakout.

Even when Scott Leighton was sinbinned for a “professional foul” after repeated team infringing, HSOB looked more likely to score.

With Leighton off the field, Reihana stepped up and kept HSOB on the front foot with some raking kicks that took play deep inside OBM territory.

Although it was not a day for the backs to shine as an attacking force, HSOB wingers Mike King and Tupe were always looking for work while fullback Zane Boyle did everything asked of him.

Second-five and vice-captain James Warren made sure his 101st premier game was going to be memorable with another solid performance.

Loffler, who in his four years with the club has been a three-time winner, said Ensor deserved huge credit for his contribution over many years.

“He’s built a culture within the club that should make it easier for whoever takes over,” he said.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time coaching with Lurch but after back-to-back cricket and rugby seasons, it’s time I took a break.”

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