Battle of the Bridges Part 3 to decide Senior 1 champions

Moss Doran scores the opening try of the second half for Athletic in their Senior 1 club rugby semifinal against Uawa. Athletic won 45-10 to book a spot in the final against Tapuae. Picture supplied

The third “Battle of the Bridge” clash of the Senior 1 season will be the biggest showdown of all.

Unbeaten Roseland Tavern Tapuae Taniwha and Charteris Choppers Wairoa-Athletic will play out the Civil Project Solutions Senior 1 club rugby final at Lambton Square under the eyes of referee Matt Smith from 1.30pm tomorrow.

Tapuae, with nine wins, and two-time defending champions Athletic have been the heavyweights of Poverty Bay Senior 1 rugby in 2023.

Tapuae last held the Lew Patterson Cup aloft on July 20, 2019 —19-3 victors over Nuhaka V8s at Gisborne’s Rugby Park.

The Taniwha, who began their 2023 campaign with a 76-0 win v Horouta Te Waka on Gisborne Oval 2 and have led the 2023 race since their 29-10 victory against Athletic in Week 3, survived a fierce going-over from Nuhaka in last weekend’s 1 v 4 semi-final.

They won 15-12.

Half an-hour later, Athletic joined the green and blacks in the final when they romped home 45-10 at Athletic Park.

The Alex Little-led Athletic gave a first glimpse of their fast, hard style of play with a 29-5 win against Enterprise Cars OBM on April 15.

They go into tomorrow’s final two weeks on from a 14-22 loss to Tapuae  knowing that Lambton Square is a neutral venue, and the playing surface will be in much better condition than either the Sports Ground or Athletic Park.

Despite no points being at stake in the teams’ last meeting, Gabriel Doull’s Tapuae took the win happily and Athletic succeeded in cutting the Taniwha’s winning margin from 19 in their previous meeting to eight. Both took something out of the game.

Mighty Athletic lock Adriaan Brits’ injury in the semi against Uawa has cost the underdog black and whites the tallest lineout forward in the country.

The contest at scrum time will test both teams’ leaders.

Doull is Tapuae’s anchor at tighthead, while Little can prop equally well on either side of former Uawa front-rower Dan Knubley.

Wayne Hema, the greens’ rake, will likewise bring grit and great knowledge.

Brodie Taylor, in for Brits, is the only change from Athletic’s semifinal starting 15 ahead of tomorrow’s final while Tapuae are fielding the same side.

Tapuae centre Iowane Filimone will be just one of a number of exciting backs on show at Lambton Square. He and such talents as Athletic wingers BJ Stewart and Trivy Meredith, not to mention fullback Cameron Haskell, are highly capable.

Both teams have quality on the bench, including semifinal try-scorer Tapuae reserve blindside flanker Sekove Serau, and Winiata Niania, who replaced Little last Saturday and likewise grabbed a five-pointer.

“This will be big for our club for a lot of reasons, especially with our being hit by Cyclone Gabrielle earlier this year,” Doull said.

“Hopefully we come out on top.”

“It’s another Battle of the Bridge,Little said. Iit’ll be high intensity from start to finish.”

Teams for the final —

Tapuae Taniwha: Donnelly Hikawai, Wayne Hema, Gabriel Doull (c), Esera Makulau, Paul Quesnell, John James Solomon, Atonio Vukicicakaudrove, Isaac Hikawai, Kingi Te Amo, Nikau Kaimoana, Ruka Hatley, Leroy Taiapa, Iowane Filimone, Eneriko Tupou, Kyoni-Tyrese Te Amo-Poki. Res: Brayden Tither, Tihema Te Kahika, Sekove Serau, Jeke Fatafehi, Te Kapua Rewi-Munro, Bernard Taylor, Te Kauri Carroll.

Wairoa Athletic: Alex Little (c), Daniel Knubley, Jordan Biddle, Brodie Taylor, Toby Wilkinson, Tyrone Thornton, Tame Goldsack, Moss Doran, Joe McGregor, George Twigley, BJ Stewart, Angus Twigley, Lennox Rogers, Trivy Meredith, Cameron Haskell. Res: Hayden Thornton, Sam McFarlane, Winiata Niania, Charlie Taylor, Brandon Carr, Vaughan Goldsmith, Douglas Vehikite.

Tapuae Taniwha record for 2023: def Horouta 76-0, def Nuhaka 17-7, def Wairoa Athletic 29-10, def Uawa 40-12, def YMP 68-0, def Ngatapa 71-12, def OBM by default, def Wairoa-Athletic 22-14, def Nuhaka 15-12 (semifinal).

Wairoa Athletic record for 2023: def OBM 29-5, def YMP 32-10, lost 10-29 to Tapuae, def Horouta 80-0, def Ngatapa 31-10, def Uawa 14-7, def Nuhaka 20-15, lost 14-22 to Tapuae, def Uawa 45-10 (semifinal).