Briant to make Heartland rugby debut for Poverty Bay in Gisborne

Another former Gisborne Boys' High First XV player will be putting on the Poverty Bay jersey on Saturday. Max Briant has been named at starting lock for the Weka, who take on Buller at Rugby Park in Gisborne in week 4 of the Heartland Championship. He is pictured in 2021 Super 8 action against Hamilton Boys' High. Photo / Paul Rickard

Two-metre-tall lock Max Briant will add to Gisborne Boys’ High School’s proud history when he makes his Heartland Championship debut for Poverty Bay on Saturday.

Briant has been named in the starting 15 for the Weka, who host Buller at Gisborne’s Rugby Park, kicking off at 2pm.

Briant was a Ngatapa JAB player and student at Campion College before completing his last two years of high school at Gisborne Boys’ High and playing for the First XV.

He then headed south to study agricultural commerce at Lincoln University on a rugby scholarship arranged through the university and Canterbury Rugby Union.

He played for Poverty Bay in their pre-season clash with Hawke’s Bay Saracens in Napier, but Saturday will be his first-class debut.

The Weka go into the game on the back of a 26-19 win over Horowhenua Kāpiti, which has them sitting fifth on the 12-team table with two wins from three games.

The team, coached by Paroaian Manuel-Harman, will be eyeing a win against a Buller team who have lost all three games to be 11th, just ahead of Ngāti Porou East Coast.

Buller won last year’s encounter 36-28, during a season in which Poverty Bay failed to win a game.

But if the home side can emulate their 2023 meeting, fans will be in for something special.

Poverty Bay produced a famous period of play at the Oval that day that spectators fortunate enough to be there will not forget.

Everything they touched turned to gold from the kickoff as they ran riot to score 40 points in the first 23 minutes en route to a 52-33 win in a 13-try festival of attacking rugby.

Saturday’s game will see Silas Brown starting at halfback in place of loan player Henry Saker, who has been impressive in his three starts for the Weka.

Another loan player, Tayler Adams, is back in the No 10 jersey, which Matt Proffit wore last week.

The Weka also welcome back powerful midfield back Anthony Karauria, who was a standout in their week 1 win over Ngāti Porou East Coast Kaupoi.

Hawke’s Bay’s Stu Catley is the ref, with Poverty Bay’s Ben Holt and Royce Maynard his assistants.

Poverty Bay Under-16s play their East Coast counterparts in the curtain-raiser at 11.30am.

The Kahu Tamatea-coached Coast Kaupoi Heartland squad face a tough away game against Mid Canterbury in Ashburton.

The southerners have won all three of their matches so far, while the Kaupoi are still searching for their first points.

Tamatea has made a couple of changes to the starting 15 from last Saturday’s loss to North Otago. Perrin Manuel replaces Jarryd Broughton at prop, and winger Leethan Tipene-Rawiri shifts to fullback in place of Tutere Waenga, with Treymaine Butler wearing the No 14 jersey.

The Hamoterangi NPEC women’s team will be aiming for win No 3 in the Heartland North Island women’s competition when they host Thames Valley at Whakarua Park, Ruatōria (11.30am kickoff).

Poverty Bay, 1-15: Toma Laumalili, Ngahiwi Manuel, George Ormond, Max Briant, Leka Palusa, Niko Lauti, Keanu Taumata (c), Uini Fetalaiga, Silas Brown, Tayler Adams, Matthew Proffit, Anthony Karauria, Cohen Loffler, Josaia Bosaka Tikicidre, Kyoni-Tyrese Te Amo-Poki. Res: Saigeon Carmichael, Iose Brown, Ratu Nairoroi, Jokatama Cewa, Atonio Vukicicakaudrove, Braedyn Grant, Quaydon Chaffey-Kora, Lennox Shanks.

Buller, 1-15: Anthony Ellis, Zac Phillips, Bob Letiu, Devlin Pratt, Caleb Havili, Ben Pratt, Bowdene Wallace, Rowan Neilsen, Viliami Akauola, Matthew Soper, James Blair, Alex Schupbach, Iliesa Tora, Bradley Ferguson, Fletcher Hewitt-Smart. Res: Toby Trickett, Stephen Crackett, Jonathan Hammond, Zach Walsh, Nathan Palmer, Jack Aldridge, Trey Patterson, Reihana Marsh.

Ngāti Porou East Coast, 1-15: Mahahi Brooking, Manaaki Aranui, Perrin Manuel, Hoani Te Moana, Gabe Te Kani, Richard Green, Will Bolingford, Hone Haerewa, Hamuera Moana, Carlos Kemp, Epeli Lotawa, Leigh Bristowe, Apirana Pewhairangi, Treymaine Butler, Leethan Tipene-Rawiri. Res: Micky Huriwaka, Tripoli Poi, Grecia McNamara-Taele, Teaotahi Tuhaka, Uetaha Wanoa, Safin Tuwairua-Brown, Tipene Meihana, Milan Milosevic.