In beating OBM 28-12 a fortnight ago, they proved that hard work pays off. The 29-7 victory over High School Old Boys last Saturday proved that their first win was no fluke. The evidence is to be seen in their fitness, that energy enabling them to close out games against opponents whose hope was that YMP would fade in the last 20 minutes of play.
And nothing would make YMP coach Brian Leach happier than disciplined, accurate execution from start to finish.
“We’re gelling together nicely,” he said.
“Last weekend — for the first time this season — our wingers saw the ball, and our backs scored all the tries.
“We’ll only get better from here. Confidence is high, and now I want our forwards and backs to share the workload.”
The Skudder-led YMP have received one piece of good news and await even bigger news. The good news already received is that blindside flanker Shyann Wyllie, who was dismissed in the 77th minute last weekend, had his appeal upheld and so is eligible to play tomorrow.
The even bigger news is that former HSOB and Poverty Bay fullback Andrew Tauatevalu has returned to Gisborne, and been released by his Hawke’s Bay club Maori Agricultural College. Tauatevalu will play for YMP tomorrow.
“We’ve been working hard but we’ve yet to execute our game-plan perfectly,” Skudder said.
“Pirates play with passion — we’re ready for that — and are strong at the scrum. We want good set-piece ball, too, for our backs to work their magic.”
Jesse Kapene and Niko Lauti — the YMP openside flanker and No.8 respectively from Week 3 — swap places for tomorrow’s game.
Pirates have moved senior pro Eru Wharerau from lock to openside flanker, recognising that there is no substitute for the ability to read play, run the right lines in support of the ball-carrier and get to the breakdown first. The Bolingford-Jacob Leaf combination that set up fullback Eferemo Davobalavu for the opening try against OBM in the first minute of play has been retained by head coach Willie Waitoa.
With Pirates having 22 players, Waitoa has the luxury of not needing to start or even name himself in the reserves.
Waitoa believes that, even in a short season, a game-by-game approach is best.
Bolingford, like Skudder, is buoyant.
“Coming off a win, we’re excited and just want to keep that intensity, be ready for what traditionally is a physical game,” he said.
“I want us to go hard but also keep our structures for the full 80 minutes . . . play our style of rugby with passion and flair.”
