Coach excited at promise in team

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Ngatapa openside flanker Chase Sheridan, seen here taking the ball up against YMP, has been named captain of the Poverty Bay under-20 rugby team. They play the Horowhenua-Kapiti u20 team at Rugby Park on Saturday. Picture by Paul Rickard

Poverty Bay’s under-20 rugby team are preparing for a three-game series and their first assignment is at Rugby Park on Saturday.

They take on Horowhenua-Kapiti u20s before heading to Palmerston North for a double-header against the Wanganui and Wairarapa Bush u20 teams on August 10 and 11.

One of the coaches for Poverty Bay, David McDonald, said the squad was picked from a trial match in June and he also cast his eye over the union’s club competition.

The players had been training well and competition for places in the team was heating up.

“They’re coming along pretty well, really,” McDonald said.

Ngatapa openside flanker Chase Sheridan has been named captain.

Most of the players are drawn from Poverty Bay rugby’s Senior 1 competition.

Seven of those are from Nuhaka, who had a strong season in the Senior 1 grade but came up short in the final against Tapuae.

However, Sheridan, Ethan Brett, Seth Lundon, James Law, Punch Noanoa, Sam Middleton, Devilla Pirihi-Coutts, Blake Beard and Dean Pohatu have all had time in the premier grade this year.

Nine of the squad are from YMP.

Sheridan impressed for Ngatapa this season and he backed up from the u20 trial match last month by taking the field for Country in the Town-against-Country match the same day, scoring a try in the second game.

Genesis Tamatea, from YMP, also had a run on the wing in that fixture and scored a try for Country.

Brett, from the premier-grade-winning OBM club, played at hooker for Town in that game.

Tee Paenga, a wing for the championship-winning Uawa in Ngati Porou East Coast club rugby and formerly with YMP, is listed as a “player of origin”.

McDonald said first five-eighth and vice-captain Yvarne Carroll, from Tapuae, was a talent to watch.

The squad includes three students from Gisborne Boys’ High School — Amanaki Tonga, TK Reihana and Ofa Tauatevalu.

“I’m quite excited by the promise in this team,” McDonald said.

Former Poverty Bay player Sione Ngatu, who played 154 games for the Bay, and former Ngati Porou East Coast captain Wirihana Raihania have helped coach the squad and Tuki Sweeney is manager.

Saturday’s game kicks off at 1pm.

Poverty Bay under-20 squad: Chase Sheridan (c) (Ngatapa), Blake Beard (OBM), Amanaki Tonga (GBHS), Raukura Waihape (Nuhaka), Wirihana Raihania (YMP), Ethan Brett (OBM), Keanu Barbarich (YMP), Ofa Tauatevalu (GBHS), Jason Paul (Nuhaka), Te Kapua Rewi (Nuhaka), Michael Akroyd (YMP), Carlos Paenga (Waikohu), Seth Lundon (YMP), Kaide Kerekere (YMP), James Law (Ngatapa), Wade Wesche (Nuhaka), Devilla Pirihi-Coutts (OBM), Sam Middleton (HSOB), Matrics Smith (Nuhaka), Yvarne Carroll (vc) (Tapuae), Dean Pohatu (OBM), Tuhakia Stewart (YMP), Genesis Tamatea (YMP), Tee Paenga (player of origin), Rerehau Grennell (Nuhaka), Punch Noanoa (Waikohu), Winiata Tarawa (YMP), TK Reihana (GBHS), Kristen Munro (Nuhaka), Malachi Montgomery (YMP).