Coach wants Bay to earn Shield respect

LEADER OF THE PACK: Tamanui Hill (left) takes on Ngati Porou East Coast prop Anaru Potae. Hill will captain Poverty Bay against Taranaki in tomorrow’s Ranfurly Shield match. Picture by Paul Rickard

Poverty Bay coach Mana Otai wants his team to earn respect when they play Taranaki in a Ranfurly Shield challenge match at New Plymouth tomorrow.

“We’re a team with guys who work for a living and who have to fit their rugby around work and family commitments,” Otai said.

“Taranaki are a mix of experienced professionals and players who aspire to become seasoned professional players . . . the odds are stacked in their favour.

“They’re the Shield holders and they’re at home. They won’t want to be the first Shield team to lose to a Heartland side.

“We’ve had two training sessions and they’ve been training since January.

“But (assistant coach) Dwayne Russell and I have picked what we believe is a strong squad who will not let the team down.

“Obviously it would be wonderful to win, but I’ll be happy if we earn Taranaki’s respect.”

There is the added bonus for some Bay players who will be up against former Gisborne Boys’ High School teammates Toa Halafihi, Jared Proffitt, Beaudein Waaka, Adrian Wyrill and Donald Maka.

Bay fullback and vice-captain Ethine Reeves attended Te Karaka primary school with Wyrill and said he was looking forward to catching up with him after the game.

Reeves, Andrew Tauatevalu, Micaiah Torrance-Reid (a Taranaki player wearing the red jersey tomorrow as a player of origin), Callum McDonald, Kelvin Smith, Te Peehi Fairlie and new cap Sam McDell could also put themselves in the spotlight with strong performances.

Reeves had a spell with Manawatu two years ago, before coming home. But at 25 he is young enough and good enough to attract attention from bigger unions.

“All I’m interested in at the minute is getting through this game,” he said.

“We (the Waikohu players in the Bay team) have had a tough season but to play in a Ranfurly Shield game is not something that comes around every year.

“It’s something that can never be taken away from you.”

While Reeves will be in charge of the backs, skipper and hooker Tamanui Hill will lead the team on to the field.

Hill is no stranger to challenges.

He was one of seven local firefighters — his mother Doris was one of them — to do the 1103 steps of the Sky Tower Stair Challenge in Auckland in May — as part of a fundraising campaign to raise money for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ.

Otai has included loan player and tighthead prop Siaosi Lelenoa (Waikato) and another front-rower Andrew Petelo (Wellington).

“One of the hardest parts for the players tomorrow will be maintaining for 80 minutes what will be a huge effort,” he said.

“That’s when the fulltime training, fitness, strength and skills will put us to the test.”

POVERTY BAY (1-15): Campbell Chrisp, Tamanui Hill, Siaosi Lelenoa, Jacob Cook, Micaiah Torrance-Reid, Willis Tamatea, Callum McDonald, Ken Houkamau, Hamuera Baker, Kelvin Smith, Andrew Tauatevalu, Anthony Karauria, Jesse Fleming, Te Peehi Fairlie, Ethine Reeves. Reserves: Shayde Skudder, Semisi Akana, Andrew Petelo, Sam McDell, Jesse Kapene, Mario Counsell, Tawhao Stewart, Cameron Rowden.