Coast clash is ‘like the All Blacks are coming’

Ngāti Porou East Coast will be led by 2022 Heartland Player of the Year Sam Parkes in a pre-season game tomorrow. Parkes has been playing in Northland but is back to take on Central Hawke’s Bay in Ōtāne. Picture by Paul Rickard

Dylan Scott is the happiest man alive.

The president of Central Hawke’s Bay rugby is over the moon at the prospect of hosting the 2022 Heartland Championship Lochore Cup winners and holders of the Bill Osborne Taonga — Enterprise Cars Ngāti Porou East Coast — from 2.15pm at Otānē Domain tomorrow.

CHB have keen and committed players under coach Rob Evans, and are delighted at the prospect of hosting the Kaupoi (East Coast Cowboys), who will be quartered at iconic Te Aute College tonight and tomorrow.

“It’s going to be a big occasion for us. It’s like the All Blacks are coming,” said Scott.

“We’ve been training twice a week for three weeks and expect a physical challenge against the great Ngāti Porou East Coast.”

Coast head coach Kahu Tamatea is aware that tomorrow afternoon’s match —  the first of two pre-season games NPEC will play before their  Championship opener against Wairarapa-Bush in Masterton on August 12 — will be a great occasion.

“With the geography, our spread of players, weather and the roads, we’ve still been able to train twice — at Ruatōria last week and Tokomaru Bay on Wednesday night,” he said. “I’m happy with that.”

The Kaupoi are sending a strong side to Ōtāne, with such notables as inaugural Ian Kirkpatrick medal winner (2022 Heartland Player of the Year)  Sam Parkes to lead the side from halfback and the forward presence of hooker Jorian Tangaere, whose power and technique saw him score a try in the Sky Blues’ Ranfurly Shield challenge at McLean Park two years ago.

The Coast’s back-row of Hoani Te Moana, Will Bolingford and Gabe Te Kani are great value with ball in hand and miss few tackles.

Terangi Fraser at first-five, left-wing Tipene Meihana and fullback Kris Palmer are among the backs the hosts should keep an eye out for.

CHB will be after a strong showing to reward and impress the sporting public tomorrow.

As a sub-union — to paraphase the great leader Winston Churchill — they have full confidence that all will do their duty, the best arrangements having been made and they have the chance to prove themselves.

The red and whites of CHB and the Sky Blues will play under the watchful eye of Hawke’s Bay referee appointments officer Mark Johnson assisted by Richard Baines and Dean Chamberlain.

Ngāti Porou  Kaupoi: Jayden Leiua-Pokia, Jorian Tangaere, Semisi Akana, Rico Te Kani, Frank Taiapa, Hoani Te Moana, Will Bolingford, Gabe Te Kani, Sam Parkes (cl, Terangi Fraser, Tipene Meihana, Te Aho Morice, Pamona Samupo, Verdon Bartlett, Kris Palmer. Reserves TBC.

Central Hawke’s Bay: Trei Nepe-Apatu, Travis Taylor (c), Ben Hince, Sean Baker, Kauri Maniapoto-Cheer, Jason Cutbush, Ryan Pauling, Warwick Slingsby, Tom Beachem, Tony Mihaere, Josh Wardle, Sam Cavanagh, Jimmy Downes, Kieran Scheele, Brayden Hardwidge. Res: Dan Soolton, others TBC.