Coast look sharp for first game

Running it straight: Ngāti Porou East Coast's hooker Jorian Tangaere prepares to be tackled by a South Canterbury defender. Tangaere has been named as hooker in the starting line up for their clash against Horowhenua-Kapiti tomorrow. Picture by Paul Rickard

Ngati Porou East Coast are primed to perform in Game 1.

Hosea Gear's Sky Blues will host Horowhenua-Kapiti in the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Rugby Championship season opener at Enterprise Cars Whakarua Park, Ruatoria, at 2.30pm tomorrow.

In the three years that Gear has been in charge, the country's only iwi-based team have presented themselves as a fitter squad, focused on rugby and representing NPEC with a professional mentality.

They lost the Queen's Birthday game and PJ Sayers Cup to the Poverty Bay Weka, but showed fighting spirit. The Bay led 18-0 at halftime and were up 39-0 before the Coast struck in the 67th minute.

That they also scored the ninth and last try of the day on that occasion; that they beat Eastern Bay of Plenty 39-12 at Opotiki; and that, despite the scoreline, they were far more competitive against Bay of Plenty Nga Wha than their hosts' 40-point margin of victory at Whakatane's Rugby Park last Saturday would suggest — all this points to players moulding themselves into a team.

“We're focused on our game, what we're trying to achieve,” Gear said.

“We've had no time no worry about or focus on any other team in this competition. Our priority has been fitness, and coming together to train.

“The boys look sharp.”

All in attendance tomorrow can expect a big match-effort from Horowhenua-Kapiti under head coach Chris Wilton, as one of the Heartland Championship's great big men — the red-white-and-blues' skipper and lock Ryan Shelford — plays his 100th game for the union.

Shelford, like former Buller captain Phil Beveridge, has been a great servant of rugby. Shelford is in his seventh year as captain of the 'Nua, and played in their 38-31 win against the resurgent Sky Blues at Levin on October 2 last year.

The Coast have won 16, lost 25 to Horowhenua-Kapiti since 1951.

Ngati Porou East Coast will be led by halfback Sam Parkes, who has always been a very good player and who has in the past few seasons shown true qualities of leadership as well.

Conditions tomorrow are expected to be wet, with a strong northerly breeze expected. Both sides have a long history of playing rugby with grit and grunt in the slush. They may well get another chance to do so tomorrow.

The curtain-raiser for Heartland Championship Game 1 will feature the NPEC under-16s playing Gisborne Boys' High School u15s at 11am, under referee Eruera Kawhia, with assistant referees Te Ara Puketapu-Hunt and Ava Pokoati.

The referee for tomorrow's Heartland game is 30-year-old Hastings-based police constable Stu Catley. He will be controlling his 10th first-class game in his second Heartland season. His last appointment was the Farah Palmer Cup match, Manawatu versus Counties-Manukau, at Palmerston North a fortnight ago. Next Friday night he will referee the national provincial championship game between Waikato and Manawatu in Hamilton. His assistant referees tomorrow will be Jimmy Green and Shirley Mullany-Mato, both of NPEC.