Ngāti Porou East Coast hooker Micky Huriwaka walked a tightrope down the sideline to score in the corner in a Heartland Championship game against King Country in Ruatōria on Saturday. Photo / Orlando Bonica-Kururangi
Ngāti Porou East Coast hooker Micky Huriwaka walked a tightrope down the sideline to score in the corner in a Heartland Championship game against King Country in Ruatōria on Saturday. Photo / Orlando Bonica-Kururangi
It has been a tough year for Ngāti Porou East Coast Kaupoi and their supporters worldwide.
The Sky Blues gave their rugby faithful glimpses of their Heartland Championship potential with some amazing tries over the course of their eight-game 2025 campaign.
However, the Kahu Tamatea-coached and Apirana Pewhairangi and HoneHaerewa-led Kaupoi lost their last game 73-14 to King Country Rams at Whakarua Park in Ruatōria on Saturday.
It followed defeats to Poverty Bay Weka (18-8 in Gisborne), West Coast (80-21, Ruatōria), North Otago (48-19, Ruatōria), Mid Canterbury (82-7, Ashburton), Whanganui (64-19, Ruatōria), Thames Valley (84-5, Coromandel) and Buller (21-19, Westport).
The last ride on Saturday did produce some magic moments.
Hooker Micky Huriwaka threw a dummy en route to scoring a try in the left corner 18 minutes in and eel-slippery halfback Safin Tuwairua-Brown held on to a slick inside pass from first-five Carlos Kemp to dot down between the posts.
Lock Rico Te Kani, named the Kaupoi’s Most Valuable Player, was excellent, showing strength and stamina in the engine room and contributing immensely to the tight five performance.
In their first winless season since 2019, the Sky Blues still contributed mightily to the fabric of New Zealand provincial rugby.
They were part of history when they went into battle against reigning Meads Cup champions Thames Valley in week 6 - the first-ever first-class Heartland Championship match to be hosted by Coromandel Rugby Football and Sports Club and the 50th clash between the Swamp Foxes and the Kaupoi over a 94-year period.
That same day the NPEC Hamoterangi side were hosting Whanganui in the North Island Heartland Women’s Championship final at Ruatōria ... Whanganui winning 25-22.
Eighteen-year-old halfback Safin Tuwairua-Brown celebrates scoring a try in his rookie season for Ngāti Porou East Coast. Tuwairua-Brown said despite a tough Heartland season, the squad "kept the faith" to the final whistle. Photo / Orlando Bonica-Kururangi
Ex-Gisborne Boys’ High First XV and Waima club player Safin Tuwairua-Brown, 18, took a lot from his debut season.
“Even though we didn’t get the results we wanted we kept the faith until the last whistle,” he said. “We just need to train more and to play more often.
“Playing for the Coast and for Waima, it’s real ball-in-hand rugby, which I like. Not so much structure, but everyone gives their all and it’s physical.
“Everyone supports our players, the union and the clubs. The supporters are diehards.”
Despite the scoreline, the Coast earned the respect of Rams head coach Aarin Dunster and captain and hooker Liam Rowlands.
“It was good stuff,” Dunster said. “Both teams threw the ball around, Safin sniped, had a go when he had the opportunity, Carlos was good, showed flair and directed his team.
“Hone, at No.8, was strong. Leigh Bristowe (second five) we had to shut down quickly while their fullback, Leethan Tipene-Rawiri, showed skill and pace.”
King Country hat-trick hero and lock Renata Ngata, two-try scorer and openside flanker Leveson Gower, MVP and tighthead prop Carey Cornelius-Peina and fullback Patrick Hedley (six conversions) were all prominent on Saturday.
Rowlands felt his side proved they were a team of quality after some tight results didn’t go their way over the season.
Pewhairangi, sidelined with a hamstring injury, was proud of his players’ determination and commitment to returning next season stronger for the experience.
Such commitment, along with resilience, was underlined on Saturday when Norman Puri Hauiti came on in the 59th minute to replace loosehead prop Manahi Brooking.
A rousing cheer went up for the 47-year-old, who debuted against Waikato Maori at Ruatōria in 1997 and turned out regularly up to 2011, including leading the side in 2009.
He entered Coast folklore when, at loosehead prop, he kicked a 35-metre drop goal against Wairarapa Bush in Masterton on September 18, 2010.
On Saturday, the Ūawa and Coast veteran won ball at the front of the lineout and later held the rampant Rams at bay with a wall-like tackle 6m from the goal-line.
He was most unfortunate to be given a yellow card for offside play by Bay of Plenty referee Sam Fellows after a general warning had been given.
Hawke’s Bay’s Albert Wood holds the New Zealand first-class record for the oldest player at 48 years, 203 days, although that fades in comparison to the oldest man to play in an NPEC club game - George McClutchie (75) for Tawhiti v Hikurangi at Tokomaru Bay in June 2017.
