RUGBY
The Kuru Gray-coached Tokomaru Bay United have more rugby courage than most.
During Gray’s tenure and under the leadership of legendary hard man loosehead prop Mike Chambers-Raroa — as was the case in 2020 — they were held scoreless at home in Week 1.
But that has only made victory taste all the sweeter (as when they beat Waiapu 17-13 on the road last season) and tasty performances even in losses . . . as when Uawa, 12 points in arrears at half time, came from behind to beat United 22-17 a fortnight ago.
Tomorrow in Week 6 of Enterprise Cars Ngati Porou East Coast club rugby — the penultimate game in Round 1 for the Kath McLean Memorial Cup — Tokomaru Bay United (placed seventh, one competition point) will host Tokararangi (2nd, 11pts) at Hatea-a-rangi, Uawa (3rd, 11pts) are at home to Hikurangi (4th, nine pts) with Ruatoria City (5th, nine pts) and Hicks Bay (6th, one point) to do battle at Whakarua Park.
All games kick off at 2.30pm, with Jackson Reuben-Swinton to referee United-Tokararangi, Eruera Kawhia in the middle for The Awa (River) v The Maunga (Mountain) at Uawa Domain while Harawira Matahiki has City and Hicks Bay.
Gray — a former halfback in his third year as head coach at United — and his men anticipate a high workload against Tokararangi, who beat all comers a year ago: “We’re going to get lots of tackling in: that’ll start with two guys who have started in every game this season, Portrait Watene — who, like our captain Mike Chambers-Raroa, can prop on either side of the scrum — and hooker Wyntah Riki.”
Tokararangi captain No.8 Hone Haerewa regards Hatea-a-rangi as the best ground on the Coast to play at, and can see both teams putting on a show.
“We expect United to be physical and they also have some quick elusive backs,” Haerewa said. “We’ve trained as we do for all teams in the lead-up to this game, though we’ve had a few injuries and players unavailable.”
Richard Green returns for Tokararangi at blindside flanker; their Most Valuable Player from last week’s up-tempo 58-10 win against Ruatoria City, Mohi Bartlett, moves from fullback to the left-wing. James Warnock, who scored in the first half last week off a magnificent assist by Bartlett, will again start on the right-wing.
On paper and on form, Tokararangi are firm favourites to win the match and should Whakarae Henare get a run at fullback tomorrow, the crowd will be royally entertained.
Picking a winner between Ruatoria City and Hicks Bay is no easy task.
City coach Lisa Muller and her hard-working side have played pressure, high-stakes rugby in the last month. Hooker John Brown was the only man to score for them in Week 5, though No.8 Nathaniel Fox was in form with the boot, converting Brown’s try from the left sideline.
They return tomorrow to the scene of their 15-7 win in the Ruatoria derby v Hikurangi a fortnight ago. That is a plus for the hosts, but Muller admits to the team feeling an enormous sense of occasion: “We’re still finding our feet. This now has got to be about getting our heads together to take pressure off ourselves.”
The fact that City are looking for their third win, Hicks Bay their first and the visitors tomorrow have a game to play in Week 7, should not be overlooked.
Hicks Bay’s Aaron King makes changes according to need, and has done ahead of a game that Hicks Bay and Ruatoria City — both blue-collar crews — can win.
“Our veteran Aaron Reedy will move from loosehead prop to the tighthead side, Dylan Biddle-Brown is at loosehead with Jim Hovell in at hooker,” said King. “Tiera Brown-Biddle is at halfback for Brady Heu, who goes to blindside flanker, and Weihana Delamere is our openside. Our vice-captain Frank Taiapa is unavailable but the skipper, Shaun Murtagh, is good to go — at either second-five again, or fullback.
“We trained well last night — the boys were focused, sharing ideas: they’ve got the win in them. They’ve just got to believe in themselves because we’ve got to win everything from now on to make the top four in Round 2.”
Chas Keelan was a good man and tomorrow Hikurangi will come at Uawa very hard to take back the Chas Keelan Memorial Trophy — named for a fine Hikurangi player and coach, and contested annually by The Awa and The Maunga — which Uawa won 25-3 at Kahuitara on June 15, 2019.