Gisborne Herald
  • Gisborne Herald Home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Locations

  • Gisborne
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Hawke's Bay

Media

  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Premium
Home / Gisborne Herald / Sport

‘Exciting’ Coast team eye season opener

Gisborne Herald
18 Mar, 2023 08:35 AMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

IN THE CLEAR: Uawa left wing Tipene Meihana runs away from a Tihirau Victory Club would-be tackler in the East Coast club rugby final last Saturday. Meihana will be in action for Ngati Porou East Coast tomorrow. Picture by Paul Rickard

IN THE CLEAR: Uawa left wing Tipene Meihana runs away from a Tihirau Victory Club would-be tackler in the East Coast club rugby final last Saturday. Meihana will be in action for Ngati Porou East Coast tomorrow. Picture by Paul Rickard

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Heartland Championship-wide, by now everyone knows why they’re fizzing.

But former All Black Zac Guildford is not playing in Ngati Porou East Coast’s first pre-season game.

Rather, the Coast is set to play the Anthony Studer-coached Eastern Bay of Plenty from 2pm at Rugby Park in Whakatane tomorrow.

First-year coach Studer — who lined up against NPEC at loosehead prop under previous coach Mike Smith in 2018 — has already informed his new-look side of the reality check coming their way.

“If you haven’t been roughed up already, be prepared for it from East Coast: they’re definitely uncompromising up front,” said Studer, a former SANIX first 15 world cup champion with Rotorua Boys’ High School.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“The Coast see us as coming from the city and there’s going to be even more feeling in it for us now, because it’ll be the first year of the Basil Simpson Memorial Trophy — he passed away earlier this year.”

Formerly a policeman in Te Araroa, the 91-year-old Basil James Wesley Simpson — who played rugby for Matakaoa and with wife Pat celebrated their platinum (70th) wedding anniversary in 2018 — passed away on the second of last month. He was an immensely popular figure.

Two years ago, the Coast having travelled to Opotiki and drawn 15-all with Eastern Bay at Princess Road Reserve, Basil Simpson awarded the visitors his trophy.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Wayne Ensor was astounded by the gesture.

As NPEC head coach, he knows where his team’s strengths lie and how their bodies are holding up after the 16-week East Coast club competition.

“This is a recovery week after the final and a long season — everybody wants to be good-to-go versus Bay of Plenty in Rotorua next week,” Ensor said.

“It’s exciting: the front-row (Hakarangi Tichborne, Wyntah Riki, Perrin Manuel) will only get better; our back-row’s fantastic over the ball — Jack Richardson and Trent Proffit are great there.

“Halfback Hamuera Baker’s got a great pass, Ben Haerewa at first-five has got an eye for gaps and he’s not afraid to have a go, while Tipene Meihana on the left wing is young and can beat people with his footwork. We want him to express himself.”

Meihana is 19 — EBOP second-five Cayless Chisholm is 17, as is the hosts’ right-wing, Elias Te Rire. Eastern Bay will be led by Te Teko’s Te Oranga Headafen at blindside flanker; former NPEC representative Anaru Potae is to play loosehead prop for the home team.

These games present both teams with huge opportunities. EBOP places vital importance on the fixture and with a short turnaround from club competition, it is just as important for NPEC in terms of trying and testing combinations.

Player availability was still being confirmed at time of printing.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Sport

Premium
Sport

'Many sleepless nights': Chair reflects on Rugby Park redevelopment journey

Sport

Another Te K Cup pairs crown to Christophers, Henwood

Sport

From Queenstown to Kings-town for reigning champ William 'the Conqueror'


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Premium
Premium
'Many sleepless nights': Chair reflects on Rugby Park redevelopment journey
Sport

'Many sleepless nights': Chair reflects on Rugby Park redevelopment journey

Player numbers increased by 47% from 2262 to 3321 between 2018 and 2024.

23 Jul 04:00 AM
Another Te K Cup pairs crown to Christophers, Henwood
Sport

Another Te K Cup pairs crown to Christophers, Henwood

23 Jul 03:00 AM
From Queenstown to Kings-town for reigning champ William 'the Conqueror'
Sport

From Queenstown to Kings-town for reigning champ William 'the Conqueror'

22 Jul 06:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Gisborne Herald
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Gisborne Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP