Finals day on the Coast

MIDFIELD ACTION: Uawa centre Jesse Rye tries to break a tackle as Hicks Bay No.8 Anton King (left) comes across to help stop Rye’s progress. Uawa play Tihirau Victory Club (TVC) in the final of the Ngati Porou East Coast club rugby competition at the Uawa Domain tomorrow. Picture by Jessica Pardoe-Crawford

RUGBY

Will any final top 2017? If ever a game could, Uawa and Tihirau Victory Club in 2019 may be the teams to do it.

At 2.30pm tomorrow, East Coast club rugby defending champions Uawa and the never-before heroes of 2017 — TVC — will play the final in Tolaga Bay.

Uawa beat Tokararangi 25-21 in 2018 to claim the Rangiora Keelan Memorial Shield, symbol of East Coast club supremacy, for the first time in nine years, having won 12 games, lost two and drawn one.

This season they have won 12 and dropped only one, to Hicks Bay at Wharekahika, three games in.

Since TVC broke Hicks Bay’s first-round winning streak at five games, Uawa — under coach Tip Nukunuku — have been the best-performed team on the Coast. They haven’t lost at home since Hikurangi beat them 23-20 on June 16 last year.

In 2019, they have won the Kath McLean (first round) and Jury Harrison (second round) memorial trophies and will, as holders at home, defend the George Keelan Memorial Shield tomorrow.

Uawa have beaten TVC 34-30 at Te Kura Mana Maori o Whangaparaoa and 27-20 at Uawa Domain this season.

“We have to knuckle down and be accurate at set-piece, make good decisions — play the rugby we’ve been playing all year,” Nukunuku said.

“They’re disciplined and play a similar brand of rugby to ours. Whatever it is, it’ll happen on Saturday; we enjoy playing TVC. Off the field, we wish them all the best.”

Moana Mato, second five-eighth-cum-halfback and TVC captain, is energetic and positive: “The boys are raring to go — our work-rate off the ball and defence are the keys. Attack comes naturally to us.”

That sort of enthusiasm and sense of purpose rubs off. The resourcefulness it speaks to is what got TVC through a tough semifinal, 12-5, against Hikurangi at Kahuitara. They beat both Tokomaru Bay United and Ruatoria City by 50 in round-robin play but, more importantly, they never allowed themselves to become loose.

TVC have not forgotten that in the first meeting with Uawa this season, they led 30-15 at home with eight minutes to play, but lost by four points; in the same way Uawa won’t have forgotten that powerful TVC tighthead prop Rawiri Waititi scored against them off a quick throw-in to the lineout by hooker Whetu Haerewa at Cape Runaway.

These are crafty, high-IQ teams. Uawa’s Sam Parkes and Chris Richardson are dangerous inside backs. They are skilful and confident. In front of them a huge forward pack scrummage powerfully and boast a genuine leaper and fetcher in Rikki Kernohan.

Both teams are fit and play a clean game: the referees and East Coast rugby union deserve credit for the part that they’ve played on and off the field in facilitating quality rugby.

Neither Lasenby nor Mato have any use for ill-disciplined play and though the forecast is for rain, finals on the Coast draw big crowds and close to 1500 turned out last year.

The Domain is in good condition, and the thrilling likes of right wing Tipene Meihana (Uawa) and centre Tawhao Stewart (TVC) will still be a factor.

Referee Matt Richards, assistant referee No.1 Chris Wanoa and AR2 Jim Green are set to to control the final. Richards did a fine job in Uawa’s home semifinal last week, with Chris Wanoa at Kahuitara. If tomorrow’s big game is remotely like TVC’s 24-21 victory in extra time against Hikurangi, these three will see it runs smoothly.

TVC WIN-LOSS RECORD: 9 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses

Round 1: b Tokararangi 47-15, b Tokomaru Bay United 50-0, b Ruatoria City 48-28, drew 12-12 v Hikurangi, lost 30-34 v Uawa, b Hicks Bay 29-19.

Round 2: b Tokararangi 17-15, b Tokomaru Bay United 48-13, b Ruatoria City 52-0, drew 7-7 v Hikurangi, lost 20-27 v Uawa, b Hicks Bay 43-12.

2 v 3 SEMIFINAL: b Hikurangi 12-5.

UAWA WIN-LOSS RECORD: 12 wins, 1 loss

Round 1: b Ruatoria City 75-15, b Hikurangi 32-7, lost 34-36 v Hicks Bay, b Tokararangi 73-7, b TVC 34-30, b Tokomaru Bay United 83-7.

Round 2: b Ruatoria City 71-0, b Hikurangi 25-3, b Hicks Bay 24-5, b Tokararangi 26-19, b TVC 27-20, b Tokomaru Bay United 59-5.

1 v 4 SEMIFINAL: b Hicks Bay 51-3.

TIHIRAU VICTORY CLUB: (1-22) Mike Marumaru, Jackson Rueben-Swinton, Rawiri Waititi, Hoani Te Moana, Hirini Delamere, Dony Raimona, Kuhu Haweti, Solomone Vaka, Moana Mato (captain), Verdon Bartlett, Ron-Paul McRoberts, Dion Koopu, Tawhao Stewart, Telique Simeon, Peti Delamere. Reserves: Rika Mato, Hubert Matchitt, Clendon Wikaere, William Ford, Moana Kurei, Ben Houia, Mikaere Koopu.

UAWA: Laman Davies, Wyntah Riki, Moana Nuku, Kerehama Blackman, Scott Lasenby (c), Te Atapo Kirikiri, Rikki Kernohan, Adaam Ross, Sam Parkes, Chris Richardson, Niao Savage, Jordan Patrick, Jesse Rye, Tipene Meihana, Jordan Birch. Reserves: Dan Knubley, Fale Toleafoa, Matt Jefferd, Jack Richardson, Mahuta Moran, Jay Matenga, TBC.