Henry Saker, pictured during his winning try against South Canterbury last week, will need to put on another big performance against Mid Canterbury. Photo / Paul Rickard
Fans of the Poverty Bay Weka should be on the edge of their seats – or ensconced on the hill – from 1pm at Rugby Park tomorrow.
Head coach Paoraian Manuel-Harman has made only one change to the side that beat the mighty Makikihi Fries South Canterbury outfit 41-35 here last Saturday, with Quaydon Chaffey-Kora to replace Braedyn Grant on the left wing.
Grant, who has nine caps, will likely earn his pocket for 10 games off the reserves bench.
The week seven Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship clash between the seventh-placed Bay (21 points) and unbeaten competition leaders the Mid-Canterbury Hammers (30) will see Poverty Bay reinforce its loose-forward stocks with the inclusion, as an impact player, of Gisborne High School Old Boys’, Heartland XV and four-test Tongan strongman Siosiua Moala.
He is in line to earn his 28th cap, and he has scored 11 tries for the Weka.
Saigeon Carmichael has departed the bench, as has Te-Reimana Gray.
Mid-Canterbury have made seven changes to their starting line-up, with Josh Dunlea and Osea Baisagale coming in for rake Jackson Donlan and co-captain reserve tighthead prop Adam Williamson.
Blindside flanker Shepherd Mhembere is in for Gordon Hausia, Manasa Samo will be No 8 for Setariki Koroitamana, halfback Liam McCormack will play for Kieran McLea, and Fotu Hala has been replaced at centre by Toetu Touli. Ben Innes is at fullback for Hugh Cameron.
Canterbury loan player Darcy Keenan of the Lincoln University Rams, Semisi Lei and Josh Lennox have joined the game-day squad for the Hammers.
There was no going past Weka halfback Henry Saker as their Most Valuable Player in Week 6, and seven changes to their starting line-up or not, Herculean efforts at the Saker level (and another perfect display, or as close as possible to it, from the right boot of first-five Tayler Adams) are on Poverty Bay’s wish-list.
In the battle at set-piece, the Bay have improved in that area; the visitors’ pack is the equal of South Canterbury’s, however. The Hammers have no rising titan like 2.04m lock Jack Ruske of the Green and Blacks, but they are well-organised at the line-out.
If the Bay have good timing and co-ordinate well there, it will go a long way towards tipping the balance in their favour.
Williamson, who battled then-Ngātapa tough nut James Higgins at both Rugby Park and Gisborne Oval 2 on previous jaunts here, is a hard doer: exactly the sort of difficult opponent who will test the home team. He, like his co-captain, openside flanker Declan McCormack, is a fine player.
The Bay scored five tries last week: four are required for a bonus point, or a loss within seven points of the opposition. A win today would be their biggest win in 19 years of regular-season competition in the Heartland Championship.
In 2014, Mid-Canterbury beat the Grainger Heikell-coached Weka 29-22 here in the 2 v 3 Meads Cup semi-final. History can’t be rewritten, but the Scarlet and Whites could make unforgettable history today.
Overseeing the game will be Hastings Police Sergeant Stuart Catley (Hawke’s Bay) (35th first-class cap), who has blown his whistle in three Bunnings National Provincial Championship games in addition to four Heartland fixtures this season.
Local officials, two-time Poverty Bay Premier Grade club Rugby Grand Final referee Royce Maynard and Keelyn Smith, are Catley’s assistant referees.
Rugby Park, Gisborne
Poverty Bay Weka, 1-15: Toma Laumalili, Ngahiwi Manuel, Iose Brown, Harawira Kahukura, Niko Lauti, Keanu Taumata (cc), Lennox Shanks, Uini Fetalaiga, Henry Saker, Tayler Adams, Quaydon Chaffey-Kora, Anthony Karauria, Cohen Loffler, Josaia Bosaka, Kyoni Te Amo-Poki.
Res: James Grogan, Sam Hudson, Lance Dickson (cc), Leka Palusa, Siosiua Moala, Silas Brown, Braedyn Grant, Matthew Proffit.
Mid-Canterbury Hammers, 1-15: Hunter Stewart, Josh Dunlea, Osea Baisagale, Ashton McArthur, Zac Healey, Shepherd Mhembere, Declan McCormack (cc), Manasa Samo, Liam McCormack, Nathan McCloy, Raitube Vasurakuta, Tom Reekie, Toetu Touli, Sam Pearce, Ben Innes.
Res: Darcy Keenan, Adam Williamson (cc), Manu Peckham, Zane Cockburn, Semisi Lei, Josh Lennox, Fotu Hala, Hugh Cameron.
WEEK 7, 2025 BUNNINGS WAREHOUSE HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM-LISTS
The man in control of Buller v the Sky Blues from 2.30pm will be Will Day (Tasman) (2nd first-class game), of the Crusaders Regional Squad, who debuted in the week two clash between the Hammers v Horowhenua-Kapiti at Ashburton, to be assisted by David Woodhouse and Ben McWilliam.
Victoria Square, Westport
Francis Mining Buller, 1-15: JT Hammond, Zac Phillips, Anthony Ellis (c), Rowan Neilsen, Caleb Havili, Zach Walsh, Kyle Te Tai, Joe Taylor,.Matthew Soper, James Blair, Iliesa Tora, Joel Hands, Alex Schupbach, Sam Jope, Fletcher Hewitt-Smart.
Res: Toby Trickett, Stephen Crackett, Devlin Pratt, Ben Pratt, Bowdene Wallace, Viliami Akauola, Thor Manawatu, Miti Kalou.
Ngati Porou East Coast Kaupoi, 1-15: Grecia McNamara-Taele, Micky Huriwaka, Perrin Manuel (vc), Hoani Te Moana, Rico Te Kani, Kaydin Budd, Te Aotahi Tuhaka, Hone Haerewa (c), Safin Tuwairua-Brown, Carlos Kemp, Epeli Lotawa, Leigh Bristowe, Apirana Pewhairangi (c), Treymaine Butler, Leethan Tipene-Rawiri.
Res: Manahi Brooking, Uenuku Kohatu, Tripoli Poi, Gabriel Te Kani, William Bolingford, Hamuera Moana, Kris Palmer, KC Wilson.