Hicks Bay confidence high . . .

Leading from the forwards: TVC’s No.8 and captain Hoani Te Moana tries to get by Uawa open side flanker Tanira Nepia in the East Coast final last year. Uawa managed to win and are defending champions this year. Picture by Paul Rickard

Well might Aaron King have a skip in his step.

The veteran Hicks Bay coach's team head into Week 3 of Enterprise Cars Ngati Porou East Coast club rugby on the back of a marvellous 15-10 win against defending champions Uawa at Uawa Domain.

There was no tougher assignment in the competition seven days ago, and with the infusion of confidence that result brought, there's no stopping them now, unless Ruatoria City can pull it off.

King said: “There was a good vibe leading into last Saturday, and Rapata Haerewa at first-five encouraged communication during the game. I just want our boys to keep believing in themselves, and stay up in defence. Some good Tokararangi lads — a few champions — have come into our team, stepped up and we're all learning.”

King's opposite, Ian Logan, wants to see City make their first-up tackles count at Kawakawa mai Tawhiti, and show more patience with the ball in hand.

Both Jesse Haenga (Pango Productions Waiapu) and Lisa Muller (Tokomaru Bay United) are of similar mind.

United beat Hicks Bay 12-10 on May 14 — a wonderful result for a club that has always fought hard for its community and rugby on the Coast.

Muller, formerly of City, wants discipline and confidence to win the day. Her captain, tighthead prop Mike Chambers-Raroa, wants the same.

Haenga has two great scrummagers to help ensure that his team will be competitive up front — a scrum anchor as worthy as Chambers-Raroa in Perrin Manuel, and captain and hooker Grayson Mauheni.

The scrums could be absorbing —hard-fought, or old-school dynamite.

The prospect of that last eventuality at George Nepia Memorial Park in Rangitukia is small but at Te Kura Mana Maori o Whangaparaoa, Cape Runaway, Tihirau Victory Club have the players and resources to play stunning open rugby no matter what the result.

Tighthead prop Hirini Delamere, No.8 Hoani Te Moana and fullback Verdon Bartlett have, in the past 10 years, been top drawer for both TVC and NPEC. But Hikurangi are never easy to beat, and the Kyil Beach-led version are a great mix and a balanced side. Lock Pakanui Webb, openside flanker Beach and No.8 Trent Proffit are best described as “uncompromising”.

TVC know better than to leave them any opening.