Historic win: Hicks Bay's Pamona Samupo in action for NPEC against Poverty Bay last year, scored one of the tries to help his team's win against last year's coast club champs Uawa. The score was 15-10. Picture by Paul Rickard
Hicks Bay made history on Saturday.
The Aaron King-coached visitors to Tolaga Bay beat last year's Enterprise Cars Ngati Porou East Coast club rugby champions Uawa 15-10 in the second competition match of the season.
While Hicks Bay did beat Uawa 24-22 at Uawa Domain in the first week of the second round for the Jury Harrison Memorial Cup last year, Saturday's result marks the first occasion on which Hicks Bay have beaten Uawa in the Kath McLean Memorial Cup for Round 1 since April 27, 2019.
On that day, hosts Hicks Bay pipped 2018 champions Uawa 36-34 at Kawakawa mai Tawhiti to record their fourth straight win of the season in a rum finish. Uawa, like the referee, were under the impression that Uawa led in the game. When they were awarded a penalty, halfback Chris Richardson found touch with a line-kick.
No lineout was played. The whistle blew for fulltime. The home team's fans leapt for joy.
The big blue crew committed that blip to memory and won the return match against Wharekahika's finest 24-5 on June 22 at Uawa Domain, on their way to their second consecutive championship.
Even now, Uawa captain at the time, lock Scott Lasenby — a man who twice raised the Rangiora Keelan Memorial Shield in triumph — winces at the thought of that loss: “When the whistle blew, all of Hicks Bay cheered.”
Memories of the unforgettable finish to that first-round clash three years ago — and the varying recollections of it — all add to the colour and flavour of a great rivalry.
In the 2022 instalment, Uawa captain and No.8 Paddy Allen won the toss, choosing to kick off. His counterpart, first five-eighth Shaun Murtagh — elected to play with a strong nor'westerly breeze at the hosts' backs.
Uawa's Tawhao Stewart opened the scoring in the seventh minute; his try was converted by first-five Carlos Kemp for 7-0. Stewart's great balance and strength make him a handful for would-be tacklers, but the No.13 opposite, Pamona Samupo, proved himself to be just as dangerous 24 minutes into the game. Kemp's opposite Rapata Haerewa converted for 7-7, the half-time score.
NPEC scrum coach Laman Davies, of Uawa, would have been pleased with the visitors' powerful display in that facet of play. Generally their defence was tight, although the feeling was that they'd pushed 50-50 passes . . . as players who haven't played rugby for five or six weeks are wont to do.
Hicks Bay loosehead prop Manahi Brooking had a top game all-round, as did the Hicks Bay locking pair of Meiha Waitoa and Kamaia Te Kani-Ruha. They won a wealth of ball at the lineout. Fullback Irie Noanoa's positional play was also of a high standard for the home team.
In the 48th minute, Kemp landed a penalty goal but Haerewa reciprocated in the 51st minute for 10-all.
Hicks' Bay No.8 Weihana Delamere scored the third and last try of the match after 62 minutes for 15-10.
Delamere won his outfit's MVP (most valuable player) Award, while Allen claimed that distinction for Uawa.
Rapata Haerewa is playing as well for Hicks Bay as he did for Tokararangi and Tihirau Victory Club before that. On July 27, 2017, it was Haerewa who — seven metres off the left touch and 27m from Hikurangi's goal-line — kicked the penalty goal for 24-21 at Whakarua Park in Ruatoria to decide the first of only two extra-time finals in the history of NPEC club rugby: TVC's first title in 27 years.
There's good news for Waiapu.
A fortnight into their return to club rugby, while they have yet to taste victory, they know they're competitive.
On Saturday, Waiapu drew 10-all with Hikurangi at Kahuitara — a ground on which no visiting team can afford to show any sign of weakness. The Maunga (Mountain) started props Winiata Blane and Putahi Morice and lock Pakanui Webb in an extremely strong set of forwards.
With 36 players having turned up to both Waiapu training sessions last week, to settle on the right combination to rumble with the Hikurangi pack, let alone quality wingers such as Zyon Collins and a fantastic fullback in Kris Palmer, is not an easy task.
Principally, it falls to coach Jesse Haenga.
“I'm proud of our eight for their defensive qualities, because that game started off fast but then became a real forward battle,” he said.
“Our backs tackled just as well and looked dangerous when the ball did get out wide.
“The sidelines at home were packed last weekend and it was bumper-to-bumper stuff around the ground at Kahuitara. It's an honour just to be a part of it.”
With Junior Advisory Board rugby having preceded the main event, a crowd of 400 took in the NPEC club rugby's tightest contest to date in what looks to be a fairly even competition.
Waiapu captain rake Grayson Mauheni won the toss, chose an end and Hikurangi fetcher Kyil Beach opted to receive the ball from kick-off.
Waiapu centre Nico Ahki drew first blood with a try in the 11th minute of play; a conversion from first-five Keelan Poi followed. Poi then kicked a penalty goal after 31 minutes for 10-0 and in the 37th minute, Palmer kicked a 32m penalty for the hosts. Waiapu led 10-3 at the break.
In the 78th minute, a tough forward under instruction to “make an impact” joined the match — Maunga reserve No.8 Barry Sollitt. At an attacking lineout 16m from the left corner, Beach won the lineout, Hikurangi drove and Sollitt drove, diving over an opponent (an act known as a “Superman”, from the verb to Superman) at a ruck to score 6m to the left of the posts.
With Palmer's conversion the scores were — and remained — tied. Hikurangi's MVP Award winner was their hooker Blake Beard, while hard-grafting lock Mark Smith took that honour for Waiapu.