Hicks Bay, Waiapu vying for finals spot

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THEY won nine out of 10 games and amassed 43 win and bonus points.

Other placings in the playoffs will depend on the results of tomorrow’s (July 4) games.

Currently in the top four are Tokararangi (33 points), Uawa (32) and Hicks Bay (27), with Waiapu close behind on 26. Hicks Bay need to beat Tawhiti this weekend to safeguard their place in the finals.

Waiapu need to beat Uawa, with Hicks Bay losing, for Waiapu to get a place in the top four. Uawa are fresh from a 32-10 mauling by Hicks Bay and will be in no mood for another defeat.

It has been a season of refreshingly close-fought games on the Coast with few walkover scores. The margin has been seven points or less in 17 of the 36 games played so far.

These close games have ensured plenty of excitement for the vocal Coast spectators as the tension has been there right to the final whistle.

This high number of even games has meant that the performance of two clubs in particular — seventh-placed Tokomaru Bay United and eighth-placed Tawhiti — has not been reflected in their places on the points table.

Both have had close games with leading teams in the competition.

The evenness of the competition has been noted by representative coach Willie Waitoa, and is shown by the fact that he drew squad members for the Queen’s Birthday Poverty Bay fixture from all clubs.

Coast rugby is known for its fast and furious games, and this has been accentuated this season by the number of young players teams have added, particularly in the backs.

Ball handling by the backlines has been outstanding this year, with significant numbers of moves going right along the line and some very good tries scored by centres and wingers.

The competition has some good first- and second-fives who have made a lot of good individual breaks. The Coast has a surplus of very capable fullbacks, safe on defence and able to set up counter-attacks that have often brought tries this season.

With the forwards, it has often been a case of big, effective men showing remarkable fitness levels for their size, and winning plenty of scrum ball. However, some smaller, more agile forwards have also gained plenty of ball in scrums, rucks and lineouts.

Hikurangi have a home game in the first playoff on July 11, with the other home game to be decided by the results of this weekend’s games.