IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS

Waikohu utility back and captain Ethine Reeves looks to evade an OBM defender in their semifinal win last weekend. Waikohu are up against YMP in the Premier club rugby tomorrow at Barry Park.Pictures by Liam Clayton

Ten weeks of premier-grade club rugby reach their conclusion with the final between YMP and Waikohu at Barry Park tomorrow.

Civil Project Solutions Senior Club Rugby defending champions East Coast Farm Vets YMP regard Barry Park as their fortress and, on form, are favourites.

But GT Shearing Waikohu have abundant finals experience over the past few years.

They have been in five of the past six finals for the Lee Bros Shield, and won three of those games.

Waikohu’s first appearance in the final was in 2017 against Earthwork Solutions High School Old Boys, who beat them 34-3.

That was the last time HSOB hoisted the shield.

The following year, Geoff Pari had the honour of being the first Waikohu captain to lift the Lee Bros Shield in victory. They beat YMP 40-26 at Rugby Park to win their first premier-grade championship.

The men from Te Karaka became back-to-back champions in 2020 and ’21, but YMP beat them in the 2022 final.

YMP had not been in the final since 2018, and had not won it since 2010.

Waikohu were the only team to beat YMP last season but this year has been a lot different. YMP have won all nine of their games, and two of them were against Waikohu.

However, Waikohu have shown good recent form. After losing to OBM in the first round, Waikohu rallied to beat them in Week 8, and beat them again last weekend in the first semifinal.

They did enough to indicate they will fight to the last whistle tomorrow.

The weather has had a big effect on the competition, Cyclone Gabrielle soaking the grounds before the season got under way, and continuing wet weather disrupting the programme.

The final has been a long time coming.

Experience is something that YMP coach Kahu Tamatea has on his mind with the final looming.

“We are focusing on what we can do to take our game up another level, especially against a team with so much finals experience,” he said.

The YMP players were excited and relishing their last week of club rugby for the season.

“They’re enjoying each other’s company as this is our last week together as a full squad,” Tamatea said.

Waikohu player-coach Tane McGuire says his players are relaxed, focused on their jobs and comfortable with what lies ahead.

“There’s no special plan,” he said.

“We just need to play our type of rugby and bar up on defence.”

McGuire is aware of the pressure of the final but shrugs it off and puts it back on YMP.

“They’re expected to win,” he said.

“We know their threats. We just need to minimise their opportunities.

“There’s no pressure on us; it’s all on them.”