Siosiua Moala. Pictures by Paul Rickard
High School Old Boys and OBM are rolling out the heavy artillery for tomorrow’s crunch premier club rugby game at the Oval.
Poverty Bay’s player of the year for the past two seasons, Siosiua “the Terminator” Moala, will wear the Earthwork Solutions HSOB No.8 jersey for the first time this season.
Former Hawke’s Bay, North Harbour and Poverty Bay prop Jody Allen and Australian Callum McDonald — an openside flanker highly recommended by former OBM lock Stu Donnelly — will boost the Enterprise Cars OBM ranks.
HSOB go into the game nine points behind fourth-placed OBM with four round 2 games remaining before the sudden-death semifinals.
An OBM win would surely signal the end of HSOB’s hopes of making the top four playoffs and defending the Lee Bros Shield title. Mathematically it would still be possible but they would need to take maximum points from games against YMP, Waikohu and Athletic . . . and even then that might not be enough.
Prior to Moala’s return from playing in Spain, OBM would have been odds-on to win this game.
Those odds have shortened considerably.
One man does not make a team but a rampaging Moala was the driving force in last year’s march to a third straight premier crown.
He ran over and through defenders and was almost unstoppable from close to the line.
Moala produced one of the great displays by a forward in a premier club final and went on to be picked for the New Zealand Heartland 15.
“It’s great having Siosiua back,” said HSOB co-coach Jamie Hutana.
“He can influence the way the team performs. He’s a player who can bring out the best in a team.
“We won’t have Tamanui Hill (Bay hooker and captain), who has family commitments, which is a huge loss, but we have others who could have key roles to play tomorrow — Stefan Destounis (openside flanker), Andrew Tauateval (winger) and captain Jody Tuhaka (prop), who is having one of his best seasons.
“We also have up-and-coming players Kupu Lloyd and Ryland Tuwairua- Brown. I could rattle on about other players but at the end of the day 80 minutes on Saturday will determine our season. That’s the focus for us and has been over these past few weeks . . . prepare mentally and physically, and play like there’s no tomorrow. It’s our final tomorrow.
“A loss and we’re gone from the top four for the season. Our destiny is in the hands of the players on the field this weekend.”
Hutana said having three weeks off had not been the best preparation.
“It’s a long time but all those little niggles go away.”
Hutana reckons OBM are “huge favourites, going into it with good form”.
“They also have two quality players coming into a squad which already has quality players — Jake Holmes, Jacob Cook, Rikki Terekia and Fletcher Scammell to name a few.”
OBM coach set to make another major impactOBM player-coach Tom Solomon may be coming to the end of his premier career.
But he still has an important role to play as his side try to win their first Lee Bros Shield final since 2004.
“Our first goal is to make the top four,” said Solomon, whose team can take a huge step towards achieving that when they play defending champions High School Old Boys at the Oval tomorrow.
An OBM win with a bonus point would open a 14-point gap over fifth-placed HSOB with three games to play after this clash.
“It was never my intention to play this year,” said Solomon, who could be joined on the field by assistant coach/halfback Keith Henderson.
Starting No.9 Willy Grogan is in Ireland visiting sister Patti and brother in-law and Jamison Gibson-Park.
“I want to focus on building up the club through young players. But if my coming on makes a difference, then I’m happy to do that.”
Solomon’s “coming on” takes his team to another level. He epitomises the old phrase “form is temporary, class is forever”.
From the moment he gets the ball at the back of the scrum, it usually spells danger to anyone trying to tackle him.
When it comes to putting his body on the line, Solomon is first man up.
Henderson also has a role to play with his experience making up for, “age creeping up”.
Solomon wasn’t having any part of his team being favourites.
“HSOB need to win to keep their season alive and that’s enough motivation for them to be favourites.
“On top of that, they have a lot of players who have played in finals. They’ve been to the past three and won them, so they have all that experience to call on.
“Our boys don’t have that. Some have never been near finals, never mind playing in and winning one.
“Championship-winning teams step up when the pressure is on and we know that HSOB will bring everything they have this weekend.”
Solomon has resisted the temptation to start with new recruits Jody Allen and Callum McDonald.
“It wouldn’t be fair on the guys who have been training since January. They’ve earned the right to start tomorrow. But they will be coming on at some time
“Jody’s experience in the lineouts, lifting and all over the paddock will be a huge boost for us and Callum looked good at training.”
OBM skipper Jake Holmes will be looking to strengthen his claims for a place in the Bay team to play Taranaki in the Ranfurly Shield challenge next month. Holmes’ goalkicking could be the diference between a win and a loss.