‘Just the workout they needed’

COLLISION COMING: Poverty Bay forward Leslie Hills takes on the Hawke’s Bay Saracens defence in a Heartland warm-up match at Rugby Park on Saturday. A penalty five minutes from time gave Poverty Bay a 32-31 win. Picture by Paul Rickard

A WELL-taken Jake Holmes penalty five minutes from time gave Leaderbrand Poverty Bay a deserved 32-31 win against Hawke’s Bay Saracens at Rugby Park on Saturday afternoon.

It was just the workout they needed, Poverty Bay coach Mana Otai said.

The Bay take on Mid Canterbury in Ashburton on Saturday to open their Heartland rugby championship campaign.

Their final warm-up game was an entertaining match-up that exposed some “work-ons” for the Bay. But it also gave the 29 players who got game time a chance to showcase their wares.

“It was a good workout for the boys — just what we needed — but it showed we still have some work to do,” Otai said.

“This was our final selection game and again we tried to put out on the paddock what we have been doing in training.

“We were not as accurate as I would have liked but that’s what the game was all about.

“The Saracens were in our face and that’s what we needed.

“I think we have to give the boys credit for the way they kept coming back.”

The Saracens, the Hawke’s Bay development team, opened the scoring with a try after three minutes, but the Bay hit straight back with one of their own to prop Tamanui Hill.

Bay right-winger Karl Macpherson scored next in the 14th minute, then the visitors hit back and scored further tries in the 20th and 26th minutes to lead 17-10.

The match continued in see-saw fashion when Tipuna Jones crossed for the Bay’s third try and Kelvin Smith converted to level the score again near halftime.

A Hawke’s Bay player was red-carded for an alleged tip-tackle soon after and from the resulting penalty Bay hooker Matekairoa McGuire crashed over. Smith converted and the Bay led 24-17 at halftime.

The Hawke’s Bay outfit started the second half strongly, caught the Bay napping from a penalty 20 metres out and the score was tied up yet again.

The Saracens’ final try was a peach, scored off good support play, and they led 31-24 after 50 minutes.

Both sides banged away without result until around the 60-minute mark when seven substitutions at once led to a lift in the Bay’s tempo.

That lift was rewarded in the 67th minute when flanker and captain James Grogan dotted down off the back of sustained pressure to close it to 31-29.

With five minutes on the clock shortly after the lightning storm and rain that swept the ground, first five-eighth Jake Holmes slotted a 40-metre penalty to put the Bay in front for the final time.

Saracens coach Mutu Ngarimu said he enjoyed coming back to Gisborne.

“Obviously the result was not the ‘welcome back’ I was hoping for, but I thought my side put in a good effort, particularly being down to 14 men for so long.

“We had our opportunities but we did not finish them all off. That’s footy.”

Ngarimu thought the Bay looked good.

“When they hold the ball and keep their shape they look promising. I see potential there for them.”

Otai said he would be asking his players how they thought they responded to the Saracens being down to 14 players for so long.

“I know my answer to the question but I want to hear what the boys thought about it,” he said.

“It was really pleasing, though, to see the way they lifted when those seven substitutions were made and we had most of our first-choice players out there.”

The match was a designated training game for both sides and rolling substitutions were part of it.

The Bay showed some good skill execution. Their lineout drive was effective, they created space and they were committed.

The match also demonstrated some good depth in the squad, which augurs well for the Heartland campaign.

The game was well controlled by Bay of Plenty referee Caleb Greaves, formerly of Poverty Bay.

Poverty Bay 32 (Tamanui Hill, Karl Macpherson, Tipuna Jones, Matekairoa McGuire, James Grogan tries; Kelvin Smith 2 con, Jake Holmes pen).

Saracens 31 (Jessie Paewai 2, Kalim Paewai, Tamati Samuels, Tom Iosefo tries; Tianua Poto 3 con).

Halftime: 24-17 (Poverty Bay).