Kapene strikes MVP jackpot

And the winner is? Wairoa Athletic forward Jesse Kapene, who has won the Poverty Bay Rugby Union premier division’s Most Valuable Player award. Picture by Paul Rickard

JESSE Kapene has made no contest of the race for Poverty Bay premier division’s Most Valuable Player award.

The Charteris Choppers Wairoa Athletic loose forward has an unassailable lead with two games remaining for the black and whites.

Kapene, who was man of the match on debut for Poverty Bay against Ngati Porou East Coast on Queen’s Birthday weekend has 22 points, eight ahead of East Coast Farm Vets YMP hooker Shayde Skudder, who also has two matches to add to his tally, starting with Earthworks Solutions High School Old Boys on Saturday at Rugby Park.

Kapene will collect $1000 as MVP winner.

Skudder, Larsawn Ngatapa prop Semisi Akana, YMP prop Axel Campbell and Waikohu fullback Ethine Reeves are the main contenders for second ($300) and third ($200).

Akana, joint third with Campbell (both on 11 points), has been forced to watch in recent weeks due to a back injury that could end his season.

Reeves has three games in which to make his bid for a share of the prize-money. HSOB hooker Jody Tuhaka (9pts) is also in the mix as HSOB have three games to play, against YMP, Waikohu and Athletic.

With no disrespect to Kapene, who has been outstanding for an Athletic side week-in-week-out for a club struggling to field full-strength teams, Reeves has serious competition for three points each week from any one of a number of his teammates.

Reeves, who never seems to play a bad game, first five-eighth Kelvin Smith, second- five Jesse Fleming, halfback Mario Counsell, lock Richard Green, No.8 Ken Houkamau, prop Toru Noanoa, openside flanker James Rutene and prop Sandy Hohipa-Campbell have all been major contributors to Waikohu’s nine-match unbeaten run.

“It’s been hard to pick our man of the match each week,” said Waikohu coach Jason Tuapawa, who has the men from Te Karaka on course for their second successive Lee Bros Shield final appearance.

Two years ago Waikohu were playing in the senior one division.

They were beaten in last year’s decider by HSOB.

“We’re taking nothing for granted,” said Tuapawa, a former Poverty Bay lock.

“We are in a good spot but there’s still a lot of rugby to be played before the playoffs.

“So far we have been lucky with injuries and we have good depth on the bench, but the boys are keeping their feet on the ground.”

Waikohu lead the competition with 45 points and should make it 10 bonus-point wins on the trot when they host Roseland Tavern Tapuae on Saturday.

Jake Holmes and Lance Dickson (both on 6pts) are out of contention for MVP money but can secure a top-four spot for Enterprise Cars OBM if they beat Ngatapa at Patutahi on Saturday.