Legends love to play

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

The greats of the game came out to play on Saturday in a hard-fought game between Poverty Bay Legends and Ngati Porou East Coast Legends.

Despite some grey hairs and ageing bodies, both teams put on a showcase of skill in a high-scoring affair won by NPEC, 53-48.

The legends games are reserved for former players who are over 35, and there was a wealth of experience and passion on display.

It was a who's who of local rugby stars of old — Rua Tipoki, Ron Tamatea, Wayne Ensor, Eli Manuel, Mike Noble and Trevor Crosby, to name a few, all took the field.

It was friendly on the sidelines with a healthy amount of joking and ribbing between old foes, but the moment they took the field, their competitive instincts kicked in.

The pace and passion were on full display at the St John tent, with several pulled hamstrings, an Achilles tendon injury and even a broken wrist.

The teams went tit-for-tat all afternoon as they piled on the points, neither side gaining a healthy lead.

As fulltime approached, the intensity picked up as the teams fought for bragging rights.

Legends rugby games are more about getting together with old friends and having fun, but no one wanted to lose. Every time it looked like one side was taking control of the game, the other fought back to stay in touch.

The pace of the match clearly took its toll, with about half the players on the field almost out on their feet in the closing stages.

It was end-to-end rugby, with strong ball running from both teams. The focus was more on attack than defence.

The mood of the game was set early, from the first penalty, when Poverty Bay brought back the “wall” in a tap-and-go move that ultimately proved unsuccessful. Both teams had some slick set-piece moves, showing that despite their absence from regular play, they still had the skills to put on a show.

The age regulations for games are not stringent . . . 29-year-old Te Rangi Fraser, a Mitre 10 Cup prospect for Hawke's Bay, played at first five-eighth for NPEC. He showed his talent, carving through the defence on multiple occasions on his way to the tryline.

After the final whistle, both teams huddled together in a display of unity between the unions.