Popular midfield back David played club rugby for High School Old Boys and represented Poverty Bay and Wairarapa Bush.
The trophy is played for either pre-season or if the sides face each other in the Heartland Championship.
And it means a lot to both, meaning neither side will need motivating tomorrow.
“It’s another road trip this weekend,” Wekas head coach Miah Nikora said ahead of their departure at 4pm today. “Another big game for us.
“We did well last weekend (a 24-17 loss to Thames Valley) but didn’t get the result.”
Poverty Bay welcome back midfield backs Taine Aupouri and Mitch Purvis, who were unavailable for Week 2.
Nikora said they would add to the backline foundation and while yet to confirm the 23, it was likely both would be in the starting 15.
The Bay, however, will be without first-choice halfback Ra Broughton, powerhouse prop Jarryd Broughton and attacking midfield weapon Te Peehi Fairlie.
The loss to Thames Valley highlighted areas the Bay needed to work on.
“We got off to a really good start and were probably the more dominant side for a large portion of the game,” Nikora said.
“But we have got to become more ruthless when we have teams under the pump.”
Otherwise, coach was pleased with their progress — a Week 1 win over Buller and a bonus-point loss to the Valley.
The way the squad had been tracking had given the coaching team confidence the structures they had implemented would continue to bear fruit, but it was imperative they stuck to the systems and game plan.
“When we move away from our structures, we tend to let teams back into the game.
“Our work-ons (this week) have been sticking to our process and being more ruthless.”
The 23-man squad was unavailable at the time The Herald went to print last night.
Heartland Championship, Week 3:
Ngāti Porou East Coast v North Otago, Ruatoria; South Canterbury v Buller, Raukapuka; King Country v Whanganui. Taumarunui; Mid Canterbury v Horowhenua Kāpiti, Ashburton; Wairarapa Bush v Poverty Bay, Masterton; West Coast v Thames Valley, Greymouth.
