Ngatapa will be big test

TURNING OUT FOR SUB-UNION: Willis Tamatea makes ground for YMP against Pirates-GMC in premier club rugby this season. Tamatea will play for Ngatapa on Sunday, courtesy of the Barry Cup challenge competition among the region’s sub-unions. Waikohu are the holders. Picture by Paul Rickard

RUGBY

They’ll get straight to the point.

Barry Cup holders Waikohu are well aware that the next team to challenge — Ngatapa — will not be loose, will not be flashy and will not easily take no for an answer.

As with Game 1 of the season (an 80-5 victory to Waikohu over Ruatoria), this second match will kick off at 2.30pm at Te Karaka Domain on Sunday.

“Ngatapa are always strong in the forwards so we’ll have to muscle up there, and they play the percentages with their kicking game,” Waikohu captain and hooker Geoff Pari said.

“Our main focus is turning up ready to get the job done. We want to play positive rugby, and the entire community — not just the players — are looking forward to the game.”

Waikohu led Ruatoria 47-5 at halftime last week. The visitors gave it their all, but most of their players had last turned out for their East Coast clubs on July 13.

The Ngatapa prems have likewise not been in action since the end of the second round of club rugby here, but they have great quality in their side.

Campbell Chrisp is an excellent, experienced loosehead prop; the second-row, with Sam McDell and YMP’s Willis Tamatea, are athletic; and the backs are a mix of flair, daring and aggression, with Matt Raleigh, Henry Seymour and Scott McKinley.

“A few of our boys may be in or out, so we’ll go in low-key, get a team on the field, see how we go,” Ngatapa coach Steve Hickey said.

“(Waikohu sub-union chairman) Bob Morse has been teasing us about the Barry Cup for three months. There is a lot of interest in it and a real buzz about it.”

The referee for Sunday’s game is Fred Barwick (Poverty Bay).

WAIKOHU BARRY CUP TEAM: Jarryd Broughton, Geoffrey Pari (c), Tulsa Kaui, Carlos Paea, TK Tane, Kupu Lloyd, James Rutene, Tamanui Hill, Mario Counsell, Rawiri Broughton, KC Wilson, Kelvin Smith, Jesse Fleming, Lane Reeves, Andrew Tauatevalu. Reserves: Tristan Rutene, Mike Tane, Shawn Ward, Shannon Cameron, Lane Reeves, Te Mana Barbarich, Kopu Lloyd.

NGATAPA SUB-UNION: Campbell Chrisp, Ihaia Kerr, Taylor Howatson, Sam McDell, Willis Tamatea, James Maher (c), Jacob Samuels, Misi Akana, Josh Rofe, Matt Raleigh, Robin Bordet, Sione Ngatu, Peter Livingstone, Henry Seymour, Scott McKinley. Reserves: Scott Brodie, Taku Hall, Cam Rowden, Jack Fuller, Nate Kerr, Alex Chrisp, George Bridge, Mike Broadhurst.