Nuhaka keen to turn tables

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RUGBY

THE Nuhaka Senior 1 rugby team hope to turn the tables on Ngatapa in their semifinal on Saturday.

Last year, Ngatapa were the hosts at Patutahi and they beat Nuhaka in a tight semifinal, before going on to lose the Lew Patterson Cup final against OBM.

This year, Nuhaka host the same semifinal match-up in Poverty Bay Civil Project Solutions senior rugby.

The other semifinal is between Tapuae and Waikohu at Wairoa.

Both semifinals are knockout games and the away teams will travel by bus to get there.

Nuhaka coach Rongomai Wairau said it would be their first home semifinal and they were keen to give a good account of themselves.

Nuhaka were the top qualifiers and Ngatapa ended the regular season in fourth.

The home side are also coming off a win against YMP in their last game, while Ngatapa are coming off a loss to Waikohu.

But that might not mean much heading into a knockout semifinal.

“We’re expecting it to be a tough game,” Wairau said.

“They want it too, just like us.”

Ngatapa manager Pete Burgess said Nuhaka were well drilled and had a good lineout.

“They’ll be hard to beat down there,” he said.

And Ngatapa first five-eighth Hamish Mead is out with a broken leg. But Ngatapa did get a victory over Nuhaka this season.

Tapuae, who qualified second, didn’t get to play last week, beating OBM by default.

Tapuae coach Frank King said he expected a torrid battle in the forwards against Waikohu.

“They’ll be taking the game to us,” he said.

“Whoever wins the battle up front should come out on top.”

Waikohu coach Darcy August said he expected a free-flowing game.

His team had come home strong in their recent matches.

“The boys are all amping to go.”

Both semifinals start at 2pm.