The second double-header of the first round will be at Whakarua Park. At 1.15pm, Ruatoria City will meet fifth-placed Tokomaru Bay United. At 3pm, fourth-placed Hikurangi — beaten finalists in 2017 — face defending champions Tihirau Victory Club.
The 27-all draw with team No.7 City in Whangaparaoa last week didn’t cost TVC their unbeaten record but it did cost them a spot, with Uawa beating Hicks Bay 46-5 to claim the top spot.
Uawa lead the competition, with 19 pointsUawa lead the competition, with 19 points. Following them, in order, are TVC, Tokararangi, Hikurangi, Tokomaru Bay United, Hicks Bay, Ruatoria City and Waiapu.
Moana Mato, the captain who last year held the Rangiora Keelan Memorial Shield aloft for the first time in TVC’s history, is under no illusions about the teams’ first meeting since that extra-time epic in Ruatoria.
“We have a lot of things to work on — defence around rucks and mauls, not over-committing but keeping that discipline,” Mato said.
“We want to do the basics well and play good rugby.”
Discipline will also be an important consideration for Hikurangi heading into Week 4. Before the clash with Waiapu, they had conceded 40 penalties in two games.
Hikurangi did spend valuable time in possession and stretched their legs last Saturday, but this game will be much closer.
Wherever he plays, Tanetoa Parata is a force to be reckoned withWherever he plays, Tanetoa Parata is a force to be reckoned with and in the battle up front, 50-game man George Tuala is up for anything.
TVC’s method and structure are hard to break, and perhaps the probing play of Hikurangi’s Neihana Ratahi-Brown at halfback could become a factor. His quickness makes him dangerous.
Ruatoria City v Tokomaru Bay UnitedJust as dangerous is City No.8 Paddy Allen, whose last-minute try against TVC tied the scores and changed the state of things on the table.
Having missed the first three games of the season due to work commitments, Allen will lead the side on Saturday.
City coach Lisa Muller said: “We’re looking forward to this game — the boys are excited. Every week, there’s pressure to perform.”
Tokomaru Bay United captain Adam Williams is just one of the players carrying injuries (knee, lip) into this game, but neither he nor his men will save themselves.
“A lot of us are hurting: (lock) Saul Parata (left knee), (blindside flanker) Petera Smith (both shoulders). But we strap things up. We carry on.”
Waiapu v Hicks BayUnited beat Hicks Bay 25-12 in Week 1, and the Hicks Bay-Waiapu clash will be a battle between two immensely proud clubs.
“Tackling for 80 minutes is hard on the body,” Waiapu coach Kahu Waitoa said.
“Our captain, Frank Manuel, plays well and leads by example. The boys are good.”
Hicks Bay player-coach Warren Henderson has two areas for improvement in mind.
“Combinations and good set-pieces, especially the lineout,” Henderson said.
“We want clean ball.”
Hicks Bay have back-row forwards good enough in the air to supply that — just as Waiapu have the flair of players such as Grayson Mauheni and Slade Tiopira — to reverse the trend of results to date.
Waiapu with their tails up at home . . . that challenge would get harder by the minute.
Tokararangi v Uawa Thumping tackles — that’s what Uawa and Tokararangi will supply at Te Araroa Domain. Both clubs have strong forward packs well-suited to a muddy battle, and where Uawa will have the likes of flyer BJ Sidney at fullback, the home team have a running first five-eighth in Pamona Samupo. He scored two excellent tries against Waiapu a fortnight ago, and a hat-trick last week. Samupo is dangerous.
“Our defence needs to stay strong, to shut down their backline,” Uawa captain and lock Scott Lasenby said.
“We need to be strong at set piece and at the breakdown.”
Lasenby knows Tokararangi will be hard to beat at home.
Next Saturday, Uawa will have home advantage in what will — all things remaining equal — be a top-of-the-table clash with TVC. And Step 1 in ensuring Uawa stay at the top of the table, will be to beat Tokararangi this weekend.
Tokararangi have scored 160 unanswered points in the past fortnight. The likes of blindside flanker Manahi Brooking have played excellent rugby, but what they really need now is a tough workout. They will be at home again to City next week and must look to seize both of those opportunities.
