Palmer scores a hat-trick

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

Kris Palmer has always been a match-winner.

Ngati Porou East Coast senior representative No.1076 (with 39 caps), Palmer scored three tries for Hikurangi in a 33-10 away win against Tokomaru Bay United at Hatea-a-Rangi on Saturday.

Palmer also converted four of five tries to Hikurangi, “The Maunga” (mountain).

Game-day captain for Hikurangi was No.8 Karauria Keelan, who did a top job of deputising for the regular skipper, openside flanker Kyil Beach, in Week 4.

From 12-5 up at halftime, Hikurangi cut loose for the first time this season.

Coach Matt Richards is not a man to talk his team up, but he acknowledged their performance and strong play from the opposition.

“Tokomaru Bay United at home are always hard,” second-year coach Richards said.

“They play a forward-oriented style — which we had to combat — but once we were able to hold on to the ball for long periods, we put our stamp on the game.

“Both teams were willing to have a go and play at pace.”

United captain and tighthead prop Mike Chambers-Raroa won the toss and chose an end; Keelan opted to kick off.

Palmer scored the first two tries of the match in the seventh and 25th minutes, converting the first of them, and Hikurangi led 12-0.

Tokomaru Bay No.8 Daniel Leach scored the opening try for the home team 31 minutes into a gritty first half.

Leach, Chambers-Raroa and his fellow prop, United’s MVP (most valuable player) Wyntah Riki, were at the heart of the hosts’ strong forward effort.

In the 55th minute, hooker Blake Beard scored his first try for Hikurangi; it was converted by Palmer for 19-10. Beard, in his first season for The Maunga in NPEC Rugby, is a glutton for work, with the sort of enthusiasm that raises spirits.

United’s fight to keep the game close gained impetus in the 61st minute with Mike Chambers-Raroa’s try.

Year in, year out, the United skipper scrummages powerfully, tackles hard and is a difficult man to stop close to the try-line.

Hikurangi left wing Karaitiana Keelan scored 67 minutes in, with Palmer converting that and his own hat-trick try after 76 minutes for 33-10.

Karauria Keelan said: “Our boys did well

with the way they linked up to score some nice tries. We were very good in our set-piece play also.”

Rare has been the season during which, four weeks into the club competition, Hikurangi and TVC — who have featured in the past three East Coast finals — would have just one win in the bank.

And this is the first year since Waiapu’s then-No.7 now coach Jesse Haenga played for the then-defending champions in 2013, that

Waiapu — the current competition leaders — have made this a good start to the season.