PB carry preseason loss into Heartland comp

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

Poverty Bay will have just one week to iron out the issues that saw them lose 33-12 to Hawke's Bay Saracens.

In their last preseason game before the Heartland competition starts next weekend, Civil Project Solutions Poverty Bay could not make significant headway against a stronger team.

Mistakes cost them dearly. They struggled to get started on attack and defence in a meaningful way, and lost the Des Sutton Cup, which has not been contested since 2008.

There were moments where the Shayde Skudder- (in his first time in the role) captained Poverty Bay side held the momentum and created chances, but the Saracens controlled the majority of the game.

Because the game was not a first-class fixture, both teams fielded 25 players, with rolling substitutions.

It took over 70 minutes for Poverty Bay to cross the line for the first time off the back of a strong tap and go by flanker Stefan Destounis. That gave them the front-foot ball for reserve prop Tulsa Kaui to dive over the top of the ruck and score from a pick and go.

The damage, by that point, had already been done as the Saracens had marched in five tries and secured a strong 33 point lead before conceding their first try.

Poverty Bay was finished strongly, with a final try to reserve no. 8 Morgan Reedy on the back of a strong tap and go run by reserve prop Jarryd Broughton, bringing in the outside defenders.

Unfortunately for Poverty Bay, their late surge was marred by lapses in concentration that cost them dearly early in the game.

Saracens scored through their second five-eighth, who brushed off five tackle attempts in first receiver off an attacking lineout to score. Another try was an 80-metre runaway intercept.

Poverty Bay co-coach Miah Nikora said they aren't concerned and they will be able to address the issues by Saturday for their opening game against King Country.

“We're not too disheartened around the scoreline . . . they're easy fixes, we think, and good learnings to take into next weekend,” Nikora said.

“We still created a lot of opportunities in the first half. And to be 33 points down, the boys showed a lot of spirit to come back and score two tries late in the piece.”

Nikora said the game was a “nice, tough, perfect game” to go into the Heartland season with fire in their bellies.

“The defence was really in our face. We played against a lot more pressure (than our other preseason games). Time and space was taken away from us.”