A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
KEVIN Hollis Glass Pirates may be down and out of the premier rugby competition — which starts on March 24 — but club president Pat Makiri says the Buccaneers will be back.
“We’ve been struggling for numbers in the past few years but we have good people on and off the field, and they will work hard to get the club back in the premier division.
“Nothing’s impossible and we will be back.”
Makiri, based in Hawke’s Bay for the past three years, said it was hard on coaches working with only a few players at training
“We’ve lost virtually a full backline — some have gone to other clubs, some have left the district and some have work commitments that make it hard for them to get to training.
“But it’s not just players we’re after; we’re looking for people to step up in other roles, people to do the spadework on the ground.
“All it takes is for someone to step forward and say, ‘I can do it’.”
Makiri, one of the the driving forces during the club’s glory days when they won three Lee Bros Shield titles — in 2011, 2012 and 2014 — singled out sponsor Kevin Hollis and 2017 coach Willie Waitoa for praise.
“Kevin and Craig (Kevin’s son) have been fantastic supporters of the club . . . sponsors who have worked and contributed way and above the call of duty.
“Willie, who played in all three Shield final wins, captaining the team in 2012 and 2014, took over as coach last year after we finished bottom of the table in 2016.
“Willie’s a leader and we went from being bottom of the table to top four and semifinal, which was a great achievement, and I don’t think it got the recognition it deserved.”
“Willie also coached the Gisborne Boys’ High School under-15s last year. This year he wants to concentrate on playing.”
Pirates forced to withdrawKevin Hollis was disappointed that Pirates had been forced to withdraw from the premier competition.
“I’m gutted, but following our annual general meeting it was obvious we didn’t have the playing numbers,” said Hollis, who has been associated with the club for 53 years and is still on the committee.
“On the positive side, we have our JAB teams to fall back on and we’ll continue to support them and try to work our way back to the premiers.
“It happened in the mid-1970s and we came back. We have good people on the committee and I’m hoping we can make it back again.”
The Pirates rugby club was formed in 1952 following the amalgamation of the Kaiti City and Celtic clubs.
After going through hard times, especially in 2005 when they conceded a hundred points on six occasions, including a record 160-12 loss to High School Old Boys, Pirates appointed former New Zealand Maori and Counties prop Henry Maxwell as coach.
Maxwell, who made 107 appearances for Counties, and Makiri began a rebuilding process that culminated in the Buccaneers winning their first Lee Bros Shield title in 2011.
After losing a thriller 23-22 to YMP in 2010, Pirates ended a 59-year championship drought with a 19-8 victory over YMP in 2011.
With Maxwell and another former NZ Maori player, midfield back Rua Tipoki, running the playing side and Makiri and his committee making Pirates a club that players wanted to join, more Lee Bros Shield success was to follow.
In 2012, Pirates retained their title, beating YMP 20-8 then made it three championship victories when they beat HSOB 17-16 in 2014.
Goal-kicking lock Waitoa landed the winning penalty with four minutes to go against HSOB.
Maxwell stepped down to focus on family and was replaced by Steve Smith, who, through no fault of his own, found himself struggling to continue the legacy as attendances at training dropped.
Smith spent two years with a club he had served well as a player, before switching to YMP.
Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union interim chief executive Karen Bryant said the loss of Pirates was sad.
“It’s also hard to come back,” she said.
“Look at Horouta and GMC (both former premier clubs, no longer playing). But we wish Pirates all the best and hope they can make a return.”