Poverty Bay chasing preseason trophy

like a hammer: Jacob Leaf of Poverty Bay rams his way through the pack during a match against East Coast. Both Poverty Bay and Wairarapa Bush have their eyes on the Jeremy David Memorial Trophy this weekend. Picture by Paul Rickard

RUGBY

Poverty Bay’s 2021 Heartland campaign gets under way this weekend as they play their first of two warm-up games before the competition starts on August 21.

The team will be expecting a tough game against Wairarapa Bush in Napier, with both teams looking to fine-tune their combinations.

Poverty Bay co-coach Miah Nikora said pre-season games are a final opportunity for players to put their hands up for selection before the season.

The team will be focusing on their execution in implementing the structures that have been put in place at training, he said.

“We’re trying to be a team that can play no matter what the conditions are.”

The preseason games give them an opportunity to test how the team responds in a real game scenario to see what works and what doesn’t, he said.

Both teams will be fighting hard to take home the Jeremy David Memorial Trophy, remembering the former High School Old Boys midfield back who played representative rugby for the Bay and the Bush.

David tragically died in an accident at just 20, falling from a two-storey building on Christmas Day in 1998.

Nikora said while the game is a preseason fixture, the memorial trophy “means a lot to us” and they will be fighting hard to bring it back to Gisborne after losing to Wairarapa Bush last year 46-26.

The preseason games will be a good litmus test to see how Poverty Bay stacks up in the Heartland competition this year.

It’s hard to read too much into their losing performance against Ngati Porou East Coast, who were bolstered by the inclusion of former All Black Nehe Milner Skudder in the line-up and the passion of their centenary game.

With more than three weeks and a second preseason game against the Hawke’s Bay Saracens on August 14, Poverty Bay will have ample opportunity to iron out their flaws ahead of their first Heartland game on August 21.