So too do his pack. Their battle with YMP, led by three-time championship-winning skipper/hooker Shayde Skudder, will be the winning and losing of game two.
Week two for the James Jenkins-coached Earthwork Solutions High School Old Boys (HSOB) will be just as tough a test for the 101-year-old club.
Their opponents, Kahu Scaffolding Tapuae, scored five superb tries against Ngātapa and will want to perform strongly in their first showing at home.
Openside flanker Lennox Shanks and captain/loosehead prop Wayne Hema scored two of their three first-half tries, both being gutsy engine-room efforts.
Tapuae will have a healthy respect for HSOB’s come-from-behind effort against YMP, while being determined to impose themselves up front.
There will be a time for a superb halfback in Kyoni Te Amo-Poki to release their dangerous backs, but when they do tangle with HSOB captain/halfback George Halley, Te-Reimana Gray at first five-eighths, fullback Cohen Loffler and company, Tapuae will want to do that off front-foot ball.
Matt Smith is referee for the Tapuae-HSOB match while Ben Holt has the whistle for the Ngātapa-YMP clash.
Meanwhile, the H. Blackbee Contractors Ngāti Porou East Coast men’s club competition resumes with week-five games.
Waiapu face Tokararangi at George Nepia Memorial Park in Te Araroa, Ruatōria City are at home to Toko United at Whakarua Park and Ūawa host Waima at Tolaga Bay Domain. All games start at 2pm.
The Enterprise Cars NPEC women’s club competition kicks off on Saturday. Ruatōria City play Ūawa at Whakarua Park while Waiapu take on Tokararangi at George Nepia Memorial Park. Both games kick off at 11.30am.
GBHS heading to ‘Dog Pound’ to take on Feilding High
Gisborne Boys’ High School (GBHS) are on the road for one of the biggest games on their First XV calendar.
GBHS face Feilding High School at Feilding at 11am on Saturday.
The Tom Cairns-coached GBHS won their season-opener against Lindisfarne College 45-38 in Gisborne on March 21 and beat Mount Maunganui College 36-0 away a week later, but Feilding, at their “Dog Pound”, will be a much tougher nut to crack.
Last season, hooker Lucas Goodman led Feilding to a 26-20 win against GBHS in Gisborne. Austin Tunnicliffe, who played openside flanker in that game, will lead them in the first half on Saturday and Goodman will take charge at the break.
Two of Gisborne’s three try-scorers from last year’s encounter – left winger Darius Kiwara and lock Storm De Thier – are back in different positions of right wing and No 8.
Goalkicking first five Ruan Ludwig was also in that 2025 game and goes into the 2026 encounter in good form, including two tries against Lindisfarne.
Promising halfback Coen-Theros Brown grabbed a double against the Mount.
Boys’ High have not played for three weeks, but have quality players in good form, including fetcher Maddy Symes and skipper/hooker Max Hammond.
Key for GBHS will be the midfield pairing of Manawanui Stewart and Tana-Boy Haerewa. They are elusive and have excellent hands, which will be crucial for a team blessed with quickness.
Feilding have nine returnees in their 28 man-squad under their head coach of the last nine years, Justin Lock, whose posse made the National Top 4 playoffs in 2024.
They will be hungry to post a “W”, having lost 33-29 to Wellington College and 31-29 to St Patrick’s College Silverstream so far this season.
GBHS First XV, 1-15: Naera Keelan-Wylie, Max Hammond (c), Lea’asi Tupou, Manoa Nairoroi, Jahdin Mackenzie, Rakai Ferris, Maddy Symes, Storm De Thier, Coen-Theros Brown, Ruan Ludwig, Darius Kiwara, Manawanui Stewart, Tana-Boy Haerewa, Sakenasa Senivono, Jerakye Dygas. Reserves: Kahutia Crawford, Paula Halauafu, Maia Maynard, Rautaki Stewart, Taine Poole, Leyton Hall, Jake Kara, James Maynard-Wilson, Senetenari Tusa, Maihi Allen.
Scoreboard
Poverty Bay Senior 1 results, week 1: Earthwork Solutions High School Old Boys 7 (Brendan Pina; Cory Reihana con) Charteris Choppers Wairoa Athletic 43 (Harry Newman 3, Joe Hansen, Wade Perrett, Toby Colquhoun, Bodhi Fenwick tries; Syd Drinkrow 4 con). HT: HSOB 0 Wairoa Athletic 26.
Kevin Hollis Glass Turanga Pirates 8 (Marukauwiti Kawana try; Rico Walters pen) Harvest Matawhero Transport Ngātapa 27 (Tupou Green-Haupiakui, Tom Drinkrow, Anthony Tupo, Patriah Kaliopasi, Dan Gleballs tries; Stirling McKelvie con). HT: Pirates 8 Ngātapa 12.
R&M Tamatea YMP Bumbles 22 (Daelyn Taumata, Lavelle Rangihuna, Tuhakia Stewart, Mahaki Solomon tries; Allies Rangihuna con) Mahia RFC 18 (Wiremu Erkell, Jaden Murphy, Blake Lambert; Erkell pen). HT: YMP Bumbles 10 Mahia RFC 5.
Nūhaka V8s 41 (Ngakorau Turipa, Hamuera Waiwai-Tipuna, Aoterangi Cotter, Matrics Paul, Nikora Smith, Russel Love, Blayze Waiari-Taylor tries; Waiari-Taylor 2 con, Tahuwaka Edwards con) GT Shearing Waikohu 0. HT: Nūhaka 29 Waikohu 0.
Player of the Day awards: Pauro Erkell (HSOB), Joe Hansen (Wairoa Athletic), Jackson Gray (Pirates), Patriah Kaliopasi (Ngātapa), Zenith Campbell (YMP Bumbles), Reef Hooper (Mahia), Kava Tupe (Nūhaka), Hone Niania (Waikohu).
Week 2 draw – 1pm: Paddy’s Park, Ngātapa v YMP (Hugh Fitzgerald ref); Oval 1, Pirates v Nūhaka (Tony Watson).
2pm: Kaiuku Marae, Mahia v HSOB (Mike Pickering); Te Karaka Reserve 1, Waikohu v Wairoa Athletic (Paul Brown).
