Ngāti Porou East Coast flanker Jack Richardson upends Poverty Bay loose forward Ryan Jones in their Heartland Championship opener at Rugby Park in Gisborne on Saturday. Jones was among the try-scorers as the Bay got their campaign off to a winning start, 18-8, in their first game on the park since October 2022. Photo / Paul Rickard
Ngāti Porou East Coast flanker Jack Richardson upends Poverty Bay loose forward Ryan Jones in their Heartland Championship opener at Rugby Park in Gisborne on Saturday. Jones was among the try-scorers as the Bay got their campaign off to a winning start, 18-8, in their first game on the park since October 2022. Photo / Paul Rickard
Heartland Championship, week 1: In Gisborne, Poverty Bay 18 (Ryan Jones, Keanu Taumata tries; Tayler Adams 2 pen, con) Ngāti Porou East Coast 8 (William Bolingford try; Sheridan Rangihuna pen); Waihī, Thames Valley 34 Mid Canterbury 50; Whanganui, Whanganui 39 North Otago 21; Masterton, Wairarapa Bush 29 South Canterbury 50;Levin, Horowhenua-Kāpiti 59 Buller 14; Greymouth, West Coast 38 King Country 18.
The men in red are over the first hurdle.
The Paoraian Manuel-Harman-coached, Keanu Taumata-led Poverty Bay Weka beat oldest rugby rivals the Ngāti Porou East Coast Kaupoi 18-8 on Saturday to open their Heartland Championship campaign.
The Bay went without a win in finishing bottom of the table in last year’s competition but marked their return to Gisborne’s Rugby Park – in the process of being redeveloped – for the first time since October 2022 with their 129th win in their 179th game against the Sky Blues since 1923.
It was also a big day for officials, as it was Referee Appreciation Weekend across all New Zealand provincial rugby.
The hosts’ MVP was Hawke’s Bay-based loan player and loosehead prop Nik Patumaka, who led a dominant Bay performance at scrum time.
Nik Patumaka Prop Nik Patumaka's powerful game earned him Poverty Bay's player of the day honour. Photo / Paul Rickard
The Coast named lock Hoani Te Moana as their Kaupoi East Coast Cowboy, presented in honour of the spirit and legacy of the 28th (Māori) Battalion.
Poverty Bay also retained the Anaru “Skip” Paenga Memorial Shield (played for when the sides meet in Gisborne) in front of a crowd of 1500, many of whom had a foot in both camps.
Manuel-Harman, 30, the youngest head coach in the Poverty Bay union’s 135 year-history, was proud of his side’s hard-earned success.
“Our new halfback-first five pairing of Henry [Saker] and Tayler [Adams] exited well for us – especially in the first half – and that allowed us to play smart in the Coast’s half,” Manuel-Harman said. “We dominated the carry and clean-out battle, counter-rucked well defensively. We were patient, played to maps and within our structure created opportunities.”
Third-year Ngāti Porou head coach Kahu Tamatea said: “For Poverty Bay to be back on Rugby Park and playing against East Coast was amazing. I take my hat off to Hoani, his locking partner Gabe Te Kani and blindside flanker Rico Te Kani of the forwards, to name just three of them, and we’ve got exciting backs, but the Bay did a really good job of disrupting our ball, our flow.”
Before the pre-kickoff haka, a moment of silence was observed for former Tauranga Boys’ College First XV captain, Tauranga HSOB, Bay of Plenty, GMC, YMP, New Zealand Combined Services and Weka No 990 Apirana “Bagsy” Rangihuna – the father of Ngāti Porou halfback Sheridan Rangihuna.
Poverty Bay skipper Keanu Taumata dives over to score one of Poverty Bay's two tries in their 18-8 Heartland Championship defeat of Ngāti Porou East Coast. Photo / Paul Rickard
Poverty Bay drew first blood in the 23rd minute with a 15m penalty kick from Adams after Bay of Plenty referee Sam Fellows ruled the Coast were offside.
The Coast equalised with a Rangihuna penalty kick three minutes later – a dropped ball having cost them a certain try shortly before it.
The home side scored their opening try of the competition in the 32nd minute. From a scrum 12m out, former New Zealand Universities man Saker cleared left, Adams cut back off his outside foot and with a great ball found flanker Ryan Jones at ramming speed, who scored alongside the posts.
Adams’ conversion made it 10-3.
In the 40th minute, a flurry of activity saw Rangihuna issued a yellow card for an intentional knock-down.
Adams kicked to touch 5m from the right corner, hooker Ngahiwi Manuel found Taumata in the lineout and after three relentless phases, the skipper went over unopposed for 15-3.
The Bay led by that 12-point margin at the break, but did not have things all their own way.
Weka second five-eighths Anthony Karauria made the first line break of the game and made ground every time he touched the ball, but equally dangerous was his opposite Leigh Bristowe.
Kaupoi flanker Jack Richardson and captain and centre Apirana Pewhairangi made some grand tackles in the first half.
The Coast closed the gap with a try in the 65th minute – a typically tenacious effort over nine phases that ended when Pewhairangi slipped the ball to No 8 Will Bolingford, who showed his strength to score in the right corner.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ... actually, it is a bird. Willie Weka was a welcome return, along with rugby, to Poverty Bay's fortress, Rugby Park, which is undergoing a multimillion-dollar development. A crowd of about 1500 enjoyed the Bay's Heartland clash against Ngāti Porou East Coast on a glorious Gisborne day. Photo / Paul Rickard
With Rangihuna having to leave the field in the 72nd minute with cramp in both legs, starting left wing Kris Palmer and reserve Hamuera Moana did an admirable job of holding the ship together.
First five-eighths Wharenui Hawera, on debut, ran strongly and looked likely for the Coast, but this was the Bay’s day and they snuffed out any chance of a comeback with an Adams penalty with a few minutes to go.
That penalty followed a mighty charge and ruck set up by Reds No 8 Uini Fetalaiga, another new face who impressed.
The loan players for the Weka were excellent value, as was tighthead prop and Tapuae man George Ormond – in for co-captain Lance Dickson, who was ruled out with injury – Mahia’s Lennox Shanks at centre and the reserves.
To a man, they contributed to the Bay’s first win in the Heartland Championship since upsetting North Otago 40-35 in the Lochore Cup semifinal in Ōamaru on September 7, 2023.
