Poverty Bay rep head coach, Miah Nikora, to the rescue

STEPPING UP: Poverty Bay head coach Miah Nikora donned the ref’s jersey after Damien Macpherson had to retire injured just minutes into the first 15 clash between Gisborne Boys’ High and St Paul’s Collegiate School at the Rectory fields yesterday. Had he not, the game may not have gone ahead. GBHS won 8-7. Picture by Paul Rickard

Every first 15 rugby fan who saw Gisborne Boys’ High School beat St Paul’s Collegiate School 8-7 here yesterday has Miah Nikora, Mitchell Purvis and Robbie Kirkpatrick to thank.

Poverty Bay representative head coach Nikora took the whistle and Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union player development activator Purvis and Kirkpatrick the assistant referee flags after just four minutes of play at the Rectory.

Referee Damien Macpherson was forced to leave the field with an injury to his right knee and had the two Poverty Bay staff members and Kirkpatrick — father of GBHS winger Dante — not been present as spectators, there was a chance the game wouldn’t have continued.

GBHS head coach Duane Hihi praised Nikora for stepping up “without a second thought”.

“That was amazing. We’re grateful to him and to Poverty Bay Rugby for their support.”

St Paul’s coach and director of rugby Paul Hodder echoed the gratitude.

“Referees are a key part of the game and we need to support them because we need more of them,” he said. “As far as we’re concerned, from Palmerston North to Tihoi, and from Tihoi to Gisborne, that’s 11 hours.

“We would’ve been gutted if the game had been cut short.”

PBRFU chief executive officer Josh Willoughby was not surprised at his colleagues coming to the rescue.

“Poverty Bay Rugby is full of amazing people with integrity and whatever rugby-wise the community needs us to do, we’ll do,” said Willoughby.

“Miah’s a qualified referee and he controlled the game extremely well, as he did as a player.”

Nikora let the game flow where possible but his consistent and firm policing of the lineout should motivate thrower, lifters and jumpers to become more accurate.

“I was just there to enjoy the game,” he said. “Damo (Macpherson) went down, tried to push through, couldn’t. I enjoy refereeing, but see myself as a casual ref only.

“Today’s events highlight the need here for more people to put their hands up to referee at every level because we have a system in place for training and support of our refs — from the beginners through to our most experienced in what is a very passionate rugby community.”

Poverty Bay Rugby Referees’ Association president Hamish Campbell also gave Macpherson’s referee replacement a big tick.

“Miah’s calm and he’s got the respect of the players because he referees what’s in front of him. He’s not penalty-focused, he’s game-focused.”

Campbell and his fellow officials are always on the lookout for potential or aspiring referees.

Contact details for them will be listed in an upcoming article on the PBRRA.

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