A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
YMP gatecrashed Tapuae coach Frank King’s 60th birthday party, beating his side 69-3 in a premier rugby match at Rugby Park on Saturday.
A depleted Tapuae were no match for YMP, who ran in 10 tries.
Tapuae’s points came from the boot of halfback Shamrock Brown with the last kick of the game.
Tapuae went into the match without seven players who were injured but held their own in the first 40 minutes. They trailed 22-0 at the break, but the floodgates opened in the second half as YMP upped their game, led by blindside flanker and player of the day Dominique Wilson.
Wilson scored one try and had a hand in four others.
Best try of the game? Probably the bonus-point five-pointer scored by loosehead prop Lewis Fleming to give YMP a 29-0 lead seven minutes into the second half.
Forwards and backs combined superbly before Fleming, who scored another try two minutes later, completed the move.
Another contender for top try would have to be midfield back Jayden Milner’s first for the Magpies since moving from the Coast. Wilson and lock Luke Bradley, who is proving a valuable asset since returning from Japan, were involved in the move.
YMP replacement front-rower Rocky Monika put his hand up for a starting spot with some strong runs. First five-eighth Brian Whaitiri had an outstanding day with the boot, landing seven conversions, including four from out wide.
Milner’s midfield partner, Te Peehi Fairlie, had his best game of the season and bagged two tries.
Although Tapuae were well beaten, their players and supporters celebrated the penalty kick as though it had won them the game.
“That says a lot about them,” a YMP fan said.
“They could have chucked it in halfway through the game but they never stopped trying.”
YMP 69 (Te Peehi Fairlie 2, L Fleming 2, J Milner 2, C Stuart, D Wilson, W Tamatea, M Samuels tries; B Whaitiri-White 8 con, pen).
Tapuae 3 (S Brown pen).
HT: 22-0.
OBM coach Tom Solomon had nothing but praise for an Athletic team who pushed his side all the way before OBM won 16-7 at Wairoa.
“We had 65 percent possession but they continually put their bodies on the line,” said Solomon, whose Enterprise Cars OBM side needed three pressure kicks from captain and first five-eighth Jake Holmes to get home after the sides went into the break locked at 7-7.
Athletic skipper and No.10 Kurt Taylor continued his good form, scoring the opening points — a try and conversion — midway through the first half.
OBM hooker Rikki Terekia and Holmes combined to level the scores, Holmes converting Terekia’s try.
“Even though we dominated possession and territory in the last 40, there was no breaking down their defence,” Solomon said.
“Jake really stepped up, edging us ahead with 17 minutes to play before making the game safe with two more penalties, all from 35 metres or more.”
Solomon said winger Te Ahu Baker was their player of the day, followed by lock Jacob Cook and Terekia.
“There might be a few people surprised by the closeness of the score but Athletic gave it everything on defence and you can see their improvement,” Solomon said.
“The main thing is we won. Winning is a habit and one I want the boys to get. You hear some coaches talking about expansive rugby, and that’s OK as long as you win. I don’t care how we win as long as we win . . . whether it be by one point or 20 points.”
“Our props, Jamie Barnett and Lance Dickson, and blindside Te Otene Ria also impressed me.”
Athletic coach Jimmy Whaitiri was “stoked” with the result.
“I just keep getting more proud of these guys every week,” Whaitiri said.
“Up until this game our tackling has not been as strong as we would like but we spent some quality time before the match tackling and the boys gave it heaps. They carried that on to the pitch.
“OBM have the makings of a good team so this performance will give our players a lot of confidence.”
Whaitiri said Athletic No.8 Jess Kapene was outstanding, earning the player-of-the-day award.
“He held the scrum together,” Whaitiri said.
“Kurt was again our general and picked up two points, with prop Alex Little getting one.”
OBM 16 (R Terekia try; J Holmes con, 3 pen).
Athletic 7 (K Taylor try, con).
HT: 7-7.