Uawa ended the five-year reign of Matakaoa on August 30, 2015, with a 22-20 scoreline.
Waikohu made one defence of the Barry Cup to close the 2018 season: a 45-7 barnburner against Matakaoa at Te Karaka on September 9.
Despite the 38-point margin, that game against the Willie Waitoa-led Matakaoa was — if such a thing is possible — even more rugged than the Waikohu-Uawa game a week before.
“To win the Barry Cup was the icing on the cake last year,” Waikohu coach Jason Tuapawa said.
“We’re very excited — the Waikohu family will be out in force behind the boys this Sunday.”
Ruatoria have a point to prove. In the challenge against Uawa in 2018, they were beaten 31-17. The season before, they had lost 32-0.
This year, neither Wairoa nor Tihirau Victory Club (Games 2 and 3 respectively last season) will challenge but Ngatapa and Hikurangi, who didn’t feature in 2018, are in the hunt as No.3 and No.4 in the queue.
“It’s the Barry Cup — everybody’s excited: this is about the mana of your area,” Ruatoria coach Lisa Muller said.
“We’re going to pull together on Sunday.”
When Uawa captain Scott Lasenby handed the Barry Cup to Waikohu skipper Geoff Pari in Tolaga Bay, the new holders had only (?!) to beat Matakaoa, and the right to have the sub-union’s name engraved on the trophy was theirs. The last holders in any given season have that right — it is one of the competition rules.
Other rules have been fine-tuned, with the competition now under the auspices of the Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union, Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union and Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union.
“The teams are limited to 24 players, with four players of origin — registered players who have in the past played at least Junior Advisory Board rugby for one of the clubs affiliated to a sub-union,” Waikohu Barry Cup chairman Bob Morse said.
“This is going to be a great season for rugby and a great day for our community out at Te Karaka.”
The referee for tomorrow’s clash is 20-year-old Oliver Holst, who controlled Tapuae’s 19-3 Senior 1 final victory over Nuhaka. Les Thomas will be first assistant and Fred Barwick, AR2, as appointed by the Poverty Bay Rugby Referees Association.
Barwick will also referee the game between the Waikohu and Te Teko under-11s at 1pm.
Waikohu will field two netball teams in games against Ruatoria City at Waikohu College from midday.
WAIKOHU BARRY CUP TEAM: Jarryd Broughton, Geoff Pari (c), Tulsa Kaui, Carlos Paea, TK Tane, Hayden Rutene, James Rutene, Tamanui Hill, Mario Counsell, Rawiri Broughton, KC Wilson, Kelvin Smith, Jesse Fleming, Matt Ruru, Andrew Tauatevalu. Reserves: Tristan Rutene, Mike Tane, Shawn Ward, Shannon Cameron, Lane Reeves, Te Mana Barbarich, Kopu Lloyd.
RUATORIA SUB-UNION: Lionel Stone, John Brown, Boss Blackbee, Tim Barbarich, Nathaniel Fox, Sean Aupouri, Murray Hewson, Pera Bishop, CJ Fox-Campbell, Neihana Ratahi-Brown, James Te Kahika, Luke Brown, Jacob Leefe, Quentin Takarangi, Sean Collier (c). Reserves: Harmony Hauraki-Downes, Jake Fox, Tawhai Aupouri, Manu Papuni-Iles, Samuel Dewes, Misi Cimo.
