Matahiki did a good job last weekend when in charge of United’s 20-12 pre-season win at home against Waiapu — John Manuel’s club — but tomorrow will mark a historic occasion at Cape Runaway for Waiapu, under their player-coach, halfback Hamuera Baker.
“It’s been a big week, but we’re good to go,” Baker said.
“We aim to hold on to the ball for multiple phases, improve our defensive line and cut out silly penalties through ill-discipline.”
Baker is analytical and skilful. His opposite, TVC second five-eighth Moana Mato, knows what’s invested in this clash.
“Our TVC players and JAB have paid their respects . . . all the clubs have a lot of aroha (love) and respect for Waiapu and Big John,” Mato said.
“We expect a hard, passionate game from Waiapu — and a big turnout. We didn’t think there’d be rugby this season but now it’s a reality, we’re eager for it.”
In rugby terms, passion used as fuel produces hard running, heavy contact, situational awareness, decision-making and the execution of skills under pressure.
Passion in a less useful form leads to a high penalty count, dropped ball and missed tackles.
Fans of Coast rugby this weekend will likely witness a huge effort from their teams.
TVC lost the 2019 final 24-23 to Uawa at Tolaga Bay; the last game for Waiapu was a 56-26 loss to Ruatoria City at Whakarua Park two years ago — Waiapu did not field a team last season.
Waiapu have powerful motivation to play well, and their return to the competition is historic.
While in 2018, the side captained by tighthead prop Frank Manuel began their last match with 14 players — 16 by fulltime — numbers are not a problem for Waiapu now.
TVC are as well-suited as any of the seven teams in the competition to absorb early hammer-blows from Waiapu.
Under Mato, TVC play with structure, are patient and apply pressure while using the boot to good effect — in prop Rawiri Waititi and first-five Verdon Bartlett, Mato has men with composure and game-sense.
TVC will need all of that because Waiapu right wing Dennis Te Kahika made an excellent start to the season with two tries against United, and No.8 Gabe Te Kani is a great talent — one of the best pure athletes in the competition.
TVC last met Waiapu at George Nepia Memorial Park in Tikitiki on April 15, 2017. Then, as now, the music to Waiapu supporters’ ears tomorrow will be what their then-coach Kahu Waitoa said defiantly three years ago, following a loss:
“The boys played their hearts out.”
They should take a bow.
East Coast administrators and officials have worked together tirelessly to make Week 1 a reality: the far-flung clubs of New Zealand rugby’s smallest province will play rugby tomorrow.
Leroy Kururangi, Ngati Porou East Coast community rugby manager, knows what’s gone into making this weekend possible.
“It’s very exciting,” he said.
“Our communities have been wanting rugby since we reached Covid Level 1, and all of our clubs have been slowly working away. They’ve been patient, and now it’s happening.”
A special addition to club rugby in this nine-week season is the Eastern Buses Pick the Score for $100, for which in Week 1 the feature match is Tokararangi’s home game against Hicks Bay.
At Hatea-a-Rangi Domain, however, the clash taking centre stage is Tokomaru Bay United’s rumble with Uawa.
Club champions Uawa, under head coach Laman Davies and captain and fullback BJ Sidney, go into the clash as favourites, and United will fight to defend every inch of their home turf.
Tokomaru Bay United captain and loosehead prop Mike Raroa-Chambers and his crew have arguably the biggest ask in club rugby tomorrow: to hold Uawa’s giant pack up front.
“We want to Implement and enforce what we’ve been doing at training, build from that — also, see how our new guys go,” Uawa coach Davies said.
“They are Josh Dearden (first-five), George Shields (right wing), Guy Collins (lock), Les Te Reo (halfback), Raniera Whakataka (No.8, hooker), Keto Thompson (blindside flanker), Puhi Tau (left or right wing) and Patrick Allen (lock, loose forward).”
Davies will bring two of those players off the reserves bench during the game. Allen, a former Ruatoria City captain, Ngati Porou East Coast and Poverty Bay forward, was a Hurricanes development 15 representative in 2018. His hard-nosed approach and size will add another dimension to Uawa’s forward effort.
He, like former Uawa captain and lock Scott Lasenby, forages for titbits around ruck and maul. They are team men to the hilt, taking knocks without complaint. Tokomaru Bay United will undoubtedly oblige — old hand Mike Tiopira played lock in the pre-season game against Waiapu and scored a try. He still hits as hard in the tackle as any.
It would be senseless for United to truck the ball up the middle ad infinitum against Uawa, though weather (and ground conditions especially) may be a factor. If it is wet and the forward battle becomes a grind, both teams can grind.
The home team also have options in the inside backs, with halfback Chad Chambers-Raroa and Seb Chambers-Raroa or Matt Marino at first-five, whose creativity could tip the balance in a close game.
United head coach Kuru Gray had as many as 32 to 40 players in his squad before Covid-19, and while a few may have stepped back as a result of changes in personal circumstances and work commitments since, he still has available the depth to score points against Uawa. And he knows it.
“I’m optimistic because we can be competitive.”
