Gisborne Herald
  • Gisborne Herald Home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Locations

  • Gisborne
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Hawke's Bay

Media

  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Premium
Home / Gisborne Herald / Sport

Size, skill experience will be vital factors at Whakarua Park

Gisborne Herald
18 Mar, 2023 03:50 AMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ian Logan knows what to expect from Tihirau Victory Club.

Logan, who with Lorne Boyce-Goldsmith coaches Ruatoria City, is anticipating their TVC guests tomorrow will bring big forwards and quality backs.

Whakarua Park — the venue for Ruatoria City versus TVC — was the scene of TVC's greatest triumph; the first time they won the Rangiora Keelan Memorial Shield as champions of Enterprise Cars Ngati Porou East Coast club rugby in 2017.

TVC will bring big forwards in the mighty openside flanker Manaia Nyman and captain and No.8 Hoani Te Moana. They are very different players but equally valuable, as are young centre William Ford and veteran fullback and NPEC Sky Blues legend Verdon Bartlett.

It is what these players bring to the table together that matters most and City — with stalwarts in props Pera Bishop and Boss Blackbee — have experience to call on also.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Those two, skipper and fetcher Jack Richardson and Te Moana's opposite Tanetoa Parata do not yield an inch unfought.

These events will unfold under the eyes of referee Jackson Reuben-Swinton.

Whetu Haerewa will be referee at Kahuitara — a ground with a unique atmosphere. It will be important for Waiapu, that as visitors calling on Hikurangi, they don't get caught up in those heady surrounds.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Given room and time, Hikurangi play a blend of powerhouse rugby at pace and with aggressive intent. There is no better team to watch in full flow and so Waiapu, under Jesse Haenga, must keep level heads.

They must focus on the important details — spacing and communication at kick-off, restart, lineout, scrum, ruck, rolling maul and back play.

Discipline, too, will be an important factor for both teams. The team lacking in it, and who potentially play short for that reason, will find it hard to win.

Hicks Bay have a tough challenge in defending champions Uawa at Uawa Domain but it would be unwise for anyone to count them out.

Hooker Jim Hovell and lock Weihana Delamere are solid performers, and captain and first five-eighth Shaun Murtagh is regularly visited by genius.

Murtagh is a match-winner whether at first-five or at fullback.

Fans at Tolaga Bay tomorrow should appreciate the courtesy and approachability of referee Eruera Kawhia, while keeping an eye out for Hicks Bay's fearless second-five Cyprus Newey-Schumann.

Everyone present should look forward to seeing legendary Uawa fullback BJ Sidney come off the bench.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The fight up front will be good. The thrust and parry between the outside backs could be equally fascinating on a huge club day at Uawa Domain.

Six Junior Advisory Board rugby teams will line up against Ngatapa, YMP and OBM teams before the “Big Blues” roll out.

RUATORIA CITY: Pera Bishop, Len Loyd, Boss Blackbee, Tuterangi Ngarimu, Nathaniel Fox, Rhys Walker, Jack Richardson (c), Tanetoa Parata, Neihana Ratahi-Brown, Keenan Kaiwai, Sebastian Tutu, Jesse Fleming, Taiaho White, Travis Tawera, Corey Walker. Reserves: TBC.

TIHIRAU VICTORY CLUB: Rika Mato, Whetu Tukaki, Hirini Delamere, Haimona Waititi, Darryl Jackson, Duane Waititi, Manaia Nyman, Hoani Te Moana (c), Blessing Perese-Elliott, Ngarangi Haerewa, Tutere Waenga, Te Manu Herewini, William Ford, Ron-Paul McRoberts, Verdon Bartlett. R: Benny Haerewa, Donny Raimona, Dion Hignett- Koopu, Hamiora Ngatoro, Nate Henry, Mo Mato, Frank Henderson.

HIKURANGI: Winiata Blane, Paraki Pahau, Putahi Morice, Savaan Beardsley, Pakanui Webb, Tapui Blane, Kyil Beach (c), Raf Tuhura, Daniel Low, Te Aho Morice, Hone Manuel, Karau Keelan, Fabyan Kahaki, Zyon Collins, Kris Palmer. R: Hone Brooking, Marsh Wilson, Maui Baker, Trent Proffit , Mo Keelan, Mahue Mauheni, Karaitiana Kenworthy, Te Aotahi Tuhaka, Mohi Harrison, Te Kaiwi Parata.

PANGO PRODUCTIONS WAIAPU: TBC.

UAWA: John Mathias, Moana Nuku, Semisi Akana, Guy Collins, Joe King, Te Atapo Kirikiri, Tanira Tamanui-Nepia Patrick Allen (c), Carlos Kemp, Josh Dearden, George Sheild, Te Ahimanawa Westrupp, Ben Smith, Caleb Billington, Frank Davoren. R: Maia Fox, Myles Lardelli-Muir-Tawa, Joe Smith, Alex Ainley, Ben Kingslee, Chris Richardson, BJ Sidney.

HICKS BAY: Christopher Tipene, Jim Hovell, Dylan Biddle, Weihana Delamere, Meiha Waitoa, Kamaia Ruha, Wiremu King-Taufa, Tiera Biddle, Shaun Murtagh (c), Maro Waitoa, Cyprus Newey-Schumann, Wanapeka Campbell, Rangi Te Kani, Kopua Kurei. R: Joshua King, Rawiri Hoerera.

Save
    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Sport

Sport

Victory at last: Super 8 win drought ends for Ollie and Austin

Sport

YMP, Waikohu cruise to big wins in the Y

Sport

'A great day': Over 200 students get into the spirit of Fast 5


Sponsored

Saving NZ’s rarest species

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Victory at last: Super 8 win drought ends for Ollie and Austin
Sport

Victory at last: Super 8 win drought ends for Ollie and Austin

Gisborne Boys' High First XI celebrate rare win at Super 8 hockey tournament

31 Jul 04:30 AM
YMP, Waikohu cruise to big wins in the Y
Sport

YMP, Waikohu cruise to big wins in the Y

30 Jul 11:12 PM
'A great day': Over 200 students get into the spirit of Fast 5
Sport

'A great day': Over 200 students get into the spirit of Fast 5

30 Jul 11:08 PM


Saving NZ’s rarest species
Sponsored

Saving NZ’s rarest species

30 Jul 09:40 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Gisborne Herald
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Gisborne Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP