Standard of play in Senior 1s impresses

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

Thank goodness for Matt Smith . . . the mild-mannered, long-serving and very capable referee did an excellent job of controlling one of the biggest rivalries in Civil Project Solutions Senior 1 rugby in Week 2.

Smith blew his whistle in Charteris Choppers Wairoa-Athletic’s 19-10 win in the Wairoa derby match with Roseland Tavern Tapuae at Athletic Park.

The protagonists in the epic 22-22 draw at Gisborne Oval 1 on Tiny White Opening Day — Kevin Hollis Glass Pirates and the YMP Bumbles — both tasted victory in Week 2, with YMP 22 Harvest/Matawhero Transport Ngatapa 21 the result at Barry Park 1, the Buccaneers 19 Nuhaha V8s 15 on Oval 2.

Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union chairman Hayden Swann is pleased with the start all six participating Senior 1 sides have made to the competition.

“We at Poverty Bay Rugby and the community have been impressed by the standard of the Senior 1s in the first two weeks: a number of people have made a big effort to facilitate that,” said Swann.

“We certainly hope to see it continue, as Senior 1 rugby has always been an important and valued part of the game here.”

Wairoa-Athletic’s sole try-scorer was second-five Angus Twigley, with former Poverty Bay second-five turned No.8 superboot Moss Doran kicking four penalty goals, as against tries to Tapuae’s hooker Wayne Hema and fullback Kyone Te Amo. Second-five Elijah Emanuel was named Tapuae’s Most Valuable Player, with Doran picking up that award for the home team.

Pirates No.8 Pat Kaliopasi led the Buccaneers to victory 19-15 against the Nuhaka V8s on Gisborne Oval 1 in a tense battle.

The hosts try-scorers were right-wing Mosese Bulicakau, second-five Suliasi Holani and captain Kaliopasi (first-five eighth Tyreke Casey kicked two conversions) — while for Nuhaka, centre Clay Wesche scored a double with lock Marc the try-scorers for Nuhaka.

The visitors’ player-coach openside flanker Hickson Raroa was their MVP. Raroa said: “That was a quick game — the forwards carried the ball well, their support play was a jump up from last week and they set the pace, but our backs scored twice from genuine kick-passes, with Pirates scoring twice like that also.”

Pirates coach Anthony Kiwara’s heart was full.

“I praise all of our boys for their defence — they showed a lot of heart and a never-say-die atitude for each other.

“Nuhaka is a quality team with big mobile forwards that came at us hard: we play them for the Makiri Trophy — named for Wyatt Makiri, brother of our ex-president Pat, son of our patron the late Wai Makiri) — in the first meeting between the teams every year.

“From a rugby standpoint, to have Nuhaka back in our Senior 1 competition after a few years’ absence is awesome.”

The YMP Bumbles are rugby’s great entertainers.

Having drawn 22-22 with Pirates on Tiny White Opening Day at Gisborne Oval 1, in Week 2 at Barry Park 1 they pipped Harvest/Matawhero Transport Ngatapa 22-21.

Reserve second-five Reihana Wyllie, an enormously powerful veteran, scored twice for YMP with one each to No.8 Shyann Wyllie (who converted his own try) and the Bumbles’ MVP centre Lee Nepe.

For Ngatapa, blindside flanker Flynn Burkett, hooker Tane Ruru and centre Angus Chapman scored tries with fetcher Peter Powdrell their MVP.