Tairawhiti step up to the mark

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

This team stepped up.

The Tairawhiti under-11s excelled at the New Zealand Maori Rugby League Tamariki Tournament at the Hopuhopu Sports Ground in Ngaruawahia.

As newcomers, they were in the Rohe section and won all five of their round-robin games, beating Tuhoe 18-8, Te Putauaki 4-0, the Dannevirke Tigers 18-8, Omahu 28-0 and Ihi NTOTM 26-4.

“Our team blew me away,” coach Chris Brown said.

“They adapted to the worst conditions I’ve ever seen rugby league played in — pouring rain, ankle-deep mud. We did our pre-match haka against Ihi NTOTM and hail was falling.

“There was no weight limit. Against Ihi, we were giving away 40 kilograms a player. Our Renata Wyllie weighs 30kg. At least four of the Ihi boys would have been 90kg-plus, and Renata, along with our three girls (Jayla, Petra, Kaiawha), were hammering them.

“Everybody was sore afterwards but the kids loved the trip.”

Brown said the attitude, commitment and support of the team and parents made the coaching job much easier.

The 15-player Tairawhiti crew had trained for a month and improved “out of sight”. Seven players had been totally new to the game.

Brown said Dante Hihi — Tairawhiti’s player of the tournament — averaged 30 tackles a game.

Brown told his players: “There’s no crying in my team. This is league; it’s simple — go hard. Put the ball over the try-line and stop them from doing that.”

The team were well-led by captain Safin Tuwairua-Brown, whose quality kicking game was complemented by fellow halves Quaden Chaffey-Kora and Kahu Leach-Waihi.

Ten-year-old Jaih Kora and front-row partners Christian Beach and Kameron Totoro carried the ball strongly.

“Our leading tryscorer Mahue (five tries), Tumau, Whaterangi and Bailey were amazing,” Brown said.

“Tairawhiti rangatahi rugby league should take three teams — under-10s, under-11s and under-12s — to Ngaruawahia next year. Get kids off the couch and out there playing.”