The only game in town: Hicks Bay, Waiapu to play catch-up

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

It's time to play catch-up.

With round-robin play concluding last Saturday, only one competition game will be played tomorrow ahead of next weekend's semifinals of Enterprise Cars Ngati Porou East Coast club rugby.

Hicks Bay will be at home to Pango Productions Waiapu at Kawakawa mai Tawhiti in Wharekahika from 2.30pm.

Tomorrow's hosts are coming off a 23-14 loss to last year's beaten finalists Tihirau Victory Club at TVC's Te Kura Mana Maori o Whangaparaoa.

Both Hicks Bay and Waiapu operate as well on a hard, fast track as they do on a wet ground.

Rain is expected to be about until the last hour before kick-off tomorrow, with a maximum of 16 degrees and a moderate westerly prevailing.

Waiapu head coach Jesse Haenga's men had the bye last week while Hikurangi's home game against 2021 champions Pango Productions Uawa could not be played for lack of a referee. It is a busy time for rugby.

Haenga, whose side's locking stocks have been boosted with the acquisition of big Fijian Netani Seruwaqa, is a happy man — Seruwaqa is mobile, and makes his presence felt around the park.

“We trained last night in Gisborne — we had our captain and tighthead prop, Perrin Manuel, travel from Hastings, that's how keen we are,” Haenga said.

“We've travelled to Gisborne twice to train together.”

The type of connection Waiapu are striving to maintain helped them beat Ruatoria City 25-19 at George Nepia Memorial Park on Opening Day. That was an enormous result for the Rangitukia-based side. They led the competition into Queen's Birthday Weekend and may never have been better placed to grab a win away from home.

But Hicks Bay have weaponry of their own. Forwards-captain Manahi Brooking, hooker Henare Brooking and scrum-anchor Jim Hovell can match their opposites at scrum-time, while locks Weihana Delamere and Meiha Waitoa should make the hosts more than competitive at the lineout.

Hicks Bay pride themselves on the performance of the pack, and with good reason. Nobody shoves them around. More often than not, Hicks Bay do the pummelling.

Second five-eighth Pamona Samupo can break the opposition in general play, and left wing Teina Potae and fullback Shaun Murtagh are capable of producing important tries.

Potae scored a classic try last Saturday as Hicks Bay fought back from being 20-0 down at halftime, but no team on the Coast will give up 21 points easily from the break. Hicks Bay tightened up both attack and defence in the last 40 minutes of Week 7.

Whichever team prevails tomorrow will play in the 1 v 4, 2 v 3 semifinals on July 16. Crunch time has arrived — and it is the only show in town.