City, team No.5, face Tihirau Victory Club at Whakarua Park. TVC lost the last game they played at the park 32-18 to Hikurangi — and will hope that the other Ruatoria-based nut proves easier to crack.
Controlling City and TVC will be Whiti Timutimu, who made history in 2010 as the first woman ever to referee the club final. She will bring that experience to bear at 2.30pm, the kick-off time for all games.
Hikurangi coach Doone Harrison led “The Maunga” to the 2007 final as captain and knows that Waiapu can turn the tables on the best of them: 11 years ago, Hikurangi trounced Waiapu 32-0 in the first round, only to have Waiapu win the return match 25-15.
“Discipline is going to be very important to us,” said Harrison, whose team fought hard to win their last game at George Nepia Memorial Park by eight points.
“We’ve got guys back from injury and they need minutes on the field.”
In 2017, the biggest margin between the teams was 20 points but the most recent meeting saw Hikurangi score 14 tries (hat-trick to player of the day No.8 Tanetoa Parata included) on April 28 at Whakarua Park: the score was 92-0.
Hikurangi captain and hooker Ngarimu Parata has a high regard for Waiapu’s big pack and sees it as important to move the ball and play running rugby.
Waiapu coach Kahu Waitoa and his men have worked hard to compete since the season began. They have it in them to produce a fighting knock in Rangitukia. Frank Manuel, loosehead prop and Waiapu captain, would only say: “Yes, we could be on.”
Imagine trying to catch 15 blue streaks ranging in size from pint-size to plus-sizeImagine trying to catch 15 blue streaks ranging in size from pint-size to plus-size.
That’s the task ahead of Hicks Bay player-coach and second-five Warren Henderson and company: Uawa are coming.
“This will be a challenge,” Henderson said.
“Our forwards have their work cut out for them — as they do every week — but one of the keys will be keeping 15 players on the field.”
Hicks Bay have trained well this week and are aware of the visitors’ excellent structure and the threat posed by not just their hard-running big men, but also the Tolaga Bay-based team’s quick backs.
Uawa extended a 17-5 halftime lead to win the Round 1 meeting 46-5, and their captain is raring to go again.
“After a week away, I can’t wait to get back out there,” lock Scott Lasenby said.
“This is what we want: to build phases. That’s the plan.”
Both teams lost at home in Week 10: Hikurangi beat Uawa 23-20, Ruatoria City squeaked away from Hicks Bay 29-24. The difference between victory and defeat was Nathaniel Fox.
City's Nathaniel Fox will need to be at his best againAnd City second-five Fox will need to be at his best again 48 hours from now. City will again be at home, this time to 2017 champions Tihirau Victory Club: with whom they drew 27-all at Whangaparaoa in the first round.
“The boys are looking forward to this one,” City skipper and No.8 Tim Barbarich said.
“There is a strong rivalry between the teams but also mutual respect — it should be a good, hard-fought contest.”
TVC player-coach and hooker Whetu Haerewa, a former Ngati Porou East Coast head coach, is aware of the threat posed by City.
“This has been a tricky game for us over the past few seasons — a draw, and we won the games before that by three to five points.”
TVC captain and second-five Moana Mato feels even more strongly.
“We’re after redemption but we’ve had only one game in the past three weeks, and City will be tough up front,” said Mato, in his seventh year at the helm for the champions.
“We also need to be disciplined, as Nat Fox has been kicking goals from all points over halfway.”
They want in Tokararangi won by default last Saturday but want to win on the park. Te Araroa Domain has seen them play superbly at home over many years — even in a bog. They beat Hikurangi 18-10 in the 2007 final under legendary captain and forward Willie Waitoa in such conditions.
Current Tokararangi player-coach Morgan Wirepa Jnr scored a try for the home team that day, but would be as happy now just to get his outfit on to the pitch.
“Having two weekends off would not do us any favours — we need all the game time we can get,” he said.
“We have to keep going; we have to play.”
Tokararangi’s opposition — Tokomaru Bay United — have, like Waiapu, concentrated on getting player numbers together.
United captain and loosehead prop Adam Williams simply said: “We haven’t had a game in three weeks ourselves — but this is going to happen.”
