Tūranga, Coast on the road for historic Heartland comp

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

Tūranga Wāhine kick off the inaugural North Island Heartland competition against Thames Valley in Te Aroha tomorrow.

Ngāti Porou East Coast Hamoterangi are also in action against Wairarapa Bush in Napier.

Turanga and Thames Valley sides met in a friendly in their last game of 2022 — Tūranga winning 38-22 — so it is perhaps fitting they meet again in  the Heartland competition opener.

Centre Nikita Wharehinga and front-rower Sharn Down will co-captin Tūranga.

Wharehinga’s side were impressive, particularly on defence, in their pre-season 27-0 win over Hawke’s Bay Development in Wairoa last weekend. With the defensive area of the game looking solid, assistant coach Matatua Ruru said their focus in training had been on ball security.

“We lacked a little bit of that last weekend so we were focusing on ball retention and securing our rucks.

“The ladies have been training hard all week and are excited about this weekend’s game.”

They will, however, be without key players such as back Maia Rickard, powerhouse forward Bronya McMenamin — sister of Black Fern Charmaine — and second five Amoe Wharehinga.

The team had not been named at the time The Gisborne Herald went to print last night.

The North Island competition features six provinces — Poverty Bay (Tūranga Wāhine), the Coast, Thames Valley, Whanganui, Wairarapa Bush  and King Country — and culminates in a finals weekend in Taupō on September 23.