Gisborne Herald
  • Gisborne Herald Home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Locations

  • Gisborne
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Hawke's Bay

Media

  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Premium
Home / Gisborne Herald / Sport

YMP and OBM go head-to-head in Lee Bros Shield showdown

Gisborne Herald
17 Mar, 2023 02:53 PMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

POWER AND PACE: OBM openside flanker Adrian Wyrill fends off YMP first five-eighth Brian Whaitiri-White in their most recent match. OBM won the game 49-10 and the two teams meet again in tomorrow’s final. Picture by Paul Rickard

POWER AND PACE: OBM openside flanker Adrian Wyrill fends off YMP first five-eighth Brian Whaitiri-White in their most recent match. OBM won the game 49-10 and the two teams meet again in tomorrow’s final. Picture by Paul Rickard

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

RUGBY

FIRE, intensity and rugby smarts — striking the right balance between passion and composure — might be how the Lee Bros Shield is won.

The Poverty Bay club rugby premier-grade final between OBM and YMP at Rugby Park tomorrow promises to be compelling.

Enterprise Cars OBM have consistently produced strong team performances but coach Trevor Crosby knows anything might happen in a one-off game and his players need to have their minds on the job.

YMP have strike power.

Stay ahead of the game

Get the day's sports headlines straight to your inbox.
Please email me competitions, offers and other updates. You can stop these at any time.
By signing up for this newsletter, you agree to NZME’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

OBM haven’t won the Lee Bros Shield since 2004.

YMP’s most recent championship was in 2010.

“These are the games you remember for life,” Crosby said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It’s a battle between the top qualifiers and the team who went through the first half of the regular season unbeaten.

YMP were hot through most of the first round and produced some sizzling breakout tries. They have been patchy since but were terrific in their semifinal showdown against 2018 champions Waikohu, a game they won 21-19 in extra time.

OBM have lost once this season — against YMP in Round 1 — and they’ve looked better and better as the season has progressed.

Crosby expects no shortage of passion from YMP.

“They’ll come out fire and brimstone,” he said.

“We have to meet their fire with the same intensity.”

He is also urging his team to play smart.

They did just that two weeks ago, when they earned themselves a spot in the final by accounting for YMP in wet conditions, 49-10.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“We respect YMP for what they can provide,” Crosby said.

“They’ve come back (after their loss to OBM) and played some hard rugby.

“They’ve got a lot of individual stars, whereas we’ve got a collection of good players.

“We work as a collective.”

To be fair, OBM have some players in their ranks who have stood out. Adrian Wyrill has been magnificent at No.7, Gabe Te Kani is an athletic and strong loose forward and Mark Atkins is a standout No.12.

YMP do, though, have potential game-breakers in fullback Jayden Milner, centre or wing Te Peehi Fairlie, wing Nathan Rangihuna and centre Whaimotu Craft-Chemis.

Their own No.12, Reihana Wyllie, loves to take the ball into contact and the likes of No.8 Jesse Kapene and lock Willis Tamatea are prepared to work hard.

But OBM inside backs Willy Grogan and Jake Holmes have shown their class in previous matches against YMP and should again rise to the challenge.

Crosby said the club, its players and management were “all on the same waka”.

“They all want to work hard for each other.”

YMP’s form has been mixed since an off-field incident in May and coach Steve Smith lamented unhelpful distractions.

Smith objected to The Gisborne Herald’s reporting about five of his players being suspended amid allegations of assault.

The suspensions ended before the playoffs but a police investigation continues.

A second article about the incident ran on Tuesday, which Smith said was poor timing.

“We’ve been through quite a bit,” he said.

“If any team deserves the shield, it’s this team.

“We’re focusing on the game.”

Smith declined to comment on how his team were shaping up for the final.

Players and management had also been advised not to say anything about the team.

Crosby said OBM were refining their game plan and would be able to adapt to conditions.

“We need to be switched on,” he said.

“Steve’s got a good squad.”

The final kicks off at 3pm and will be refereed by Damien Macpherson.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Sport

Sport

'Out to prove ourselves': 31-strong Weka squad announced

Sport

Mullooly, Mackie join rare group with second B.G. Cup victory

Sport

Vikings' Apanui Kaiwai throws three 180s


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.


Latest from Sport

'Out to prove ourselves': 31-strong Weka squad announced
Sport

'Out to prove ourselves': 31-strong Weka squad announced

'We're putting in a lot of work behind the scenes": New coach Manuel-Harman

16 Jul 04:00 AM
Mullooly, Mackie join rare group with second B.G. Cup victory
Sport

Mullooly, Mackie join rare group with second B.G. Cup victory

16 Jul 02:00 AM
Vikings' Apanui Kaiwai throws three 180s
Sport

Vikings' Apanui Kaiwai throws three 180s

15 Jul 03:53 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Gisborne Herald
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Gisborne Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search