“We’ve had a good start to the year, and we’re excited to see if we can keep the momentum going because we’ve got a tough game coming up,” he said.
“I want us to concentrate on starting well and finishing well, as we have periods during which we switch off.”
Sione Tupou is to debut for HSOB at Premier level on the right wing, with hooker/loose forward Deon Gouws and first five/fullback Ta’ziayah Milner in the reserves, with debuts in prospect.
Salesi Niuvao will start at tighthead prop for Viliami Mosaati, Leka Palusa moves from lock to No 8 to accommodate Jack Willock, Liam Beattie goes from halfback to left wing due to captain Halley’s return, Josaia Bosaka Tikicidre replaces Braedyn Grant at centre, and Sione Tupou goes to the right wing for Bryan Howard.
YMP have been the dominant force in three of the last four seasons.
A key to their success, strong culture aside, has been their fitness, with trainer Allan Hogarth the driving force behind that.
They are famous for their passion. Yet in the last eight years, skipper and hooker Shayde Skudder has become master of a disciplined, focused unit as fearsome as any to have gone before, with a record (unbeaten in 2025) which bears that out.
“We’re coming through the front door,” Skudder said. “It’s been a stop-start season for us in terms of getting on the field – we haven’t had a game for two weeks (Tapuae defaulted to YMP last weekend) – but we’ve been holding that first-round receipt. It’s time to cash in.”
YMP, who will be defending the Richard Bruce Memorial Trophy played for between the sides, have several changes from the starting 15 who beat Ngatapa 66-5 in their last hit-out.
Saigeon Carmichael is shifting from tighthead to loosehead prop for Nehe Papuni, big Jordan Kingi will play at lock for Shyann Wyllie, and Jokatama Cewa is at blindside flanker for Legend Winiata.
Rawiri Broughton and Silas Brown, as opposed to Silas Brown and Mitchell Purvis, will be at halfback and first-five respectively.
A dearth of front-row forwards forced 2024 champions Tapuae to default to YMP last Saturday, but the Green and Blacks will be all go at home against Ngatapa come 2.45pm.
Co-captain and hooker Wayne Hema believes a fast start and keeping the ball in play are essential.
That will require the right men for the right jobs to fire.
“We did well against a solid, experienced Ngatapa front-row on opening day, but we want to redeem ourselves in that facet of play as we were unable to front up to YMP last week,” Hema said. “Ngatapa always keep things tight, so we’ll have to win our own ball at set-piece before we let our backs run wild.”
No club is more resilient and better equipped to learn from a tough loss like Ngatapa, who were beaten 47-12 by HSOB last weekend and are still searching for a first win of the competition.
With tighthead prop Sam Hudson, captain and lock Jack Twigley and coach and No 8 Sione Ngatu among their starting forwards, Ngatapa have formidable bulk.
Twigley, absent last Saturday, is back on deck for promising young second-rower Logan Spencer, and Rian Norton is at halfback in place of Tim Gardner, Ngatu’s assistant coach.
George Twigley will start for Te Pirihi Puke-Riki at second five while Mosese Bulicakau is at right wing for Angus Lowe.
“The scores haven’t been going our way, but we’re starting to work things out, focusing on getting better each week,” Gardner said.
“The boys have bonded well. We just need a bit of self-belief and to tidy up in a few areas ... a performance we can be proud of isn’t far away.”
Jones reappointed to NZRU board
Gisborne man Doug Jones has been reappointed to the board of New Zealand Rugby. Jones is a director on NZR Commercial with Silver Lake, a member of the Risk Investment and Audit Committee and the NZR representative on Sanzar.
YMP, 1-15: Saigeon Carmichael, Shayde Skudder (c), Nehe Papuni, Jordan Kingi, Willis Tamatea, Jokatama Cewa, Jesse Kapene, Khian Westrupp, Rawiri Broughton (vc), Silas Brown, Quaydon Chaffey-Kora, Anthony Karauria, Genesis Bartlett-Tamatea, Izaiah Fox, Kahurangi Leach-Waihi. Res: Jayerion Te Ahu Ahu, Wirihana Raihania/Levi Cameron, Sonny Woodmass, Legend Winiata, Mitchell Purvis, Ale Paulo, Timuaki Stewart.
HSOB, 1-15: Franco Ludwig, Matekairoa McGuire, Salesi Niuvao, Fletcher Scammell, Jack Willock, Selisio Palusa, Ryan Jones, Leka Palusa, George Halley (c), Cohen Loffler, Liam Beattie, Rylan Tuwairua-Brown, Josaia Bosaka Tikicidre, Sione Tupou, Matthew Proffit. Res: Viliami Mosaati, Mango Halofonua, James Grogan, Deon Gouws, Bila Kavai, Bryan Howard, Ta’ziayah Milner.
Tapuae, 1-22: Wayne Hema (cc), Donnelly Hikawai, Iose Brown, Esera Makulau, Knox Ranitu, Harawira Kahukura, Miharo Te Amo-Tipuna, Atonio Vukicicakaudrove, Kingi Te Amo (vc), Paoraian Manuel-Harman, Eneriko Tupou, Tiakiwai Hauwai, Iowane Filimone, Sefanaia Tuidraki, Kyoni Te Amo-Poki (cc). Res: Ngahiwi Manuel (cc), Samson Edwards, Tihema Tikahika, Sekove Serau, Steven Gemmell, Ruka Hatley, Denzelle To’o.
Ngatapa, 1-15: Lance Dickson, Ben Johnson, Sam Hudson, Lachlan Johnson, Jack Twigley (c), Jack Hamilton, Jock Dodgshun, Sione Ngatu, Rian Norton, Tsugunosuke Hirai, Sam Twigley, George Twigley, Angus Chapman, Mosese Bulicakau, Jake Holmes. Res: Ben Robertson, Ihaia Kerr, Leon Kerr, James Law, Hamish Mead, Joeli Ragoneliwa, Willie Short.
