YMP players happy to be the party poopers

LET BATTLE COMMENCE: YMP’s most experienced player, lock Eru Wharerau (with ball), prepares to take on Waikohu second five-eighth Jesse Fleming in Round 2 of the premier competition at Rugby Park. The sides meet tomorrow in the Lee Bros Shield final, also at Rugby Park.Picture by Paul Rickard

THE neutrals may be hoping that Waikohu make history with their first Lee Bros Shield final victory . . . but YMP aim to spoil the party.

“I’ve been a loser as a player (with Pirates in 2010 and 2012) and I want the young boys in our team to experience the winning feeling,” East Coast Farm Vets YMP coach Steve Smith said.

“We’ve got some players who have tasted Shield success but a lot who haven’t.

“First thing at training on Tuesday night, I congratulated the boys for making the final, then I reminded them we hadn’t won anything yet.

“I asked them to remember the feeling they had in the changing room after the semifinal, and said that feeling would be nothing compared with winning a final.

“It’s not about getting to the final . . . it’s about winning it.”

The Shield winners in the YMP team are skipper Reihana Wyllie, Eru Wharerau, Kahu Tamatea, Willis Tamatea and Jeremy Ferris.

Rob Broughton has also won winners’ medals with Pirates. Wyllie, Eru Wharerau and the Tamatea brothers Kahu and Willis were all members of the YMP side who last won the Shield in 2010, when they beat Pirates 23-22.

First five-eighth Kahu was the man of the match, setting up a try for younger brother Willis, kicking a conversion and a penalty, and dictating the play.

But more importantly, it was Kahu who pulled off a try-saving and match-winning tackle on flying Fijian winger John Stewart with one minute remaining.

And when coach Dollar Maxwell sent on Willis and Kahu’s father Ron in the second half, the trio became the first and so far only father-and-two-sons combination to play in a Shield final-winning team.

Another valuable member of that side was prop Colin Skudder, whose sons Shayde and Chayse will be out to emulate their father tomorrow.

Shayde has been the form hooker of the season.

Chayse has fought his way back from injury to cement a spot on the reserves bench.

“I’ll be looking to the experienced players who have been there and done that to lead the way,” Smith said.

“They can help the younger guys cope with the nerves, but once they go on the field we need an 80-minute performance from everyone.

“We’re playing the team who have set the benchmark all season and a team who can hurt you when they look down and out.

“We were ahead in our first game and thought we would win but they came back to take the points, then they beat us again in the second round.”

While Tuapawa has retained the starting 15 from last week, Smith has made changes.

Te Peehi Fairlie returns after suspension and will start on the wing, with Ferris going to the bench.

Smith has also made changes in the forwards. Rocky Monika, who played blindside flanker last week, moves to lock with Luke Bradley going to the reserves, Willis Tamatea switches from openside to blindside, and Fawn White, who made a big impact off the bench last week, wears the No.7 jersey.

“Everyone, from 1 to 22, has a part to play tomorrow,” Smith said.

No.8 Mekepio Brown, halfback Quinnton Pari-Collins and prop Lewis Fleming are the young guns.

Brown has a huge role to play at the back of the scrum. A good performance could earn him a spot in the Poverty Bay squad for the Ranfurly Shield challenge against Taranaki on July 28.