YMP’s win owed as much to patience and composure as their physicality and flair.
No 8 Niko Lauti led by example, but it took 27 minutes for the black and whites to post their first points – right winger Nashwen Mouton scoring in a scramble to the ball after it was kicked down the ground from a scrum.
Powerhouse openside flanker Te Peehi Fairlie went over from a penalty tap-kick-and-go in the 32nd minute, and blindside flanker Jesse Kapene hulked down the left touchline to score in the corner as halftime beckoned.
First five Kayleb Te Whare converted to give YMP a 17-0 lead at the break.
Ngātapa hit back nine minutes after the resumption when left wing Joeli Ragoneliwa finished strongly, and reserve first five Rian Norton converted for 17-7.
With a quarter of an hour to play, YMP again tapped and went from a penalty given by referee Lenny Ferris 12m out and centre Iziah Fox dotted down in the left corner.
The final say went to YMP reserve lock Siope Piukana in the 77th minute, thanks to a magic short pass from former Ngatapa man and second five Anthony Karauria.
OBM’s mission was to retain the Peter Martin Cup, played for between themselves and HSOB, but equally important was producing rugby worthy of the legendary Dickson’s 150th appearance.
The tone was set quickly for fast rugby, and OBM’s Most Valuable Player on the day, left winger Josaia Bosaka, reaped the benefits with a four-try haul.
Bosaka dotted down in the corner to open the scoring after nine minutes, and five minutes later, halfback Atunaisa Rokotuiwei made a sniping run from the base of the scrum to score under the crossbar. First five Tawhiri Walsh converted for 12-0.
Two minutes after that, Bosaka crossed for his second, and Walsh’s conversion made it 19-0.
HSOB got on the board in the 38th minute with a try to second rower Viliami Kavai, converted by fullback Matt Proffit, and on the stroke of halftime, left winger Te-Reimana Gray scored in the corner for 19-12.
OBM got back on track with a penalty kick from centre Austin Brown on the hour mark.
Bosaka completed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute and got his fourth on fulltime.
The 20-point deficit did not tell the story of how evenly matched the teams were across the park.
Referee Ben Holt was called on to make several tight calls, including two hair’s-breadth forward passes against HSOB in the second half. HSOB won the lineout count 17-8, OBM the scrums 9-4, and they shared penalties 15 apiece.
“Our boys’ effort was outstanding,” OBM head coach Kahu Falaoa said. “Our tactics didn’t differ, but the key word for us in the last fortnight has been attitude. The boys all did their jobs [but] we still have improvements to make in terms of our discipline.”
HSOB head coach Wayne Ensor said his team started far too slowly and had to play catch-up rugby, which led to uncharacteristic errors.
Round 2 kicks off on Saturday with Ngātapa hosting Pirates, Tapuae and HSOB meeting on Tapuae turf and YMP taking on OBM at Barry Park – all games are at 2.45pm.
Rugby draw for Saturday
Interschool, Rectory, 9.30am: No 1, Gisborne Boys’ High School Second XV v Hastings BHS Akina (ref Les Thomas); No 2, GBHS Under-15s v Hastings BHS Akina (ref Tony Watson).
Te Pae Hākari Poverty Bay senior men’s rugby, week 6, Premier grade, all games at 2.45pm: Paddy’s Park, Patutahi, Larsawn Ngātapa v Kevin Hollis Glass Tūranga Pirates (ref Matt Smith, assistants Thomas Nukunuku, Hona Huriwai); Tapuae, Kahu Scaffolding Tapuae v Earthwork Solutions HSOB (ref Keelyn Smith, assistants Ruan Ludwig, Neville Barwick); Barry Park No 2, East Coast Farm Vets YMP v Enterprise Cars OBM (ref Ben Holt, assistants Sonny Whaitiri, Jimmy Green).
Senior 1, all games at 1pm: Paddy’s Park, Patutahi, Harvest Transport Matawhero Ngatapa v Earthwork Solutions HSOB (ref Thomas Nukunuku); Kaiuku, Ōkūrārenga, Mahia RFC v Tamatea R & M YMP Bumbles (ref Michael Pickering); Nūhaka Domain, Nūhaka V8s v Charteris Choppers Wairoa Athletic (ref Lenny Ferris).
