YMP’s Fairlie set to join centurion club in Poverty Bay Premier rugby

Te Peehi Fairlie will run on to the field for his 100th Premier Grade game for YMP in their round 2 clash with Ngātapa at Barry Park on Saturday. Top-of-the-table YMP will be looking to make it 10 wins from 10 games in this year's competition. Photo / Paul Rickard

He is an unforgettable player.

East Coast Farm Vets YMP openside flanker Te Peehi Fairlie will make his 100th Premier Grade appearance for the Poverty Bay union’s oldest active club when his team take on Larsawn Ngātapa on Saturday.

Waima product Te Peehi “Sonny” Fairlie, 28, first played for YMP at Under-8 level in 2005 and over the years has developed into a key member, including championship-winning teams in 2022 and 2023 under current Ngāti Porou East Coast head coach Kahu Tamatea.

YMP go into the week 10 match at 2.45pm on Barry Park unbeaten this season, with a perfect record that has them flying high on 45 points.

Earthwork Solutions High School Old Boys face Enterprise Cars OBM at the Oval in the other game, while defending champions Kahu Scaffolding Tapuae, who have already booked a place in the semifinals, have a bye.

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Big OBM lock Netani Seruwaqa will play his neck tie (10th) game for the Premier team, although Fairlie’s 100th is clearly the high point of the third-to-last weekend of club play.

Fairlie said of Saturday’s milestone: “I’m relieved more than anything, as I’ve been looking forward to this moment.

“The club has meant a lot to me, heart and soul, pride, mana, being among all the legends who’ve gone before me. YMP is more than just a club; it’s a whānau.”

In a nod to that whānau aspect, and to the history and future of the club, YMP titan Ron Tamatea will turn out on Saturday alongside sons Kahu, Cameron, Genesis and Te Rangiora, grandson Lynkin, and possibly nephew Waiti for the Tamatea R&M YMP Bumbles in their Senior 1 match against Harvest Matawhero Transport Ngātapa, at 1pm on Barry Park.

YMP Premier coach Willie Brown and Kahu Tamatea were full of praise for Fairlie’s contribution over the years.

“Sonny’s been here for the club through thick and thin. He’s as loyal as they come,” Brown said. “It’s been a pleasure watching him grow over the years from young buck to the man he is today. It was awesome playing with him and now it’s an honour coaching him.”

“Te Peehi is a man of mana, someone who puts his body on the line every time he plays for YMP,” Kahu Tamatea said. “He never takes a step back, and he always has your back. If I were to go to war, he would be one of the first people I would pick to go with.”

Te Pae Hākari Poverty Bay men’s senior club competition

PREMIER GRADE, SATURDAY, 2.45pm: Barry Park, East Coast Farm Vets YMP vs Larsawn Ngātapa (referee Matt Smith, assistant refs Joel Pearse, Hona Huriwai; Oval 2, Earthwork Solutions High School Old Boys vs Enterprise Cars OBM (Ben Holt, Keelyn Smith, Neville Barwick).

Bye: Kahu Scaffolding Tapuae.

SENIOR 1, 1pm: Barry Park, Tamatea R&M YMP Bumbles vs Harvest Matawhero Transport Ngātapa (Lenny Ferris); Oval 2, Earthwork Solutions HSOB vs Nuhaka V8s (Keelyn Smith); Bayleys Athletic Park, Wairoa, Charteris Choppers Wairoa Athletic v Mahia RFC (Thomas Nukunuku).