Rugby: Donovan Mataira locks in leaderboard lead

Clive lock Donovan Mataira accesses the gym facilities available to him on his sport and recreation course at EIT. Photo / Warren Buckland

It's fair to suggest Clive rugby lock Donovan Mataira has handled the switch from schoolboy to premier club level with aplomb.

The fact he holds a one-point lead on the McDonald's-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year MVP competition leaderboard after 12 weeks of play is sufficient evidence. Mataira, 19, is quick to point out the key ingredients to his success.

"The good coaching and skills I picked up while playing for the Hastings Boys' High School 1st XV made it easier for the transition. Two years of Super 8 1st XV rugby definitely helped.

"At the same time I know I could be better. I know I have to improve my fitness levels and some of my position-specific stuff like movement," Mataira said.

A first-year EIT sport and recreation course student, Mataira had a player-of-the-match performance in Tremains Andrew Clark Clive's 52-28 win against Tamatea in the feature match of his club's club day at Farndon Park on Saturday. He said he wasn't short of incentives to perform against the club his father, Colin, was a long-time player for.

"My uncle [Sheridan Kite, who scored two tries] and a couple of my mates including Lincoln [Magpies first five-eighth McClutchie] played for Tamatea. That was our first win in the Maddison Trophy round and hopefully we can build on it," Mataira said.

Considering the success he is having this season many ardent supporters of Hawke's Bay club rugby will struggle to believe he has yet to play for any Hawke's Bay age group rep team. However his Clive head coach, Vaine Maui, believes Mataira is close to scoring a Magpies Mitre 10 Cup contract.

"I've got to work harder before that comes," Mataira said.

He is likely to get game time for the Magpies in their pre-season match against Wairarapa Bush at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park in Hastings on Monday. His priority before that match is Clive's fourth-round Maddison Trophy fixture against Progressive Meats Havelock North at Anderson Park on Saturday.

This is the feature game of the villagers' 125th anniversary celebrations. One of Mataira's EIT lecturers, Adam Blake, is likely to start at first five-eighth for the hosts and his former HBHS 1st XV teammate Trent Hape, is expected to start at halfback.

"I'm sure there will be plenty of banter," Mataira quipped.

It wasn't a surprise when Mataira labelled the HBHS 1st XV's National Top Four title win in 2017 as the highlight of his rugby career to date. He was also quick to reply when asked about the toughest locks he has marked in the Bay's premier club rugby competition -Napier Technical's Elijah Martin, who is one point behind him on the leaderboard, and Hastings Rugby and Sports Jessie Lesa-Sipaia.

Mataira is just as good at softball as he is at rugby and last summer played for the Fast Pitch premier men's team and the previous summer was a Hawke's Bay under-19 representative. While he is keen to continue with softball Mataira is likely to play sevens next summer to enhance his chances of scoring a Mitre 10 Cup contract.

Providing he keeps doing what he has done all season Mataira should go close to one, if not this season definitely next year.

Other premier fixtures on Saturday will see MAC host Northfuels Central at Flaxmere Park, Altherm Window Systems Napier Technical host Auto Super Shoppe Hastings Rugby and Sports at Whitmore Park, Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports take on WIT Napier Old Boys Marist at Tamatea Park and Tamatea host Taradale Rugby and Sports at Bill Mathewson Park.

Best & fairest
Clive v Tamatea: 3, Donovan Mataira (Clive); 2, Sheridan Kite (Tamatea); 1, Jesse Tuhua (Clive).
Pirate v Central: 3, Hamish Willis (Pirate); 2, Matt Murtha (Pirate); 1, Hayden Hann (Pirate).
Hastings v NOBM: 3, Jacob Devery (Hastings); 2, Ricky Hayes (NOBM); 1, Jayden Rihia (Hastings).
Taradale v MAC: 3, Ollie Sapsford (Taradale); 2, Fa'alemiga Selesele (MAC); 1, Eru Wano (Taradale).
Havelock North v Tech: 3, Elijah Martin (Tech); 2, Farani Tupai (Havelock North); 1, Perrin Manuel (Tech).
Leaderboard: 11pts: Donovan Mataira (Clive). 10pts: Elijah Martin (Tech). 9pts: Sean Skeet (NOBM). 8 pts: Zac Donaldson (NOBM). 6pts: Iakopo Mapu, Humphrey Sheild, Eru Wano (all Taradale), Jacob Devery, Jayden Rihia (both Hastings), Pouri Rakete-Stones, Damien Scott (both Pirate).