Rugby: Drums will beat for Hastings fullback Ioane Ioane's 100th

Hastings Rugby and Sports players Ioane Ioane, left, and Mason Emerson who will play their 100th and 50th games respectively for the hosts today. Photo/Warren Buckland

Fans at today's top-of-the-table Hawke's Bay Maddison Trophy club rugby match will be forgiven if they think they are at a home game for the New Zealand Warriors rugby league side.

Auto Super Shoppe Hastings Rugby and Sports fullback Ioane Ioane has organised a few of his Cook Island relations to have their drums beating on the sideline.

"I wanted to do something a bit different for my 100th game. Hopefully the drums will pick the boys up," Ioane said.

Ioane, 30, first played for Hastings Rugby and Sports in his first year out of Hastings Boys' High School in 2007. Bringing up the century has taken longer than expected because of his five-test international career with the Cook Islands in 2013 and '14 and stints in Auckland, where he played for the Counties-Manukau B and Sevens teams.

He agreed taking on unbeaten WIT Napier Old Boys Marist, the Maddison Trophy, Nash Cup, Harris Shield (played for between Hastings, NOBM and Tamatea) and Hawke's Bay Challenge Shield holders was the ideal fixture for his 100th.

"The plan is to stop them equalling the record. We've got the team to do it ... I can't wait," Ioane said after Thursday night's training session.

He was referring to the 46 consecutive wins record set by Clive during the 1999 and 2001 seasons, a feat the visitors will match if they win today.

"Discipline will be a key factor but it's also about us all playing together and sticking to our systems. The boys are fizzing," Ioane said.

"We won't lack support because all of our other senior teams are at home too. It will be a club day atmosphere ... there's plenty of excitement."

A former Hawke's Bay age group rep from Ross Shield level through to under-18s and 20s, Ioane, ranked this season his best with the Hastings club.

"It's a different environment from past years. All the boys are into it and the young fellahs we have straight out of Hastings Boys' High School bring a lot of energy."

The father of one who is a steel fixer by trade has yet to taste Maddison Trophy glory. He was in the Hastings side which lost 26-13 to Havelock North in the 2012 final and has been a losing semifinalist.

"Hopefully we can go all the way this year."

Ioane is confident the hosts can match the Green Machine's high tempo game.

"They don't muck around ... you have to be on your feet at all times. We like to play the same way."

Today wil be the first time this season the two teams have met. Ioane hasn't watched NOBM in action since the March Spillane tournament.

In addition to Ioane's 100th, today's clash will be Hastings and Magpies winger Mason Emerson's 50th for his club's premier side. He had his first in 2015 but first turned out for the club's sevens team during his year 12 days at Lindisfarne College.

Emerson, 22, has missed games in the past because of Hurricanes age group commitments as well as New Zealand Development sevens team fixtures.

"This is cool timing, a huge weekend for the club and to share it with I [Ioane] is awesome."

The fact the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union development officer will mark in-form NOBM winger and the competition's top tryscorer, Michael Buckley, will add further spice to the occasion.

"It will be a good contest. It's good to play at this level and Michael is going well. It will be good to see where we are both at."

Like Ioane, Emerson, ranked this season's Hastings team as the best he has been involved with.

"This year's team is more rounded. We know we have to play for 80 minutes to beat NOBM and we've got the team to do it. I know it's a cliche but anything can happen on the day."

Emerson pointed out the hosts have prepared for contrasting weather conditions.

"Obviously we would like ideal conditions. But we trained in the rain last night and we will adapt to whatever is there on the day," Emerson said yesterday.

While Hastings have the ammunition to cause an upset they will be doing well to stay within 11 points of their visitors. Hastings boast one of the biggest scrums in the comp but NOBM's scrum is extremely sound technically.

NOBM captain and openside flanker Chris Johnston has ruled the battles for the loose ball all season and it's hard to see Johnston, fellow flanker Ricky Hayes and No 8 Hannon Brighouse being outplayed by their Hastings counterparts. NOBM's superior depth on the pine should also give them an edge during the final quarter.

While the Emerson-Buckley clash should be a cracker so should the battle of the centres, NOBM's Shae Tucker and Timo Vaiusu for Hastings. Hastings halfback Folau Fakatava is the best in the comp but NOBM's Ellery Wilson is having his best club season in Hawke's Bay and will be out to prove he is still worthy of a Magpies contract.

Tamatea will welcome back New Zealand Select Sevens team player Ash Robinson when they travel to Waipukurau's Central Park to play Northfuels Central. Robinson was a regular starter on the wing outside Hawke's Bay age group product and regular North Harbour Sevens rep Ben Smith for the national team which won the 18-team Howard Hinton Sevens tournament in France last week.

The Kiwis, who were coached by Reuben and Matua Parkinson, beat France Development 28-14 in the final to complete a six-game unbeaten run. Robinson is likely to come off the bench at fullback against Central, a match which either team has the potential to win by no more than eight points.

Other games today will see K9 Petfoods Clive host Altherm Window Systems Napier Technical at Farndon Park, Progressive Meats Havelock North host MAC at Anderson Park and Taradale Rugby and Sports host Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports at Tareha Recreation Reserve.

With the home ground advantage Clive should pip the injury-hit Texans by six. Havelock North should win by nine and Taradale by 13.

■ Napier Boys' High School will host Gisborne Boys' High School in the first round of Super 8 1st XV rugby fixtures today. This match will kick off at 11.30am.

National champions Hastings Boys' High School, who shared the Super 8 title with Hamilton Boys' High School last year, are away to Palmerston North Boys' High School. This game has a noon start.