Charlie Hoggard will play her first game for the Hawke's Bay Tuis today. Photo/Warren Buckland
Nerves were getting the better of new Hawke's Bay Tuis rugby lock Charlie Hoggard yesterday.
They had nothing to do with the Napier Girls' High School year 12 student awaiting her New Zealand Rugby Union under age clearance which was received as the Tuis assembled at Hawke's Bay Airport to prepare for their flight to Auckland last night before taking on North Harbour in a fourth round Farah Palmer Cup clash at QEB Stadium today. "It's a televised game and I'm quite scared," the humble Hoggard explained.
Although a little frightened, Hoggard was also thrilled and described her selection as a belated birthday present in the wake of her 17th on Monday. All players under 18 have to receive clearance from the national body before taking the field.
Being one of just four reserves because of a high injury tally, Hoggard, can expect plenty of game time against Harbour. She deserves the opportunity as she has made rapid progress since taking up rugby in her first year as a boarder at NGHS.
For the past two seasons she has been a member of the Hawke's Bay under-18 girls team. She played in last weekend's 29-12 win against Manawatu but missed the previous week's win against Poverty Bay because of injury.
Hoggard, who dropped her netball pursuits to focus solely on rugby this winter, scored a try during her Clive team's 23-7 win against Taradale in the Hawke's Bay women's championship final in July and at the Clive club's prizegiving received the award for the team's best under-21 player. She lauded the work put in over the years by the Clive team's coaching staff headed by former Tui Te Maari MacGregor and her NGHS coaches Arthur Brown and Spencer Bethell.
"Arthur and Spencer got me into rugby and along with the Clive crew have got me up to this stage."
A huge fan of Rio Olympian and world champion Black Fern Portia Woodman, Hoggard, is the only rugby player in her family. Her father Tony is a former Dannevirke Ross Shield and Wairarapa Bush under-21 player.
As Hoggard's interview progressed it was obvious the nerves were beginning to settle.
"It's quite good the game is being televised live. Dad and my step-mum [Fayln] are in the middle of lambing on our farm at Pongaroa and can't travel up to Auckland for the game. Hopefully they will be able to watch it," she added.
The Hawke's Bay Saracens only need a bonus point when they play Manawatu Development in Palmerston North today to retain their Hurricanes Development competition title.
However, Saracens manager Mike Smith said with the Saracens-Evergreens trophy up for grabs his troops would be aiming for a victory to retain their unbeaten run in the competition.
The Saracens should benefit from the services of Magpies pivot Tiaan Falcon. Another Bay team aiming to retain a title today will be the Hawke's Bay Samoans when they host Manawatu Samoans in the Commission Cup final at Park Island.
Two of the Hawke's Bay Samoans team, first five-eighth Ausage Fomai and outside back, will head to Samoa next week to trial for the Gordon Tietjens-coached Samoa Sevens team. Fomai's brother Neria, who is playing for the Southland Stags in the Mitre 10 Cup, played for Tietjens last year.
A Hawke's Bay Samoans Barbarians team will play the Marton Samoans in the curtainraiser. The Hawke's Bay under-16 team will play their Poverty Bay counterparts in Wairoa today, the Hawke's Bay under-16 Development team will take on their Wairarapa Bush counterparts in Waipukurau and the Hawke's Bay under-14s will take on their Manawatu counterparts in Palmerston North.
The Hawke's Bay Tuis team for the 12.05pm match which will be televised live on Sky Sport 1:
Felicity Powdrell Teilah Ferguson, Danielle Pomare-McKay, Renee Holmes, Natasha Greville, Amy Williams (captain), Gemma Woods, Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Laurae Blake, Hope Hakopa, Rebekah Hurae, Kristen Kirkpatrick, Yarnisae Whaitiri, Forne Burkin, Jessica Bennett. Substitutes: Natalie Cotton, Christine Lauvao, Charlie Hoggard, Tamia Edwards.