Rugby: Villagers subdued after loss of players

Havelock North's John Robin (left) and Napier Pirate's Matt Garland. PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN

IT WAS almost as if Havelock North premier rugby winger John Robin was attending a wake.

Such was the subdued nature of his conversation in the countdown to today's Maddison Trophy final against Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports at Napier's McLean Park. It reflected the impact the unavailability of loosie Luke Ottley and prop Emmanuel Maui has had on the Progressive Meats Havelock North team.

The Hawke's Bay union has ruled the pair, who boast 281 appearances for the team between them, ineligible because they weren't registered.

"Pirates have to be the favourites with them out. It leaves us with a young pack and we all know it all starts in the forwards," Robin said. "We've got enough experience with 12 or 13 boys who have played in a final before so if our forwards can get enough front foot ball we've got the backs to do the job."

Robin, 31, has an extra incentive to help the villagers retain Hawke's Bay's most prestigious club rugby trophy.

The match will be his 150th for the team and if they win he will receive his fifth winner's medal after previous successes in 2008, '10, '12 and last year.

"It would be awesome to get up for it. We finished seventh in the Nash Cup round so qualifying second for the Maddison final has been pretty good," Robin said.

The foreman for New Zealand Frost Fans Ltd first played for the villagers in 2003. A four-season stint in Manawatu contributed to his delay in reaching this milestone.

Unlike Ottley, who has retired, Robin, intends to play another couple of seasons for Havelock. He is the eighth top scorer in the history of the club with 55 and 15th on the club's all time points scorers' list with 275.

At the other end of the experience scale is the bloke Robin will be marking, exciting Pirate winger Matt Garland. The 23-year-old nephew of former Pirate players, George and Gary Skipworth, Garland, is in his first season of premier rugby in the Bay after moving from Brisbane.

"I didn't expect to be playing in a final in my first season here. I also didn't expect to make the Hawke's Bay Saracens but now I have I intend to make the most of my opportunities with the aim of making the Magpies in the future.

"Now we're in the final I'm confident we can win it as long as we keep to our structures."

A former Queensland age group rep, Garland has been compared with former All Black winger Joe Rokocoko because he has often been airborne while scoring.

"Joe was my inspiration when I was growing up," he recalled.

A South Pacific Landscapes worker, Garland, enjoys the after- match functions associated with the Hawke's Bay club scene. Back in Queensland there were seldom any and players would just shower up and go home after games.

Expect Garland's team, "the Highlanders of the Bay club comp", to win by six points today. With Maui and Ottley out of the villagers equation the Pirate pack should gain the upperhand and this will allow their accomplished halfback-first five-eighth combo of Jonathan Ruru and David Neilson to dictate the territorial tussle. Pirates last won the Maddison Trophy in 2011, the last World Cup year. Like this season they finished the round robin on top of the table and of course they are up against the same opponents again in the villagers.

Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports chairman Kerry Lewis said his club has decided not to play the final under protest in the wake of the Hawke's Bay union's decision to allow Havelock North to play in the final. "There's been enough drama this week and we don't want that hanging over us. Let the final be played on the field," Lewis said.

MATCH DETAILS

WHO: Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports v Havelock North.

WHERE: McLean Park, Napier.

WHEN: Today, 3pm kick off.

REFEREE: Stu Catley.

AR1/AR2: Marty Hantz and Josh Strong.

PIRATE: Ted Symes, Matt Garland, Hayden Hann, Jackson Neilson, Matt Murtha, David Neilson, Jonathan Ruru, Hamish Willis, Sam Green, Lloyd Foote, Jordan Meehan, Matt Brown, Conrad Rieter, Gerome Naera, Kelsey Miller.

Substitutes, forwards: Dean Morrison, Stephen Morrison, Mike Albert, Tom Nicol, Junior Seneviri.

Backs: Matt Hill, Tione Hubbard.

HAVELOCK: Adam Bradey, John Robin, Levi Armstrong, Kalin Paewai, Mikey Vuicakau, Dan Snee, Issac Paewai, Harlan Solomon, Zane Rangi, Sam Lamborn, Veteange Latu, Phil McRoberts, Sam Matson, Matt Phillips, Ben Antonio.

Substitutes, forwards: Matt Middleton, Bronson Primmer, Liam Murphy, Andy Barham.

Backs: Junior Armstrong, Jacob Kennedy, Ethan Bradey.