GBHS No 8 Luke Bidois crashes upfield against De La Salle early in the season . . . he stands in as captain for the injured Puna Hihi tomorrow. Photo / Paul Rickard
Gisborne Boys’ High School’s first XV will pay whatever price in sweat they must to lay their hands on the Football Challenge Cup.
And tomorrow at 12pm they will play the second match of their Super 8 campaign against their oldest traditional rivals - Napier Boys’ High School on Napier’s home turf - for that great prize.
It has been eight years since Gisborne’s Black and Reds last beat Napier’s Sky Blues at Super 8 level, 37-12 in 2015, repeating the dose 28-0 in a “friendly” match later that season. In the sides’ two most recent meetings, NBHS prevailed 29-5 here on 20 May, 2023 and 24-17 at home on 11 June, 2022.
GBHS lost their opening match of this year’s Super 8 away to Palmerston North 8-42 two weeks ago, the hosts having led 13-3 at the break.
Making his return from injury, and now deputising as game-day captain will be tough as teak No.8 Luke Bidois for injured second-five Puna Hihi.
Gisborne’s third-year head coach Duane Hihi wants his crew to pay attention to detail.
“We need to focus on execution in the little things we do and be disciplined and accurate in the process,” he said.
“Also we have to be physical and match their energy. Our reserves bench needs to bring energy, as we’ve been in the fight in every game we’ve played so far.
“But we mustn’t lose concentration in the last 20 minutes.”
Napier’s Tai Te Rito is a first-year head coach said his crew have made a good start to the season, bouncing back from a 12-26 loss to St Patrick’s College Silverstream in their opening match of the TranZit Coachlines 1st XV Festival to beat Wellington College 38-5 here on Rectory No.2.
“Our boys are excited to get their Super 8 season started this weekend and it’s always a good match-up against Gisborne,” Te Rito said.
“We know what they’ll bring to the collision areas and that they’ll be disruptive at the ruck - it’s an area they’ll try to capitalise on.
“No.8 Riley Mullany has stood out in recent weeks and we’re looking forward to seeing two Year 11s - Oliver MacLachlan at lock and Will Lovatt at fullback - make their well-deserved first Super 8 start, because they’ve been strong in the pre-season.
“No doubt our experienced players in skipper George Prouting, who will partner Oli in the second-row, openside flanker Khan Stevenson and first-five Luke Thomas will guide them accordingly.”
Excellent weather, a firm surface and clean, quick rugby in front of a good crowd are expected to be the go on Saturday.
The last nine years, with Dave Russell taking NBHS after Brendon Ratcliffe’s outstanding tenure as head coach, have been some of Napier’s best.
Under Ratcliffe, they made Top 4 finals in 2018 and 2022.
GBHS caused hearts to beat faster in both the Palmerston North and St Patrick’s College Silverstream camps this season, and are on the bus today aware of the fact that some of the team’s finest moments involved Napier BHS.
The hosts tomorrow won the Football Challenge Cup 21-21 on their own home soil in 2016.
It was against the Sky Blues that Graeme Torrie and the late Jim Maxwell’s team, led by Sean Fitzsimons, won the seventh Top 4 final, 24-15, at McLean Park in 1988.
Controlling the 1st XV game will be Hawke’s Bay premier referee Jordan Cameron. Shaun Smith will serve as Cameron’s assistant referee and Smith will be in the middle for the 2nd XV match at 10.30am, with both games to be played on Field 1 at NBHS.
Gisborne BHS 1st XV, 1-22: Malosi Luafalealo, Tyrone Mauheni, Whetu McGhee, Tahana Bristowe, Storm De Thier, Bekko Page, Mano Tavake, Luke Bidois (c), Liam Beattie, Quaydon Chaffey-Kora, Timuaki Stewart, Impala Waipara, Safin Tuwairua-Brown, Isimeli Vono, Kahurangi Leach-Waihi; R: Tomasi Mataele, Patelisio Tavake, Oakley Brown-Terekia, Malakai Tea, James McKay, James Hamblyn, Maioha Waru.
Napier BHS 1st XV, 1-22: Damian Annandale, Troy Thomas, Fasitau Lapa, Oli MacLachlan, George Prouting (c), Lockie Seerden, Khan Stevenson, Riley Mullany, Jack McFetridge, Luke Thomas, Angus Lovatt, Harvey O’Rourke, Charlie Withers, Ruben Du Plessis Will Lovatt; R: Liam Reid, Flynn Hamilton, George McHardy, Carlo Mienie, Zach Forster, Joe Jury Senitu, Kiane Tuifao
GBHS 2nd XV, 1-22: Franco Ludwig, Lykhin Poihipi, Josh Aukuso, Oli Keepa-Fitzsimons, Zandre Viljoen, Rakai Ferris, Patelisio Tavake, Sione Kaliopasi, James Hamblyn, Ruan Ludwig, Mana Stewart, Maika Daveta, Jayden De Thier, Darius Kiwara, David Gray (c); R: Navaryn Rewita, Tane Te Aho-Heemi, Oakley Brown-Terekia, Jahdin McKenzie, Felix Sparks, Jonah Whitley, Kye Symes.
NBHS 2nd XV, 1-22: Flynn Hamilton, Mitchell McInnes, Blake Hooton, William Dumble, Kingsley Morris, Blake Colhoun, George McHardy, Carter Pirie, Baxter Cross, Charlie Furlong, Davis Hancy, Tommy Hay-MacKenzie, Iraia Roberts, Kiane Tuifao, Harry Bain (c); R: Monty Waihape, Fergus Tomlinsin, Ferg Prouting, Brad Pearce, Frederik Laugesen, Ezra Semu, Jack Dodunski.
Jack Richardson knows what’s coming.
He will lead Ruatoria City into battle 2pm at home tomorrow against a Tihirau Victory Club team out to play their best rugby in honour of TVC and Ngati Porou East Coast life member Winston Waititi.
With no club play over King’s Birthday Weekend, this match at Enterprise Cars Whakarua Park will be the first Cape Runaway’s Finest have played since Waititi’s passing last Friday.
“The game will be a tough one because we always find it hard to beat TVC - who will be playing for their Uncle Winston, a legend - so we’ll get up for that,” City captain openside flanker Richardson said, who has great faith in his supporting cast.
“Aorangi Stokes - a former Northland player - will be at No.8 for us. Neihana Ratahi-Parata’s been playing out of his skin since coming back from injury a couple of weeks ago in his 100th game for our club v Hikurangi Te Maunga at Kahuitara, he’ll be halfback, and Tuterangi Ngarimu at lock is strong, hard and always a force to be reckoned with.”
City’s 18-16 win against the Mountain owed an enormous amount to players as different in role and method as formidable loosehead prop Jayden Leiua-Poka and left-wing Sonny James Ratahi-Brown. Moana Mato and Hoani Te Moana, who at openside flanker and No.8 for TVC will have their hands full in Ruatoria in Week 7, led the club to championships in 2017 and 2022 respectively.
“We want to make a statement this weekend. Hoani will run aggressively, as will loosehead prop Hirini Delamere and left-wing Diaz Koroheke, who has speed and will back himself to have a go,” Mato said.
“We’re expecting the kind of hard, physical match which starts up front. In order to score points, retaining possession and building pressure will be a focus for us.”
Matt Richards will referee City v TVC from 2pm at Whakarua Park. 2.30pm is the kick-off time for the other three games in Heke-O-Te-Rangi Blackbee Contractors NPEC club rugby: 2014 NPEC Kaupoi head coach Whetu Haerewa has Hicks Bay v Waiapu at Kawakawa Mai Tawhiti, Wharekahika, Peter Crawford has the whistle for Uawa v Hikurangi at Uawa Domain with Harawira Matahiki to take charge of the local derby between Tokomaru Bay United and the reinstated Waima at Hatea-a-Rangi Memorial Domain.
Waiapu have 22 points, TVC 19, City 18, Tokararangi 17, Hicks Bay 16, Hikurangi and Uawa both 15, United and Waima a point each. Tokararangi of Te Araroa have the bye this weekend.
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Hicks Bay head coach Warren Henderson expects the competition leaders and away team, Waiapu, to be very lively tomorrow.
“Waiapu have a good team and, as with club games on the Coast, when teams have numbers the contests are great ones. Yet while in the past Hicks Bay v Waiapu was a forward-oriented contest, this time both teams have potential out wide, so everybody can look forward to plenty of running rugby,” said Henderson. “We have a few boys tender from the rep game on King’s Birthday but overall, the team’s building well towards the end of the season.”
Frank Taiapa is to lead the home team from No.8, and of his most effective teammates hooker Wiremu King-Taufa, blindside flanker Te Hewa Ruha and left-wing Waikura Delamere should be on the watch-list for Waiapu.
Waiapu scrum-anchor Perrin Manuel and locks Richard Green and Gabe Te Kani were superb for the Coast v the Bay on Saturday. Their strong scrummaging, impact at ruck, maul and excellent work at the line-out were key features of the Sky Blues’ match-effort.
Waiapu captain Green scored two tries for them in the club’s 64-8 win v Waima at Hatea-a-Rangi. No.8 Will Bolingford scored a try v Tokararangi, but more importantly made one of the best showings by a forward in the competition to that point; one that earned him the visitors’ Player of the Day Award for Week 3.
On the back of Bolingford’s contribution and others similar to it, the Orange and Blacks broke the 10-10 half-time deadlock to prevail 29-15 at Te Araroa Domain.
Manuel spoke of the side’s unquenchable team spirit: “The feeling is always good with Waiapu and we just take every week as a new challenge. We try to improve, and the boys show up ready to rip in every week and we can’t ask for much more than that.”
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Uawa v Hikurangi is one of the great games in East Coast club rugby and the moderns have grown up with it around them, in the form of past players and those with links to both sides.
All involved know what’s at stake tomorrow.
The history between Te Awa (river) and Te Maunga (mountain) didn’t begin with the final of 2004, but the last 20 years have been among the toughest. The home team Hikurangi’s late great Horace Lewis scored an unforgettable second-half try (the only five-pointer to be had on an appalling day, weather-wise) in ankle-deep mud at Whakarua Park in 2004. The half-time score was 3-3, Te Maunga prevailed 8-6 in the epic “Blood, Sweat and Tears.”
The following year, the great Hikurangi skipper in “Johnny Martin’s Retirement Game” - with his mum in mind - saw the Black Beauties victorious at Uawa, 22-9.
In 2006 the Big Blue Crew again hosted the final at Tolaga Bay, that 7-5 heartstopper’s end coming with “Townsend’s Try” - Uawa’s Daniel Townsend was the halfback-hero to score on full-time. First-five Mark Walker’s conversion was the last act.
Such is a tiny portion of the two powerhouse clubs’ shared history, as is the Chas Keelan Memorial Shield. The trophy named for a great player and coach of the Maunga - and it may only be won or defended on the holders’ home ground. Uawa have held it since 2019.
Uawa go into the game on the back of a high-scoring loss, 38-47 away to Hicks Bay - and Hikurangi go into it after a narrow loss, 16-18 to Ruatoria City at Kahuitara.
Hikurangi captain blindside flanker Baz Sollitt said: “We want a good performance for our club and our families. Specifically, we’re looking to be better at the line-out, for Daniel Low to provide good clean ball to the backs from No.9, our tighthead prop Putahi Morice to carry the ball hard, hold up the front-row (as he has all season) and Te Ahi Harrison on the left-wing to keep scoring tries: he’s taken every opportunity he’s been given so far, so he’ll get his third start.”
Hikurangi stalwart Doone Harrison, wily coach of the Mountain Maidens, said: “Every game is tough - Hikurangi expects Waiapu to be the best version of who they are, and we expect that from every team in the competition.
“Our opponents always step up for the Black and it’s been like that for over 100 years.”
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Tomorrow may be the biggest day of the season for Tokomaru Bay United and Waima.
Both teams have played good rugby and competed hard against the best teams around. United scored four tries against Hikurangi in Week 5, a 26-76 loss with honour at home. That they defaulted the Saturday before King’s Birthday yet are on deck and up for what might be the most keenly-fought game of Week 7, is a testament to their efforts for rugby.
An early marker of their stickability was feisty loosehead prop Race Williams’s try v Uawa on opening day. It was a muscular goal-line surge for the ages.
Waima held TVC to 17-7 on opening day, a tremendous effort against the 2023 finalists; for Waima supporters young and old, to see their club rejoin the fray was it own reward. When No.8 Kaleb Whakataka scored, tears of joy were shed by people to whom rugby has always been the heart and soul of the community - at that moment until the final whistle, they were in the game.
Whether at the top of the table or its lower-middle, the prospect of another close game against a team of similar ability is more than just an encouraging thought to Waima and United. It is an opportunity to put their best boot forward and enjoy doing it.
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