Grand finals day in Wairoa to inject ‘some positivity’ into flood-hit town

Wairoa's flood issues will take a back seat temporarily tomorrow when rugby fever takes over the town. It is hosting three Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union club grand finals, including the Premier men's Lese Bros Shield match between home side Tapuae and Gisborne's YMP. Photo / Paul Taylor

The triple-header club rugby finals to be held in two venues in Wairoa tomorrow are the “shot in the arm” the flood-stricken town needs after some tough times, says Mayor Craig Little.

Tapuae will play Gisborne club YMP in the Poverty Bay Premier men’s Lee Bros Shield grand final at 2.30pm tomorrow at Lambton Square in Wairoa.

That match will be preceded at the venue by the Turānga Wāhine final between the same clubs at 12.30pm.

About a kilometre away, at 1pm at Athletic Park, the Senior 1 men’s final for the Lew Patterson Cup will be decided in a derby between Wairoa Athletic and Nūhaka.

“It’s pretty amazing really to have all these finals in Wairoa tomorrow,” Little said.

“The Wairoa teams have done really well this rugby season and tomorrow’s finals are so timely. We need something good like this to happen for the town.”

Little said Tapuae stepped up to the Poverty Bay Premier competition this year and some people said they would not last.

“But now, so many people have said to me how well they have played and how well they have managed to keep their momentum going.”

The Tapuae men go into tomorrow’s final unbeaten this season.

“The way they have presented themselves has been so commendable.”

Little said it would have been so good to have had all three finals at the Lambton Square grounds.

“With two separate venues, it will make it a little difficult for everyone to get to both games.”

The clubs have been working alongside Wairoa District Council to get Lambton Square and Athletic Park ready.

“The grounds are looking their best,” Little said.

“Wairoa is an amazing community and we stand up amongst the best in the country. We need some positivity in our town - everything we can get to show people we can get back to some form of normality after all the weather events.

“It’s going to take a while to do that but events like these rugby finals are a real shot in the arm.”

The mayor aims to get to all three finals.

One match will test his loyalties. His son Alex is captain of Wairoa Athletic.

“I’m not biased towards them, and regardless of the result between Athletic and Nūhaka, and in the other games - Wairoa will be the winner on the day.”