Hawke’s Bay rugby team’s van shot: Two arrests so far, Ngāti Kahungunu to bring gang leaders together for hui

Hawke’s Bay rugby team’s van shot: The van was attacked after a match between Tamatea and the Young Māori Players (YMP) that was abandoned because of safety concerns. Photo / Supplied

• Police confirmed they had made two arrests and said more arrests were “imminent” after the van of visiting rugby players was shot at in Hastings.
• Ngāti Kahungunu is driving a hui with Black Power and Mongrel Mob leaders in Hawke’s Bay next week to discuss the gang-related incident.
• The head coach of YMP Rugby Club has rejected Tamatea Rugby Club’s claims that the violent spectators were not associated with their club and is making a case to Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union for five points to be awarded to YMP for the abandoned match. James Pocock and Mitchell Hageman report.

Police have made two arrests and say more arrests are “imminent” after a van full of visiting rugby players was shot at in Hastings last Saturday.

The van was attacked after a match between Tamatea and the Young Māori Players (YMP) that was abandoned because of safety concerns.

The YMP van was pursued by vehicles that rammed and shot at it after it left in what police believe was a gang-related attack.

A photo of the van, showing almost 50 holes in its back window and denting around the top back left corner, was shared with Hawke’s Bay Today last Sunday morning.

Tamatea Rugby Club games scheduled at its home ground of Bill Mathewson Park in Hastings will instead be played at the more secure Tremain Field in Park Island, Napier.

Those arrested appeared in Hastings District Court on Thursday, facing charges of reckless driving and unlawful assembly.

Police said multiple search warrants were executed this week and several vehicles involved in the incident had also since been seized.

Ngāti Kahungunu is helping to facilitate meetings between gang leadership and police to find solutions to prevent gang violence spilling into sport after a van full of visiting rugby players was shot at in Hastings last Saturday. Composite Photos / File

Ngāti Kahungunu, gang leadership and police to meet next week

Ngāti Kahungunu is facilitating meetings between the leadership of Black Power and Mongrel Mob to find solutions to prevent gang violence spilling into sport.

Bayden Barber, Ngāti Kahungunu chairman, said he met with Black Power leadership and police on Tuesday this week and he had been making contact with Mongrel Mob leaders too.

“We have been working with the Mongrel Mob as well. They had their meeting on Thursday and have agreed to come together next week sometime so we will have police, myself, gangs and maybe some other community leaders and potentially the clubs in that meeting,” Barber said.

“We can’t have separate conversations, all those conversations need to be together as part of the solution.”

Barber, who played more than 100 games for Tamatea, said the Black Power leaders he had spoken with were “horrified” by what had happened.

“Their people were lucky to come out of that alive and unhurt,” he said.

“They want to look for solutions, they want rugby to be played. Rugby is an important part of the community.”

“These are societal issues, the gang confrontations, and we are trying to keep it away altogether but especially from sports occasions and rugby matches.”

Guy Taylor, the YMP rugby team head coach, with the van he was driving when it was shot after the game on Saturday.

YMP wants points for abandoned match

Guy Taylor, the YMP head coach, said he planned to send a letter to Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union making a case to award YMP five points for the abandoned game.

“The rule states that the team proven to have caused the abandonment gets no points. We haven’t had a chance to prove anything, but by not giving us points they are saying we are just as culpable as the other team,” Taylor said.

“If our team and supporters hadn’t conducted themselves in the manner they did, we could be looking at a much worse situation.”

He said the player who was kicked in the head during the game by one of the disruptive spectators will be able to play this week.

“He was at training last night. He’s a tough guy, he is tough as.

“He’s named on the team.”

Taylor said he agreed with Denis O’Reilly, the Black Power life member who said Tamatea team management “were in denial” when they said the violent and disruptive spectators were not associated with the team.

Tamatea Rugby & Sports Club chairman Stewart Whyte said earlier this week: “Reports connecting Tamatea supporters to this incident are incorrect.

“As Tamatea is whānau-based and caters for all ages, the club is taking steps to immediately review our systems and operations pertaining to the health and wellbeing of all whānau who wish to attend, play, or support sporting fixtures we host. The review will include an in-depth analysis of our game-day protocols and safety measures required to enable a positive experience for all involved,” Whyte said.

What local politicians have to say about the shooting

Cushla Tangaere‑Manuel, MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, said she found out about the incident from someone who played in the visiting team and described her shock, concern and sadness for those involved.

“One thing about rugby is it is a mover of people, it is a gatherer of people, it is a whānau event. When I considered that there were probably tamariki and whānau there, I had a great concern,” Tangaere‑Manuel said.

“There is a question about what is going on in society at the moment. The fact that someone went to a rugby game with a shotgun is definitely concerning.”

She said access to firearms already appeared to be a problem and she believed the current Government’s planned firearms law reform would make that worse.

She said she never had any experience with gang-affiliated teams during the nine years she was chief executive of Ngāti Porou East Coast Rugby, but some players had gang affiliations.

When asked if she believed fences should be implemented at Tamatea’s home ground of Bill Mathewson Park, she said the answer wasn’t so clear.

“Who knows what the silver bullet is here, but I don’t think the answer necessarily lies in rugby or the rugby structure. It lies in what is happening in our communities, where people are armed and feel the need to take these raruraru [conflicts] to community events.”

She said she was “buoyed” to hear about the meeting between Black Power, police and Ngāti Kahungunu iwi to discuss the incident.

“Iwi need to be at these decision-making tables,” she said.

“To me this is leadership, this is truly getting solutions from the community rather than looking at a top-down approach.”

Catherine Wedd, MP for Tukituki, said the shooting was “unacceptable”.

“Our Government is strongly focused on taking action on gangs by giving police greater powers to stop gangs from gathering in groups and communicating and giving greater weight to gang membership at sentencing.”

When asked if sport could be successfully separated from gang violence, Wedd said she understood it was an isolated incident where the players knew each other.

“We want our community to be free from gang violence,” she said.

“It all comes down to being proactive by taking action and reducing gangs’ ability to engage in criminal behaviour and prevent them from endangering and intimidating Kiwis.”

James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in January 2023. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.