The Kahu Tamatea-coached black and whites never allowed themselves to become loose. A champion team on the slide may allow easy tries in if a game has been decided as a contest but the courageous Buccaneers were given no respite.
Neither YMP or HSOB will expect or give quarter in what could be the juiciest clash of the day.
“HSOB are coming off a second good win and look to be building nicely in 2024,” Tamatea said.
“They have a good young team, so we’ll have to be precise and accurate and not give them a sniff of victory.
“We’re still building ourselves, giving our guys a chance to show what they can do.”
HSOB captain and halfback George Halley-Donnelly and coach Wayne Ensor are well aware of how incredibly physical clashes between the clubs can be.
“This weekend presents a massive challenge for our team, but a challenge that we’re keen to accept as we continue on our development path,” Ensor said.
“Our players to watch this week will include our hooker Jamie Worsnop and fullback Matt Profit.”
Ngātapa’s first game as a club in 1946 - under their captain, the late Bill Maxwell - was an 18-8 win to the former Old Boys club. They played the old Marist club for the Graeme Allen Memorial Trophy three times prior to the Old Boys-Marist amalgamation into OBM in 1996.
That trophy is now played for in the second round. OBM hold both it and the McFarlane Cup, and Ngātapa want what OBM have.
Ngātapa’s regular skipper and lock Jack Twigley, who as their Most Valuable Player in losing to HSOB last week, is out of town tomorrow. Deputising for him will be tighthead prop Sam Hudson, who was in powerhouse form against HSOB.
“We need to play with urgency against OBM because we made too many errors and conceded penalties to HSOB. That’s why we weren’t able to build any pressure on attack,” said Twigley.
The skipper is hoping for champagne showings from halfback Archie Harding, blindside flanker Hamish Chrisp and fetcher James Law, who will wear Ngātapa colours for the 50th time tomorrow.
“We have to be accurate at the lineout and reduce errors. If we fix that up, we’ll be a lot better off.”
OBM, who had success away from home -26-22 over Waikohu - last Saturday, took a lot of knocks at Te Karaka Domain but are starting to come together as a unit.
If their development continues, as it has to date, by season’s end they will have it in them to play entertaining rugby of the sideline-to-sideline type, ball in hand.
“We want a full 80, to play outside our own 22 and finish off on the opportunities that we do get,” OBM head coach Dillon Dolman-Tuhou said.
“Ngātapa’s scrum is very strong. They have a great pack as always, so we need clean ball for our backs, and to retain it.”
OBM’s Fijian cohort bring refreshing enthusiasm and skill. Bosca Tikicidre, their MVP against Waikohu, scored two tries in thrilling fashion on the day.
OBM captain hooker Rikki Terekia provides them on-field leadership by example, which some would say is the most valuable kind.
Tapuae No.8 George Whakatope and Waikohu openside flanker Kupu Lloyd are leaders in the same mould.
Both Waikohu and Tapuae play hard, fast rugby. Both send big, strong runners around the fringes of rucks, while Waikohu’s immensely talented midfield pairing of Week 4 MVP Jacob Leaf and Ethine Reeves have the flair and punch to set a backline alight.
Injured Tapuae player-coach Paoraian Manuel-Harman has experienced success at the Domain before. He was a try-scorer at fullback in a 20-15 win for the Wairoa sub-union for the iconic Barry Cup in its 99th year.
“I expect Waikohu at home to be tough opposition,” Manuel-Harman said.
“It’s always a hearty battle with those guys. They have real mix of talent and experience.”
Waikohu, under Lloyd, will be ferocious tomorrow. In Adrian Wyrill, they have a converted back-row forward come first-five worth his weight in gold.
There is an old saying that “forwards decide who wins the game; backs decide by how many”.
The proof may be in the pudding for all six clubs gunning for glory tomorrow.
