Wairoa beat Tihirau 46-36 in Barry Cup defence

It was a long time coming but it was worth it as Wairoa successfully defended the Barry Cup in the rugby challenge trophy’s only match of 2024.

The Wairoa sub-union rugby team, whānau and friends after a 46-36 win over Cape Runaway side Tihirau Victory in Sunday’s Barry Cup defence in Wairoa. Photo / Supplied

Wairoa beat Cape Runaway side Tihirau Victory 46-36 on Sunday at Lambton Square, Wairoa, holding the trophy for a third successive year since regaining the cup with a win over Waikohu at Te Karaka in 2022.

Three earlier defences scheduled for 2024 were cancelled, two because challengers withdrew and one because of a road closure which prevented a team from getting to Wairoa.

Sunday’s game was delayed by the late arrival of some of the visiting team, some from as far as 300km away.

Wairoa, fielding at least three of those who had played a national Heartland Championship match for Poverty Bay on Saturday in Gisborne, scored the first three tries.

As the visitors gathered resources, with more faces appearing from the side-line, some big forwards helped TVC back into the game with three tries, including one just on halftime, at which time Wairoa led 24-17.

A Wairoa try soon after halftime proved to be crucial to the outcome. Versatile back Tione Hubbard came on in the second half and the side needed a steadying influence after Poverty Bay representative Paoraian Manuel-Harman, who hadn’t played on Saturday, left the field injured after scoring a try about 30 minutes into the game.

Having played at first five-eighths, he returned late in the second half and kicked a penalty which created the 10-point margin at fulltime

Poverty Bay representative Ngahiwi Manuel, who played both in the front row and at flanker, scored two tries as did Kyoni Te Amo, playing at fullback.

After five consecutive challenge cancellations, including two scheduled at the end of the 2023 season, the match brought to an end an otherwise big season for Wairoa rugby, highlighted by the unbeaten runs by Tapuae and Wairoa Athletic in winning the two major Poverty Bay club titles, and the record numbers of Wairoa players in first class rugby playing for Poverty Bay.

Wairoa stalwart Toby Taylor, whose son Hugh played for Poverty Bay on Saturday and Wairoa on Sunday, is now planning a meeting to discuss the future of competition for the century-old cup.