Expect fireworks at Puketawhero

A tense moment during last year's Pikiao and Ngongotaha clash at Puketewhero Park. Photo/Ben Fraser

It's crunch time in the local rugby league competition as Ngongotaha Chiefs and Pikiao Warriors face off for the first time this season at Puketawhero Park tomorrow afternoon.

It is also a face-off for the respective coaches who, at one time, were opponents on the field.

Neither side has made a great start to the combined Waicoa Bay competition that features teams from the Waikato, Coastline and Bay of Plenty regions.

The Chiefs' sole win came at the expense of Hamilton's United with Pikiao having just one draw to show for their efforts.

That draw, though, came at the powerful Hamilton City Tigers last weekend, a team that thumped Ngongotaha a week earlier. That, plus the 36-0 defeat to Huntly's Taniwharau, gives Pikiao the psychological advantage going into tomorrow's game.

Pikiao coach Henry Lingman said that while the draw in Hamilton was a pleasing result, it could have easily been a win.

"It was good to come out with a draw, but it's still not good enough. I still had to tell them that, at the end of the day, we take it as a loss. We need to win and to learn how to close out a game," said Lingman.

"A lot of good things came out of it, it proved to (the players) that they can match it with the best and City Tigers are the favourites to win the competition, so to go over to their home ground and put on a performance like that, you've got to be happy, but we still didn't come away with the two points."

Lingman has done nothing different with his charges this week.

"We've gone through how we've normally been training, going through our drills and moves - keeping that same formula - although it is a big game and we're not going to take them easy. I've had to drum it into the boys that, at the end of the day, Ngongotaha are Pikiao's arch rivals."

Ngongotaha coach Joe Taute could arguably have the bigger task on his hands after two big defeats, and said preparation for the game had been "business as usual".

"We are still in the building stage and still looking at putting combinations together. We have a couple of key players who have been there a little while, so we are just trying to base a team around them and go from there."

He said the number of players available was low compared to previous years.

"We have a whole lot of new players we are working with, some who haven't played before, so we have to rebuild the team and go from there. And I think Joe (Lingman) has the same problems."

Draw:
Waicoa Bay premiership (2.30pm kick off):
Taniwharau v Pacific Sharks, Davies Park, Huntly; United v Taupo Phoenix, Frankton Rugby Club, Hamilton; Turangawaewae v Hamilton City Tigers, Patterson Park, Ngaruawahia; Ngongotaha Chiefs v Pikiao Warriors, Puketawhero Park. Otumoetai Eels, bye.
Waicoa Bay reserves (1pm kick off):
Taniwharau Reserves v Pacific Sharks Reserves, Davies Park, Huntly; Turangawaewae Reserves v Hamilton City Tigers Reserves, Patterson Park, Ngaruawahia; Central Lions v Pikiao Warriors Reserves, Puketawhero Park Field 1; United Reserves v Reporoa Razorbacks, Resthills Park, Hamilton. Otumoetai Eels Reserves bye.
Bay of Plenty/Coastline Division 1 (1pm kick off):
Mangakino Hawks v Putauaki Stags, Mangakino Rugby Club, Mangakino; Taneatua Warriors v Tauhara Te Maunga, Taneatua Domain, Taneatua; Papamoa Bulldogs, bye.