The Ngati Porou East Coast Kaupoi are heading into the Lochore Cup semifinals — as team No8 to face team fifth-ranked TLC King Country Rams on Owen Delany Park, Taupō — at 2.30pm this Saturday.
The Coast beat Wairarapa-Bush by seven tries to five, 45-32, in the sides’ 23rd meeting since 1976. This match to end the round-robin saw NPEC claim their seventh win, bouncing back from their 32-15 loss to three-time defending Meads Cup champions South Canterbury the week before with flair, high energy and their trademark physicality.
Kaupoi head coach Kahu Tamatea said: “There were still too many handling errors for us to be entirely satisfied. We were pleased, though, that the boys fought back and played some good rugby against a tough team.”
NPEC captain halfback Sam Parkes won the coin-toss on a perfect day at Enterprise Cars Whakarua Park, Ruatōria with a crowd of 1100 in.
The game began at breakneck pace; Parkes engineered a turnover centreground, 15m from halfway, sent the ball left and fullback Whaimotu Craft-Chemis, came into the backline, releasing winger Pamona Samupo. His opposite, Soli Malatai, made a try-saving tackle from behind but two rucks later, Parkes went right to 1.95m, 108kg right wing Tevita Nabura, who scored 15m infield.
Imposing first five Te Rangi Fraser converted the try for 7-0.
In the 6th minute, the hosts were penalised for off-side play by Hawke’s Bay referee Stu Catley, and Tipene Haira kicked the goal for NPEC 7, Wairarapa-Bush 3, .
In the 14th minute, the visitors scored off a ruck turnover 5m out from the home team’s 22. The Bush pressed forward twice more before second five Tafa Tafa put a well-weighted chip-kick into the right corner, and lock Sam Gammie won a catfight with the Coast’s outside backs for possession: he got the ball down, and Haira’s conversion made the score 10-7 to the Green and Reds.
The Bush made it 17-7 at the 20-minute mark after Haira made a brilliant read with a quick throw-in to a line-out 18m into Kaupoi territory, on the right touch. A couple of clever connections saw Gammie in for his second try which Haira converted.
In the 26th minute, Catley penalised the Bush for not rolling clear at a ruck and a quality clearance put the Sky Blues within 5m of the left corner. Hooker Joe Royal hit blindside flanker Richie Green two men into the line-out, joined the drive and scored 10m infield.
Wairarapa Bush scored their next try in the 34th minute attacking over five phases of play before Haira gave a great last pass to Tafa, who scored in the corner. Minus a conversion, the score was 22-12 to Wairarapa-Bush.
In the 35th minute, NPEC scored a classical try. From a scrum, Parkes and Fraser sent the ball openside and the mighty Nabura burst through the visitors’ defence, then gave a great assist to second five Leigh Bristowe to score. There was no conversion.
Blindside flanker Willie Bolingford won the Sky Blues’ man-of-the-match award and won two excellent turnovers in the lead-up to halftime. The second resulted in No8 Aorangi Stokes drawing three tacklers and centre Apirana Pewhairangi went 25m to score to the left of the posts, for 22-22.
With Fraser’s conversion, the Sky Blues took a 24-22 lead into the break.
The hosts scored the first try after the break in the 42nd minute. Lock Kaydin won an attacking line-out, the Coast then moved and ran the ball hard. Craft-Chemis almost broke the Bush on the right flank and later took an inside pass from Fraser to dot the ball down just to the left of the posts. With Fraser’s conversion, the Kaupoi went 31-22 up.
Bush first five Ashton Coates’ bravery and wits as he gathered a high-bouncing ball on his own side of halfway — with Nabura after him — set things up for a big moment. Soon after Curtis powered down the sideline to score in the left corner for the Greens 27, the Coast 31.
The Coast sealed their win with tries to Samupo and his replacement Benny Haerewa, both of which were converted by reserve Carlos Kemp.
Gammie’s replacement, Cody Cunningham, scored the last try for Wairarapa-Bush a minute from time.
Rugby Scoreboard
Week 8, Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship. Saturday, October 5.
Enterprise Cars Whakarua Park, Ruatoria
Ngati Porou East Coast Kaupoi 45 (Tevita Nabura, Joseph Royal, Leigh Bristowe, Apirana Pewhairangi, Whaimotu Craft-Chemis, Pamona Samupo, Benny Haerewa tries; Te Rangi Fraser 3 con, Carlos Kemp 2 con) Copthorne Wairarapa-Bush 32 (Sam Gammie 2, Tafa Tafa, Ambrose Curtis, Cody Cunningham tries; Tipene Haira pen, 2 con). HT NPEC 24 Wairarapa-Bush 22.
Ashburton Showgrounds
Mid-Canterbury 47 (Kieran McLea 3, Callum Burrell 2, Michael Hennings, Raitube Vasurakuta tries; Tom Reekie 5, con) Civil Project Solutions Poverty Bay Weka 24 (Mitchell Purvis, Nik Patumaka, Keanu Taumata, Matthew Proffit tries; Piri Paraone 2 con). HT Mid-Canterbury 47 Poverty Bay 7.
Weston Sports Ground
McKeown Petroleum North Otago 55 (Ben McCarthy 2, Matia Qiolevu 2, Greg Dyer, Ryusei Kato, Tini Feki, Max Sawers, Apenisa Tuiba tries; Dyer 5 con) Francis Mining Buller 14 (Joe Taylor, Harris McRobbie tries; Andrew Wells 2 con). HT North Otago 31 Buller 7.
Lyon Field, Whitianga
HG Leach and Co Thames Valley Swamp-Foxes 35 (Alex Thrupp 3, Hendrix Beazley, Josh Tye tries; Fletcher Morgan 5 con) Horowhenua-Kapiti 41 (Jack Sturmey 2, Esi Komosavai 2, Sean Pape tries; Brandyn Laursen 2 pen, 5 con). HT Thames Valley 14 Horowhenua-Kapiti 21.
John Sturgeon Park, Greymouth
West Coast 38 (Troy Tauwhare 2, Jacob Waikari-Jones, Kane Parker, Ethan Simpson, Jarel Hemehema tries; Waikari-Jones 4 con) Makikihi Fries South Canterbury 43 (Morrison Vaisola 2, Piala Matakaiongo, Siu Kakala, Jarrod Mannex, William Wright, Clarence Moli tries; Wright 4 con). HT West Coast 12 South Canterbury 19.
Cook’s Gardens, Wanganui
For the Bill Osborne Taonga and Sir Colin Meads Memorial Trophy
Steelform Wanganui 17 (Josiah Bogileka, Raymond Salu, Mitai Hemi tries; Ethan Robinson con) TLC King Country Rams 34 (Kaleb Foote 2, Zach Wickham-Darlington 2, Apete Matai tries; Patrick Hedley pen, 3 con). HT Wanganui 5 King Country 17.
Heartland Championship standings
South Canterbury 8-8, 40 pts; Wanganui 6-8, 31; Thames Valley 6-8, 31; Mid-Canterbury 6-8, 30; King Country 5-8, 28; Horowhenua-Kapiti 4-8, 22; West Coast 3-8, 20; NPEC 4-8, 20; North Otago 2-8, 14, Wairarapa-Bush 2-8, 13; Buller 2-8, 10; Poverty Bay 0-8, 6.
Heartland Championship semifinal draw
Meads Cup draw, 1 v 4, 2 v 3 format. Saturday, October 12
2 v 3
1.35pm Steelform Wanganui versus HG Leach and Co Thames Valley Swamp-Foxes at Cook’s Gardens, Wanganui.
1 v 4
3.35pm Makikihi Fries South Canterbury versus Mid-Canterbury Hammers at Fraser Park, Timaru.
Lochore Cup draw, 5 v 8, 6 v 7 format
5 v 8
2.30pm TLC King Country Rams versus Ngati Porou East Coast Kaupoi at Owen Delany Park, Taupō.
6 v 7
2.30pm Horowhenua-Kapiti versus West Coast at Levin Domain, Levin.
