Te Puna premier captain Kaydin Budd in the special Anzac Day jersey the team will be wearing in their clash against Arataki today. Photo / Supplied
Te Puna premier captain Kaydin Budd in the special Anzac Day jersey the team will be wearing in their clash against Arataki today. Photo / Supplied
When Te Puna's premier rugby team runs out on their home ground wearing a special edition jersey tomorrow they'll be playing for more than a week-six win in the Baywide competition.
They'll pay homage to soldiers who went to war, play for a highly regarded taonga while also connecting with a club they have strong ties to.
Te Puna and Arataki face off in this week's Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier competition, with both teams agreeing to bring their match forward to play today, as part of a centenary Anzac match.
Te Puna Rugby Football Club celebrates 100 years this year and premier head coach Aidan Kuka says being "100 years since the end of World War I" and their match against Arataki coinciding with Anzac commemorations, it felt significant to bring their game forward to be played on Anzac Day.
Te Puna will wear special blue and black Anzac jerseys that feature soldiers marching in the shape of a fern and the words "Lest we forget" on the front as well as blue camouflage patterns on the shoulders.
"Things like discipline, courage and sacrifice were important to them and it is important to us."
Te Puna and Arataki have a strong connection and just like every year they face each other, they will play for the Manu Kuka taonga, currently held by Te Puna.
Originally, the taonga was the prize given to either club's winning colts team, becoming a premier taonga in recent years.
"Manu had a strong affiliation between our two clubs. It was put up in his memory a number of years ago."
He says having that taonga on the line, adds to their desire to win.
"All our taonga, they're very special," Kuka says.
"I'm certainly hoping that we can turn around our efforts from the five days previous."
He's referring to their loss on home ground to Rangiuru in round five of the Baywide competition last Saturday, when the visitors secured a 27-17 win over last year's beaten finalists.
Kuka says with another home game they get another opportunity to go out there and put out a good performance and try and win for their supporters and community.
Arataki will also be looking for a win, to continue the momentum they built up from their impressive 62-5 win over Ōpōtiki Sports last week.
Also coinciding with the Anzac Day game is a peace walk.
Kuka says members of the Te Puna community will walk along Te Puna Rd as part of a walk organised by Beth Bowden. They will gather at the memorial hall site before setting off at noon to walk to Maramatanga Park in time for the Anzac Day matches, starting with the clubs' development teams at 1pm. The premier game starts at 2.45pm.
He hopes to see a lot of support for both clubs at the match.
Farmlands Co-operative Baywide Premier round six draw: Today: Te Puna vs Arataki, Maramatanga Park. Saturday: Rangiuru vs Tauranga Sports, Centennial Park. Rotoiti vs Greerton, Emery Park. Whakarewarewa vs Rangataua, Puarenga Park. Mount Maunganui vs Te Teko, TBC. Ōpōtiki vs Te Puke, Princess Street Reserve.
