A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
To win the Lew Patterson Cup for three years in a row would be a tremendous achievement.
But two-time defending champions of Civil Project Solutions Senior 1 rugby, Charteris Choppers Wairoa-Athletic, have a tough nut to crack first.
No points were on offer in games last weekend but unbeaten competition leaders Roseland Tavern Tapuae Taniwha defeated Athletic
22-14 at Tapuae Sports Ground on Saturday.
With Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union cancelling
today’s Senior 1 and Premier rugby, all participating clubs have until 12pm on Monday to make a submission as to whether or not Week 8 games should be replayed.
The Senior 1 table was topped by Tapuae (34 points) from Athletic (28), Pango Productions Uawa (24), Nuhaka V8s (21), LVD Farm Services Young Maori Party Bumbles (15), Horouta Te Waka (9), Harvest Matawhero Transport Ngatapa (6) and Enterprise Cars OBM (-4).
Tapuae captain tighthead prop Gabriel Doull said poor weather and conditions affected the speed of Saturday’s game which started slowly, but his green and black crew played really well.
Athletic opened the scoring through loosehead prop Moss Doran 10 minutes in. Doran converted his own try for 7-0, but openside flanker Sekove Serau hit back with a try for Tapuae three minutes later. It was not converted.
First-five George Twigley scored for the home team at the 20 minute-mark and Doran converted to put Athletic 14-5 ahead.
Tapuae left-wing Te Kapua Rewi-Munro dotted down in the 27th minute and the hosts went into the break 14-10 up.
After 49 minutes, centre Filimoni dotted down for a try converted by fullback Kyoni-Tyrese Te Amo-Poki, giving the hosts their first lead of the game — 17-14.
The last try of the match came in the 60th minute, a brilliant score to Tapuae right-wing Eneriko Tupou.
Athletic were eight points away from the Doull-led Tapuae and made the Senior 1 frontrunners work hard to keep their record at home intact.
They also improved on their derby clash in Week 3 — a 29-10 win to Tapuae in Wairoa.
The Scott Brodie and Alex Chrisp-coached Ngatapa gave it their best for one of their best on Saturday. That’s all any man can do.
Angus, Hamish, Alex and Campbell Chrisp all gave it their best shot for Harvest Matawhero Transport Ngatapa in a 34-0 loss to the Nuhaka V8s in Senior 1 rugby . . . .as Campbell did again immediately afterwards for Larsawn Ngatapa against Enterprise Cars OBM in his 150th Premier game.
The Russel Love-led Nuhaka ran in six tries, with blindside flanker Hickson Raroa — one of the V8s’ toughest hombres and most consistent performers — grabbing a double.
Nuhaka led 12-0 at the break but raised their game significantly in the second half.
It was much the same story between Pango Productions Uawa and LVD Farm Services YMP Bumbles at Barry Park in Gisborne.
Tolaga Bay’s finest ran out
47-10 victors. The Big Blue Crew led 21-5 at halftime.
First-five Josh Dearden grabbed two tries for the visitors in a fabulous haul of 22 points for the match.
First-five Dom Wilson, halfback Taina Ngatai and mighty tighthead prop Parekura Brown dotted down for a Bumbles unit who never gave the game up for lost.
Uawa are simply superb on their day — especially with a game-breaker in BJ Sidney back on deck.
Bumbles coach Tony Barbarich said that despite losing key players to injury, the home team scrummaged and defended as hard as possible.
