Poverty Bay, with the wind at their backs, dominated the early stages with the forward pack and backs complementing each other.
Wekas first five Kelvin Smith put them on the board in the fifth minute after fullback Ricardo Patricio put them on attack with a superb 50-20 kick.
The Swamp Foxes turned over the ball from a Poverty Bay attack that spread to the left side of the field only for Smith to rip the ball off a Valley player and run eight metres and wrestle his way over the line. Patricio missed the conversion in the windy conditions.
The visitors were tested multiple times through the half and had to defend wave after wave of attacks. But the forwards worked hard as a unit and Kingi performed strongly on debut, repeatedly turning the ball over at the breakdown and Smith finding touch to get them out of danger. Second five Jacob Leaf, who had an outstanding game, put the Bay further ahead when he received a pass from prop Jarryd Broughton and ran clean through a gap to score under the sticks. Patricio slotted the conversion for 12-0.
Bay right winger Bosca Tikicidre was a yellow-carded in the 33rd minute for a high tackle and Thames Valley took advantage.
From a Valley lineout 25 metres out, centre Declan Barnett hit the ball at pace on an angled run and ran through Patricio to score under the posts. Fullback Fletcher Morgan slotted the conversion and the Swamp Foxes were back in the game at 12-7 down.
Morgan made it 12-10 shortly after with a 22m penalty kick and the Bay took that narrow advantage into halftime.
The second stanza was a battle of wills as both sides looked to up the ante.
It took 29 minutes before the next points came, Valley halfback Leroy Neels scoring off some quick play from a ruck and Morgan converting to make it 17-12.
Two minutes later lock and co-captain Cameron Dromgool finished off some excellent attacking play after a series of phases and Morgan added the two — 24-12.
The Wekas threw everything at their opposition to stay in the fight and in the 78th minute replacement forward Khian Westrupp scored with a powerful pick and go after a concerted period of attack.
“We got off to a really good start and had them under the pump, but didn’t quite capitalise on that advantage, and discipline sort of let us down in that last 15 or so minutes of that first half,” Nikora said.
Momentum swung back and forth with each side finding it difficult to crack the other’s defence.
“Once they got on top we struggled to put points on the board, but in saying that, it was a gutsy effort to come back at the end there and come away with a point, which is really valuable. We were tested pretty well around the breakdown and in the physical parts of the game, but I thought our boys reacted really well and stood up. Team sports like rugby, that’s what it’s all about — sharing the load between the backs and the forwards, and the player did that really well.”
The Wekas are on the road again in Week 3 to take on Wairarapa Bush in Masterton. The Bush, who pipped Ngati Porou East Coast in Week 1, lost 50-3 to North Otago in Oamaru.
In the curtain-raiser to the Bay-Valley Heartland game, Tūranga Mānā Wāhine claimed a 31-15 victory over Thames Valley Vixens in the first round of the inaugural North Island Heartland women’s competition.
Match report to follow.
POVERTY BAY 17 (Kelvin Smith, Jacob Leaf, Khian Westrupp tries; Ricardo Patricio con)
THAMES VALLEY 24 (Declan Barnett, Leroy Neels, Cameron Dromgool tries; Fletcher Morgan 3 con, pen )
HT - 12-10 Poverty Bay
