Uawa — Tolaga Bay’s finest — shifted to the Poverty Bay competition following the devastation Cyclone Gabrielle wreaked on the Coast highway and roads..
They have an impressive history in the Ngāti Porou East Coast club competition, including back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019, and a famous 11-8 victory over TVC in the 2021 final decided by a Sam Parkes sideline penalty kick in the second period of extra time in horrendous conditions.
Uawa are a well-settled outfit under coach Wiremu Kaa while captain Mohi Bartlett may prove to be as dangerous starting on the right wing tomorrow as he has been in his usual berth at fullback.
Nuhaka V8s — also known as The Star — play with passion and fierceness.
They began their season with a 20-3 win against Harvest Matawhero Transport Ngatapa, but a week later lost 17-6 to the Taniwha, followed by a second loss on home soil, 10-7 to Uawa.
The Russel Love and Aoterangi Cotter-led Nuhaka showed their character in bouncing back with a 20-10 win over the Tony Barbarich-coached LVD Farm Services YMP Bumbles.
Wairoa Athletic at home are a daunting prospect. Bayleys Athletic Park generates an electric atmosphere, drawing crowds of 200-plus, and the Athletic side complement that with a powerhouse brand of rugby.
With loosehead prop Alex Little as skipper, giant Adriaan Brits locking with Toby Wilkinson, former Poverty Bay representative Moss Doran at No.8 and a quality halfback-first-five pairing in Joe McGregor and George Twigley, the holders of the Lew Patterson Cup as Senior 1 champions will take some beating.
On May 27 they beat Uawa 14-7 at Uawa Domain. It was a huge result because Uawa play the game especially hard and fast at home.
Uawa are resilient and resourceful, able to fill the gap left by such quality regulars as veteran tight forward John Mathias and coach BJ Sidney during the season.
Sidney, whose work commitments have taken him out of the district this year, got a try in the 47-10 win against YMP at Barry Park on June 17 to prove he has lost none of his potency.
Coach Kaa, like all coaches of East Coast-based players, has to balance playing style and tactics with player availability.
“We’re up for the challenge ahead and we expect a slogfest in the forwards, due to the weather,” he said of tomorrow’s clash with Athletic. “We’ll look to move the ball into the wide channels.”
Tapuae, who have led the competition since beating Athletic 29-10 in a derby match on April 29, have been in tremendous form.
Under player-coach Gabriel Doull, they began 2023 by beating Horouta Te Waka 76-0 and in Week 4 thumped Uawa 40-12. Rarely are Uawa beaten like that at home.
If the V8s beat Tapuae to snap their winning streak tomorrow, it will be big news.
Halfback Love, No.8 Cotter and outstanding flankers Hickson Raroa and Tahuwaka Edwards are going to have to play as well as they ever have.
Tapuae have earned their home advantage and will play in front of a colourful and parochial crowd.
Their supporters are overjoyed with the season their team have had and rightly so.
Doull said: “We all know that Nuhaka won’t take this game lightly. They’re strong up front and carry the ball well. We can’t give them any space to come at us on the edges of our rucks.”
Both Senior 1 semifinals will be hard-fought.
Nuhaka have a big-match performance in them but to win they must keep the score low. To attempt a western sheriff-type shoot-out v Tapuae would be unwise.
The establishment of a platform at scrum and lineout would better serve all four teams.
Uawa can go try for try with anybody but Wairoa Athletic at home will lift. They have finals-winning experience and have lost only one game this season.
All four sides can lay on superb tries and play well to the conditions.
The Tapuae-Nuhaka semifinal, under referee Matthew Smith, kicks off at 1.30pm.
Lenny Ferris will control the Athletic-Uawa semi which starts at 2pm.
Poverty Bay Senior 1 semifinals - Tapuae v Nuhaka; Athletic v Uawa