PB rep teams on the road

Kelvin Smith will skipper the Poverty Bay team tomorrow from No.10 in their Heartland Championship pre-season match against Eastern Bay of Plenty in Whakatāne.Picture by Paul Rickard

Poverty Bay will be represented in force this weekend when four representative teams play on “foreign” soil.

The first Heartland Championship match of 2023 is only three weeks away and Poverty Bay Wekas are gearing up with two pre-season matches — the first of those tomorrow.

Civil Project Solutions Poverty Bay Wekas face Eastern Bay of Plenty in Whakatāne at Rugby Park (kick-off 2pm).

First-five Kelvin Smith will captain the side.

Head coach Miah Nikora says these matches are vital to their Heartland campaign.

“Pre-season games are about building combinations and relationships — giving guys an opportunity to push their case to be included in Round 1 of the Heartland Championship.”

Nikora said the games provided a pressure situation for what was being implemented at training.

“We’re looking forward to this game and are sure Eastern Bay of Plenty will provide us a stiff challenge.”

The Tūranga Tāne development team, with Doug Jones and Josh Willoughby back at the coaching helm, are playing the curtain-raiser  against a Pasifika Selection from Counties Manukau/Auckland.

Tūranga Tāne then head to Hawke’s Bay next weekend for the annual Te Tini-a-Maui Māori tournament at Hastings Rugby & Sports Club.

The  Tūranga Wāhine side, coached by Lenny Ferris assisted by Mitch Purvis, face Bay of Plenty side Waimana in Waimana tomorrow (1pm kick-off).

It will be a valuable warm-up for their August 12 clash with Hawke’s Bay Development in Wairoa.

The Poverty Bay under-20s side are also on the road. They are heading to Napier to play Whanganui u20s at Tremain Field in the Hurricanes development series.

Wairarapa Bush and Horowhenua are also part of the series.

Former OBM head coach Clint Pirihi and Pirates coach Anthony Kiwara are coaching the PB u20s.