Six clubs to blow out cobwebs

Ngatapa forward flanker and 2023’s MVP Khian Westrupp forcing his way through the Pirates defence during last year’s Ngatapa 15s tournament. This year it is on again at Paddy’s Park with the first games kicking off at 10.30am. Picture by Liam Clayton

The start of the Poverty Bay club rugby season is only a couple of weeks away and clubs have a great opportunity this weekend to blow away the cobwebs.

The annual Ngatapa 15s competition is being held at Paddy’s Park, Patutahi, tomorrow.

Six clubs have entered the tournament. OBM, Ūawa and hosts Ngatapa are in Pool A while Ōpōtiki, 2023 runners-up Waikohu and defending champions YMP make up Pool B.

Teams will play three 20-minute games (10-minute halves), followed by positional playoffs.

The first matches at 10.30am feature Ōpōtiki taking on YMP on field 1 while Ngatapa face Waikohu in a battle of the rural clubs on field 2 .

OBM play Ūawa at 11am on F1 to complete Round 1.

At 11.30am, Ōpōtiki meet Waikohu on F1, followed at 12 noon by Ngatapa v OBM on field 1 and Ūawa v YMP on F2.

Teams have a lunch break at 12.30pm then it’s back into the action with Ngatapa against Ūawa at 1.15pm.

The pool rounds end at 1.45pm with a rematch of the 2023 club final between Waikohu and YMP on F1, and OBM up against Ōpotiki on F2.

Positional playoffs will follow and the grand final is at 3pm.

Ngatapa club captain Tim Gardner said by all accounts clubs had “some pretty good numbers”.

“It’ll be good to get the season under way  . . . and test the lungs out.”

Gardner is excited at the prospects of the new season and watching some classic rural rugby.

“You never quite know how things are going to pan out from year to year, but it’ll be good to see the numbers and where the teams are at this early in the year.”

Ōpōtiki have a strong relationship with Ngatapa and once again are making the trek through the gorge to take part in the tournament.

“They go out of their way and we are going over there the following weekend for a pre-season game as well,” Gardner said. “It’s always nice to have them on this side of the Gorge and we will reciprocate the game.”

Gardner said president Charlie Allen had been tending to the fields to get them in the best condition for the day.

“He had the irrigators going flat-out so the fields are looking good.

“It’ll be good to have a full day of rugby and families coming out and enjoying the start of the season.”