Rugby: Great news for HB fans as Lions face debts

Hawke's Bay-based Hurricanes supporters Andy White, Bruce Timm and Clarence Hermon will be able to cheer the Canes on at home instead of travelling out of town as they did on this occasion, in Eketahuna last month. Photo / Darren Taumata

Forget your job uncertainty woes for a moment James Te Puni ... you're the toast of the Hawke's Bay rugby fraternity.

The Hurricanes chief executive has backed up a promise he made after the Hurricanes beat the Bulls 25-20 in a Super Rugby clash at McLean Park, Napier, last year.

The Canes will be back at Hawke's Bay rugby headquarters for a clash against the Highlanders on Friday, June 5.

This transfer is the last alteration to the Canes draw first released in November and has been forced on Te Puni and his organisation because two Fifa Under-20 World Cup fixtures will be played at Westpac Stadium on the same day.

Te Puni, who is also the Wellington Rugby Union chief executive, faces an uncertain future in the wake of a major review of the union's operations. The union is poised to announce a $500,000 deficit for the 2014 season.

In addition to the financial concerns in the capital, the Wellington Lions relegation from the ITM Cup Premiership as well as Earl Va'a's appointment to the Lions coaching job ahead of former Magpies mentor Peter Russell have also added to the testy times for Lions supporters.

When the Canes arrive in the Bay in June it will be the first time they have played competition games in Napier during consecutive seasons.

With five Magpies, Richard Buckman, Ryan Tongia, Gareth Evans, Brendon Edmonds and Ash Dixon on the Highlanders roster and four, Ben Franks, Mark Abbott, Geoff Cridge and Hugh Renton on the Canes books, the clash has the potential to attract a bigger crowd than the 9500 who attended the match against the Bulls in April last year.

That crowd was bigger than the Hurricanes had at their two games played at the Cake Tin before the Napier match. Like Napier, Palmerston North, will host one of the Canes home games this season, the March 13 clash against the Blues, and Wellington will host the other six home games.

Hastings-based Hurricanes supporter Clarence Hermon can't wait to get his hands on tickets for the June game.

"I've been a Hurricanes fan since 1996 and have become more passionate during the last five or six years. There was a long period there when they didn't come to the Bay which was rather annoying," he recalled.

"I don't get down to Wellington much but I go to their games in Napier. If they have Friday night games I watch them on television down at the National Service Club with Bruce," he added referring to his mate Bruce Timms who he travelled with to Eketahuna for last month's pre-season game against the Crusaders.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union chief executive Mike Bishop said he was still waiting for official confirmation of the fixture and would not comment on the match until then.

-Havelock North won the women's division of the New Zealand Marist Sevens tournament in Wellington at the weekend.

The Tom Blake-coached villagers, who were an invited side at the event, beat Hastings Rugby and Sports 22-12 in their final after Hastings led 7-5 at halftime. Havelock North had earlier beaten a Wellington Marist selection 35-10, Hastings Rugby and Sports 12-0 and Hutt Old Boys Marist 22-5 in pool play.

Rhiarna Ferris, who scored 38 points during the weekend, former Black Fern Amy Williams, Kiwi Fern Tori Lauvao-Araia, Michaela Baker and captain Laurae Blake were all outstanding for the villagers during the weekend.