Rugby league: Bridge Pa success prompts call for Unicorns return

Whitley Mareikura, and brother Jarome Mareikura were two of three siblings from their family playing at the national Maori rugby league tournament. Photo / Paul Taylor

There's enough rugby league talent in Hawke's Bay to get the Unicorns rep team up and running again.

That was the call from Bridge Pa coach Ihaka Waerea after his team finished third in the waka grade at the national Māori tournament in Rotorua last weekend. Rugby League Hawke's Bay didn't field a Unicorns team this year and last year the Unicorns were walloped 86-6 by the Wellington Orcas in their only outing.

"Obviously we have to play in a winter comp to get the Unicorns underway again and we hope to use the Manawatu competition as a pathway for that," Waerea said.

He was referring to the fact RLHB's club competitions are run in the spring so they don't clash with club rugby.

"There are some of our players who still want to play club rugby but there are enough who want to focus on league in the winter," Waerea expained.

He was thrilled with how his team performed in the 19-team waka grade, the division below the six-team rohe division which is the premier grade at the tournament. They were beaten 27-16 by Te Puaha o Waikato in their semifinal.

In their pool games, Bridge Pa beat Tuhoe 40-8, Northern Maori 28-10, Tairawhiti 30-20 and Taranaki 28-16.

"We exceeded expectations and played some good footy. We've improved from our fifth place last year and eighth in 2016. There is talk suggesting we should go up to the rohe grade but we want to win the waka grade first and that will be the aim at next year's tournament in Taranaki," Waerea said.

Two of his squad, former Magpies and Manawatu Turbos rugby utility back Lewis Marshall and Samoa Sevens rep Neria Fomai, both made the waka grade tournament team after superb displays in their respective fullback and centre positions. Captain and scrumhalf Colin Hokianga and centre Jackson Waerea were other consistent performers in the Bridge Pa backline.

"We had the smallest forward pack in our grade but we were mobile and were able to move the bigger packs around and they got tired in the hot conditions. Our forwards grafted and worked hard," coach Waerea said.

Props Jesse Tuhua and Teira Cowan, secondrower Teina Huia and backrower Ivan Bellamy had huge workrates in the Bridge Pa pack. Waerea said there was also an emphasis placed on development for the future and he was pleased with the progress made by Jacob Stephenson in the centre and secondrow positions, standoff Shamara Brooks and secondrower Damarus Hokianga.

Brooks and Hokianga were members of the Hastings Boys' High School 1st XV rugby team this year and Stephenson played for the side last year.

The Bridge Pa women's team finished fourth in their pool and missed out on a semifinal berth in the eight-team women's open grade. They opened their campaign with a 20-4 loss to Bay of Plenty-based team Ngati Umutahi after leading 4-0 at halftime.

They then recorded two consecutive wins, 32-10 against Auckland-based Nga Hau ki Tamaki and 20-12 against Bay of Plenty-based Tuhoe, before ending their weekend with an 18-10 loss to Te Puaha o Waikato.

Former Kiwi Fern Tori Iosefo continued her hot form from the Hawke's Bay Tui rugby side's Farah Palmer Cup campaign, and the winger was the only Bridge Pa player named in the women's tournament team. Fellow Tui team players, Lara Kendrick and former Kiwi Fern Chanel Huddleston, shone in their respective wing and inside back positions.

Fullback Candis Timms and Australia-based prop Patrice Mareikura were others to impress for Bridge Pa. Mareikura, like so many Aussie-based players, returned home to play alongside fellow whanau members.

Her sister Whitley Mareikura also played for Bridge Pa as did their brother Jarome Mareikura for the Bridge Pa men.

"All teams place a huge emphasis on whanau. That's a big aspect of the tournament and all of our players are keen to return again next year," coach Waerea added.