East Coast Rugby Union Season – 2013

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The defending Heartland champions opened their first-class season with an encouraging Ranfurly  Shield challenge against Waikato played at Ruatoria. In six previous challenges East Coast had  only scored a total of 12 points and never scored a try. In the 22nd minute Brent Ingram crossed the line, and on halftime Taneloa Parata scored another to be just 10-22 down at the interval.

Waikato pulled away in the second half to win 65-10.

Expectations were high as the Championship started. The opening match was an unconvincing one point win over Horowhenua Kapiti, and the remaining seven matches only produced one further win, finishing 10th in the round robin and missing the playoffs, the worst result of any defending champion. The loss to Wairarapa Bush probably summed it up: ahead 26-6 after 30 minutes to eventually lose 31-44, and ending the match with 13 men.

The big forward pack got better after the opening match. The return of Siegfreid Fisi’ihoi, who missed the first half of the campaign due to injury, really solidified an impressive front now with Lloyd Gabriel and Mahue Dewes. Riki Waitoa and Everard Reid were a good locking combination with Waitoa making the Heartland team. The energetic Brent Ingram was the best of the loose forwards. Coach Ngarimu Simpkins used himself mainly off the bench, and was captain against Waikato. The vastly experienced Charlie Harrison remained full value at halfback.

A change was made at first five-eighth midway through when Te Rangi Fraser was brought up from fullback to replace

Sikeli Vorenasu. Centre Tau Moeke and Whaimotu Craft-Chemis, elusive on the wing, earned selection into the Heartland team. Tom Teaki started the season on the wing and finished at fullback where he was a safe operator.

Twelve players were new to the East Coast jersey including Lloyd Gabriel who had previously represented Poverty Bay in 2011 and Pamona Samupo who had represented Poverty Bay in 2012.

Pamona’s older brother Pomare had returned to Taranaki after playing for East Coast in 2012. Lance Maaka and Sikeli Vorenasu had last played for East Coast in 2011.

The Union was stripped of two competition points for classing Everard Reid as a local player in the first two Heartland matches when he ought to have been declared as a loan player.

Higher honours went to:

• New Zealand Heartland: Craft-Chemis, Moeke, Waitoa

Match Record

| Played 9 | Won 2 | Lost 7 | Points For 183 | Against 288 |

2013 Fixtures & Results

Tue 30 Jul	14:30	H	Ranfurly Shield	Waikato RU	10 - 63	Match Center
Sat 24 Aug	14:30	H	Heartland Championship	Horowhenua-Kapiti	25 - 24	Match Center
Sat 31 Aug	14:30	A	Heartland Championship	King Country	24 - 13	Match Center
Sat 07 Sep	14:30	H	Heartland Championship	North Otago	23 - 25	Match Center
Sat 14 Sep	14:30	A	Heartland Championship	Buller	28 - 12	Match Center
Sat 21 Sep	14:30	A	Heartland Championship	West Coast	15 - 11	Match Center
Sat 28 Sep	14:30	H	Heartland Championship	Poverty Bay	22 - 18	Match Center
Sat 05 Oct	14:30	A	Heartland Championship	Wairarapa Bush	44 - 31	Match Center
Sat 12 Oct	14:30	H	Heartland Championship	South Canterbury	36 - 47	Match Center

APPEARANCES For East Coast RFU 2013

			Position	PL
	Alistair Tanetoa Parata		Flanker	5
	Luke.W.R. Bates		Hooker, Prop	2
	Nick Edwards		Prop	2
	S."Ziggy" Fisi’ihoi		Prop	5
	Frank C. Taiapa		Loose Forward	1
	Lloyd.J.Gabriel		Hooker	9
	C.F.'Charlie' Harrison		Scrumhalf	9
	Brent.P.Ingram		Flanker	8
	Michael.D.King		Loose Forward, Utility Back	2
	Aliki.H.Kisina		Centre	9
	Kris Palmer		Fullback, Winger	7
	L.H.R.A.'Tojo' Maaka		First Five, Winger	7
	Mahue M. Dewes		Prop	9
	Frank.T.M.Manuel		Prop	7
	Robert.N.Simpkins		Hooker	8
	Pamona Samupo		Winger	5
	Perrin Joseph Manuel		Flanker, Hooker	2
	Everard.J.Reid		Lock	9
	Richard.J.S.’Riki’ Waitoa		Lock, Winger	9
	John.R.Semple		Fullback, First Five	1
	Tau.K.’TK’ Moeke		Centre	8
	Te Rangi.H.H.H. Fraser		Fullback, First Five	7
	Thomas.J.Teaeki		Winger	9
	Luke.R.Tihema		Prop	1
	Adam.L.Tolua		No.8	8
	George Tuala		Prop	6
	Verdon R.M. Bartlett		Utility Back	3
	Sikeli.B.Vorenasu		Utility Back	5
	Haimona Waititi		Flanker	7
	Pakanui.A.Webb		Flanker, Lock	3
	W.T.Craft-Chemis		Centre	6
	Morgan.T.R.Wi Repa		Loose Forward	2

We hope you enjoy this look back as we look forward to many more years of recording the history of Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union. We acknowledge all the information from the NZ “Rugby Almanack” Series from the season’s 1934 through to 2013 and appreciate their hard and dedicated work in providing this detailed history. – Web Admin