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2008SEASON |
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Having won the Lochore Cup in 2006 and 2007 it was expected that Poverty Bay would have been sufficiently prepared to step up and compete for the Meads Cup. After suffering early season losses to Bay of Plenty Development (24-41) and to a Hawke’s Bay XV (0-96) the team showed real character in containing Auckland in the Ranfurly Shield challenge. Unfortunately injury to lock Murray Hewson, and the departure overseas of some players soon afterwards, forced coach Paul Feeney to reorganize his squad. Pre-competition wins over Wairarapa Bush and Waikato Development (20-14) suggested combinations were coming right but Meads Cup hopes crashed when King Country, Mid Canterbury and Wanganui inflicted defeats on successive Saturdays.
Turning their attention to the Lochore Cup Poverty Bay then completed the season undefeated and took the trophy for the third year. But there were anxious moments during the semi-final when South Canterbury scored near full-time to level the score 30-30 requiring an extra ten minutes each way to produce a winner. A dropped goal by Leighton after two minutes was followed by tries to Matanibucaka and Knox, thus sinking South Canterbury’s aspirations.
The key player again was the backline general, and captain, Scott Leighton. He was well supported by experienced players Ian Logan, James Warren, Jamie Hutana, Colin Hovell, Chris Bell, Brent Ingram and Sione Ngatu. But it was the newcomers who impressed most and who made large impacts as the season unfolded. Number eight Michael Broadhurst and midfield back Coll Campbell were outstanding and were rewarded with Heartland honours. Charlie Ngatai returned from NZ Schools duty to make his mark in the final by scoring two tries. His future will be watched with interest. Whaimotu Craft-Chemis showed speed on the wing scoring six tries. Kele Bolatagane was a lively halfback and Michael Mayhew, a hooker from North Harbour, was a valuable acquisition. Willis Tamatea seized the locking vacancy left by Hewson and won the award for best and fairest player.
Higher honours went to:
New Zealand Heartland: Broadhurst, Campbell, Leighton
2008 Results
25 Oct, 2:30 pm | H | Horowhenua-Kapiti | Final Lochore Cup | 26 - 05 | |
18 Oct, 2:30 pm | H | South Canterbury | S/F Lochore Cup | 43 - 30 | |
11 Oct, 2:30 pm | A | Horowhenua-Kapiti | Heartland Championship | 18 - 36 | |
04 Oct, 2:30 pm | H | Wairarapa Bush | Heartland Championship | 24 - 08 | |
27 Sep, 2:30 pm | H | South Canterbury | Heartland Championship | 19 - 15 | |
20 Sep, 2:30 pm | A | East Coast | Heartland Championship | 00 - 45 | |
13 Sep, 2:30 pm | H | Thames Valley | Heartland Championship | 43 - 10 | |
06 Sep, 2:30 pm | A | Wanganui | Heartland Championship | 36 - 16 | |
30 Aug, 2:30 pm | H | Mid Canterbury | Heartland Championship | 13 - 26 | |
23 Aug, 2:30 pm | A | King Country | Heartland Championship | 18 - 00 | |
09 Aug, 2:30 pm | A | Wairarapa Bush | Pre-Season | 06 - 19 | |
04 Jul, 2:30 pm | H | Auckland | Ranfurly Shield | 03 - 54 |
2008 Players
  | Name | Position | Height | Weight | PL | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.R.H.Bell |
|
Lock | n/a | n/a | 10 |
|
K.Bolatagane |
|
Halfback | n/a | n/a | 12 |
|
M.J.Broadhurst |
|
No. 8 | n/a | n/a | 10 |
|
H.Brown |
|
Prop | n/a | n/a | 5 |
|
Russell Burns |
|
Hooker/Prop | 177 | 110 | 1 |
|
A.C.Campbell |
|
Center | n/a | n/a | 8 |
|
A.J.Clarke |
|
First Five | n/a | n/a | 2 |
|
D.Cornwall |
|
Wing | n/a | n/a | 12 |
|
A.R.Cribb |
|
Hooker | n/a | n/a | 1 |
|
T.Duckworth |
|
No. 8 | n/a | n/a | 7 |
|
Alani Fonohema |
|
Flanker | n/a | n/a | 2 |
|
Lloyd Gabriel |
|
Hooker | n/a | n/a | 1 |
|
Murray Hewson |
|
Lock | 193 | 108 | 1 |
|
Colin J.K. Hovell |
|
Prop | n/a | n/a | 9 |
|
Jamie.B.Hutana |
|
Prop | n/a | n/a | 10 |
|
Brent Ingram |
|
Flanker | n/a | n/a | 10 |
|
Mangu Kemp |
|
Fullback/Center | n/a | n/a | 3 |
|
Q.D.King |
|
Flanker | n/a | n/a | 1 |
|
Clayton Kiwara |
|
First Five | n/a | n/a | 5 |
|
W.J.Knox |
|
Prop | n/a | n/a | 9 |
|
Puna Latu |
|
Flanker | n/a | n/a | 9 |
|
S.K.Leach |
|
Wing/Fullback | n/a | n/a | 7 |
|
Scott Leighton |
|
First Five | n/a | n/a | 10 |
|
I.G.Logan |
|
Center | n/a | n/a | 12 |
|
D.MacPherson |
|
Flanker | n/a | n/a | 1 |
|
Tevita Maka |
|
Loose Forward | n/a | n/a | 9 |
|
A.Matanibucaka |
|
Lock | n/a | n/a | 12 |
|
M.Mayhew |
|
Hooker | n/a | n/a | 10 |
|
C.J.Ngatai |
|
Fullback | n/a | n/a | 3 |
|
Sione Ngatu |
|
Flanker/No.8, Prop | 186 | 115 | 12 |
|
M.Sole |
|
Prop | n/a | n/a | 12 |
|
Kahu Tamatea |
|
First Five/Fullback | n/a | n/a | 1 |
|
Waiti Tamatea |
|
Center | n/a | n/a | 1 |
|
William Tamatea |
|
Loose Forward | 196 | 105 | 10 |
|
C.Te Rito |
|
Center | n/a | n/a | 1 |
|
Ratu.S.Vosaki |
|
Wing | n/a | n/a | 4 |
|
T.G.Walsh |
|
Center | n/a | n/a | 5 |
|
James Warren |
|
Center | n/a | n/a | 10 |
|
Whaimotu Craft-Chemis |
|
Center | n/a | n/a | 9 |
|
J.Willoughby |
|
Center | n/a | n/a | 1 |
We hope you enjoy this look back as we look forward to many more years of recording the history of Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union.
We acknowledge all the information from the NZ “Rugby Almanack” Series from 1934 and appreciate their hard and dedicated work in providing this detailed history. – Web Admin—