Back to Year by Year Index click here

Poverty Bay won their opening Heartland Championship match against East Coast in good style to reverse the result of the Queen’s Birthday encounter, but then lost the next four games and eventually finished seventh for a Lochore Cup semi-final place. The defeats to King Country (in the round-robin match) and, in particular, Wairarapa Bush were winnable games that slipped away. Despite this, an improvement was made on last year.

A record 50 players was used for the 12-match first-class programme with 23 appearing for the first time. Seventeen players appeared in only the three pre-Heartland matches. Local regulars missing from last year were Tamanui Hill, Kahu Tamatea (both in Bay of Plenty), Leigh Bristowe (Southland), Corban Barbara (England), and Carl Riini (injured).

The outstanding forward was number eight Siosuia Moala, brother of All Black George, having last year played at second five-eighth. He was impressive on both defence and attack, scoring five tries. Everard Reid made a welcome return from Hawke’s Bay and assumed the captaincy. Playing mainly at blindside flanker, he displayed good form. Murray Hewson got better as the season progressed, with he and Reid being good lineout winners. Lively openside flanker James Grogan unfortunately succumbed to injury halfway through the championship. The 130-kg prop Jody Allen arrived and made a difference, returning to the province where he had made his first-class debut in 2006. He was available for only three matches due to recall by North Harbour, and scored five tries. Sione N’gatu set a new’ appearance record for Poverty Bay, ending the season on 138 matches, having given tremendous service to his union since his debut in 2003. Eighteen-year-old Isaiah Leach looked a bright prospect at hooker.

The backline contained four outside players with all making positive contributions. Maia Gibbs was the starting halfback, centre Ratu Daurua was top try scorer with eight, first five-eighth Isaia Vuki topped the points scoring with 86 points, including four tries, and Dan Mclntyre was a quick and elusive fullback. Of the locals, Ethine Reeves was versatile and the only player to appear in all 12 games, while former All Black Rico Gear was available for just one match due to business commitments.

Higher honours went to:

New Zealand Heartland:        S.Moala, E.J. Reid

2016 Heartland , Finished 7th, Round Robin
Lost 1st Semi Final, Lochore Cup
Coach: W P Mutu Ngarimu

POVERTY BAY REPRESENTATIVES 2016

	Name	Position	PL	TR	CON	PEN	DG
	Lance Dickson	Prop	3	0	0	0	0
	Shayde Skudder	Flanker, Hooker	1	0	0	0	0
	Russell James Burns	Hooker, Prop	4 (1)	0	0	0	0
	Patrick 'Paddy' Allen	Lock	1	0	0	0	0
	Jacob Cook	Lock	8 (2)	1	0	0	0
	Koro Miringaorangi	Flanker	2	0	0	0	0
	Siosiua Moala	Centre, Loose Forward	11 (2)	5	0	0	0
	Sione Tangi Ngatu	Flanker, Prop	10	1	0	0	0
	Willie Grogan	Halfback	7 (5)	0	0	0	0
	Hayden Stuart	First Five	2 (1)	0	0	0	0
	George Halley	Wing	1	1	0	0	0
	Anthony Karauria	Centre	1	0	0	0	0
	Devonte Martin	Back	6	1	0	0	0
	Scott McKinley	Wing	8 (2)	0	0	0	0
	Matekairoa McGuire	Hooker	1 (1)	0	0	0	0
	Geoffrey Pihema Pari	Hooker	9 (7)	0	0	0	0
	Campbell Peter Lincoln Chrisp	Prop	3 (2)	0	0	0	0
	Jone Sega Lesi	Prop	2 (1)	0	0	0	0
	Murray James Hewson	Lock	10 (2)	3	0	0	0
	Jody K. Tuhaka	Hooker, Prop	1 (1)	0	0	0	0
	Isaia Leach	Hooker	10 (4)	1	0	0	0
	Lyndon Manuel	Loose Forward	1 (1)	0	0	0	0
	Mario Counsell	Halfback	10 (6)	0	0	0	0
	Jake Holmes	First Five	5 (4)	0	0	0	0
	Toru Noanoa	Prop	6 (4)	0	0	0	0
	Ethine Snowden Reeves	First Five, Fullback	12	1	1	1	0
	Leslie Hills	Lock, Loose Forward	9 (3)	1	0	0	0
	Everard Jackson Reid	Lock	9 (1)	4	0	0	0
	James R. Grogan	Loose Forward	6 (1)	1	0	0	0
	Tanielu Misikosi	Flanker	8 (1)	1	0	0	0
	Maia Gibbs	Halfback	8 (2)	0	0	0	0
	Rico Levi Gear	Centre, Wing	1	0	0	0	0
	Tau Kotea "TK' Moeke	Midfield	5 (2)	0	0	0	0
	Semisi Akana	Lock, Prop	1 (1)	0	0	0	0
	Keiran Short	Midfield	10 (1)	2	0	0	0
	Penalty Try		1 (1)	1	0	0	0
	Daniel McIntyre	Fullback	6	3	0	0	0
	Conan Houkamau	Forward	7 (4)	0	0	0	0
	Daniel Luke Goodwin	Lock	4 (3)	0	0	0	0
	Kenneth Russell 'Ken' Houkamau	Loose Forward	10 (5)	1	0	0	0
	William Thomas 'Willis' Tamatea	Loose Forward	2	0	0	0	0
	Tamati Samuels	Fullback	7 (2)	1	0	0	0
	Jody Maihi Allen	Prop	3	5	0	0	0
	Sione Tamale	Midfield	4 (4)	0	0	0	0
	Cameron Rowden	Halfback	1 (1)	0	0	0	0
	Ratu Daurua	Midfield	10 (1)	8	0	0	0
	Cory Reihana	Wing	1	0	0	0	0
	Isaia Vuki	First Five	10	4	26	5	0
	Tipuna 'Tipi' Jones	Centre, Wing	1 (1)	0	0	0	0
	Hamish Forrester	Hooker, Prop	1 (1)	0	0	0	0
	James Barnett	Prop	1	0	0	0	0

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—