Marist to test potential against defending champs
“To be The Man, you gotta beat The Man!”
- Ric Flair
By Jared Smith
Tasman Tanning Premier rugby returns to Spriggens Park for the first time this season on Saturday, with the hosts looking to erase the disappointment they felt as the stood on that sideline after their last game of 2022.
In a five-team competition, which is the same again this season except McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu steps forward to replace the departed Settler’s Honey Ngamatapouri, no-one wants the ignominy of being the only squad to miss the semifinals.
But that is exactly how Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist felt last July where despite a comfortable win in their last match against third-place Ngamatapouri, walking off happy to have done their job, they discovered to their horror that Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau had pulled off the upset of the season over undefeated Byford’s Readimix Taihape – snatching fourth spot away.
“The All Blacks talk about when they lose on the end of season tour – ‘a few rocks under the towel for the summer’,” said Marist coach Travers Hopkins, starting his fourth year in charge of the side.
“They knew they did everything they needed to last year, but due to the nature of the competition, it didn’t happen.”
Hopkins and his staff, having now been given the longest coaching tenure in recent history for Marist, could well be close to completing their rebuild – naming a strong-looking 31-player group as they come off the first bye to face the defending champions Waverley Harvesting Border.
“It’s probably the biggest squad I’ve been able to name.
“We’ve consistently been able to field these three teams. It’s good to have numbers, competing for spots.”
The big reinforcements are from the Ngamatapouri deconstruction, as returning home is vaunted 2022 Steelform Whanganui midfielder Josaia Bogileka, who left last year to help take Ngamatapouri to their first, and now only, Premier semifinal – where he came within inches of scoring the winning try against eventual champions Border.
Joining him are fellow Whanganui representative Samu Kubunavanua and utility back Josaia Dawai, both having top flight experience with other WRFU clubs and filling out the roster that already includes other current, former, and likely future Heartland players.
Noteworthy amongst that is after his breakout 2022 campaign, gifted prop Keightley Watson has stayed home to lead the pack from the front.
“Thought he might have had a few wanting his services, but we’ve got him for another season,” said Hopkins.
Likewise noteworthy is while ironman skipper Brad Graham is likely to play every minute of Marist’s regular season, Hopkins has handed the vice-captaincy to youngster and 2022 Whanganui apprentice Jack O’Leary.
“He’s showing those leadership qualities that I look for as a coach.
“He’s a good prospect for the future of our club. The boys respect him a lot, it’s more reward for the future.”
Now with depth and talent, this is the time for Marist to start reaching their potential, and trying to beat the teams that make the Top 2, not just the fifth to third group.
The Jake Alabaster Memorial Shield, named for the young utility forward who played for both clubs before passing away in 2018, has not been held by Marist since they beat Border 27-25 back in 2019 – Bogileka and hooker Jack Yarrall two of their tryscorers that day.
Hopkins was an interested observer of the live-stream of Border’s narrow 18-17 loss to Kaierau last weekend.
“Once they got into that rhythm in the second half, I thought they were going to bring it home.
“I don’t expect Border to be shell-shocked this weekend.
“They’ve got that game under their belt. Their set piece is real strong, and Tyrone [Albert, first-five] had a good game.”
Stepping into the shoes of previous coach Cole Baldwin after a couple of seasons as his deputy, Todd Cowan is aware a team like Marist will be eager to prove themselves against his side as they chase a piece of immortality – the first club to win a WRFU Premier four-peat.
Working with a side that includes several of the now-older veterans of Whanganui representative and club triumphs, Cowan has retained the Baldwin training structure of one extended hit-out on Wednesday’s, rather than the traditional Tuesday-Thursday format.
It is a player-management strategy that has helped with several squad members based away from Waverley and having young families to consider, not to mention helping keep the veterans from over extending joints and muscles that aren’t as spry as they used to be.
“Just trying to keep as many people in footy as possible. Got to think outside of the box and keep people turning up,” said Cowan.
The team had a setback when their Ngamatapouri import, former Whanganui No8 Bryn Hudson, was injured in the Kaierau loss, likely to be unavailable for at least the rest of the first round.
However, after his absence was keenly felt, the evergreen Craig Clare returns this Saturday – the man who has played in every Premier grand final since 2017, winning five out of six (twice with Ruapehu, then Border’s three-peat).
After he split his commitments between some early season games for Border before returning to his Taranaki club, and playing for that union’s Development XV, speedy outside back Harry Symes will play alongside older brother Tom, who also played for Taranaki Development.
“He’s locked in for the season and it’s good to have him on board,” said Cowan.
“We’ve got a good mixture of some younger guys.”
Cowan was not too discouraged about the Kaierau loss, as it was his squad’s first true hit-out after a couple of planned preseason encounters did not materialise.
“The first game is a bit of an unknown. We clearly needed to get out and have a run.
“Marist look like they have a pretty strong side this season. They’re definitely going to be a team to watch, not taking them lightly at all.
“We’re trying to develop continuity and find our feet.”
The other Premier game will see Kaierau return to the scene of their 54-3 hammering in last year’s semifinal to see if they can hang onto the Barracks Bar Challenge Shield.
The draw is
Premier (2.35pm kickoffs):
Byford’s Readimix Taihape vs Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau
Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist vs Waverley Harvesting Border
Bye: McCarthy’s Transport Ruapehu
History will be made on Friday evening as the WRFU’s Women’s Club Rugby competition kicks off in 2023.
After developing the women’s game locally by sending a Whanganui Metro side to compete in the MRU club competition for the last couple of seasons, the WRFU now has four sides will face each other in Friday and Sunday fixtures.
The Week 1 draw is
April 21: Taihape vs Marist, Memorial Park, 7.30pm.
April 23: Kaierau vs Marton Queen Bee’s, 3pm.
