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History against Coast
Thursday, September 20, 2012 • John Hill
RUGBY - WANGANUI’S “Butcher Boys” are coming to Ngati Porou-East Coast’s stronghold of Ruatoria for a crunch Heartland Championship clash at Whakarua Park on Saturday.

If ever Coast player-coach Ngarimu Simpkins and his boys needed their supporters to fill the ground and get behind their team, it is Saturday.

Defending Meads Cup champions Wanganui are unbeaten in this season’s competition. They sit top of the table with 17 points from four games while an improving East Coast are fourth on 12 points.

History is on Wanganui’s side.

n They beat the Sky Blues 30-10 in last year’s Meads Cup final.

n They have lost only once in 23 games against East Coast — a 31-24 defeat at Whakarua Park on August 18, 2001.

n Their biggest win against the Coast was 75-0 in 1981.

n Wanganui have featured in every Meads Cup final since the competition’s inception in 2006, winning three.

n They are the benchmark for every other Heartland team.

“We haven’t talked about Wanganui at this stage — we’re concentrating on our build-up,” Simpkins said.

“But you can tell the excitement is building and as we get closer to kick-off we’ll have a chat about Wanganui.”

Simpkins said there would not be any talk of revenge after a controversial final last year when he and assistant coach Rua Tipoki were sinbinned.

“We’ve all moved on from that,” Simpkins said. “This is another year, another game.”

Wanganui have started the season well whereas the Coast have been hot and cold — even through they have won three and lost one.

“It’ll be interesting to see if we have improved enough to beat a side as good as Wanganui at this stage of the season.”

Despite being fourth, the Coast and bottom-placed Horowhenua-Kapiti are the only Heartland teams who have not bagged a bonus point.

“That’s surprising when you look at the backs we have but I’m not concerned as long as we keep winning,” Simpkins said.

“The key for us this weekend will be defence and playing for each other.

“If we are to go on and do anything this season we’ll do it as a team and not as individuals.

“Ever since Rua and I took over as coaches we have tried to build a champion team, where every player has a role to play, and not a team of champions.”

While Wanganui hold all the aces in the history stakes, the Coast’s win in 2001 also meant Joe McClutchie’s men created their own slice of history.

It was the Coast’s first home game in the second division after winning back-to-back third division titles and their first win against Wanganui in 17 games.

Of the current class of 2012, Pakanui Webb and Marty Lloyd are the only survivors.

Neither played in the win against Wanganui but both were valuable members of the squad who reached the second division final only to lose to Hawke’s Bay, despite outscoring the home side five tries to two.

Webb was on the bench against Wanganui on August 18, 2001 while Lloyd was out with injury. Current halfback Charlie Harrison’s brother Doone was at fullback.

Of the 22 Coast players involved in last year’s 30-10 final loss, 10 are in the 2012 squad.
A LONG TIME BETWEEN WINNING DRINKS: Tyrone “T-Bone” Delamere dives over to score in a division two NPC rugby match against Wanganui at Whakarua Park, Ruatoria on August 18, 2001. The Coast’s 31-24 win was the first and only time East Coast have beaten Wanganui in 23 clashes. The teams face off again in Ruatoria this weekend in the Heartland Championship. Picture by Paul Rickard
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