NATI CALL GOES OUT Wednesday, July 24, 2013 • John Hill RUGBY - NGATI Porou East Coast player-coach Ngarimu Simpkins refuses to concede his side will be no match for Waikato when they challenge the Ranfurly Shield holders next Tuesday. But he does admit they will need the support of a “huge crowd” at the Coast’s “house of pain” — Whakarua Park, Ruatoria. “You saw what effect the crowd had last year when we were 27-3 down with 15 minutes to play and we came back to beat Wanganui 29-27 (in the Heartland Championship Meads Cup final),” Simpkins said. “There was no way we could have done that if it wasn’t for the support we got. Once we scored our first try the crowd just kept lifting their intensity and that had an effect on the players. “The more we fed off the crowd support and the belief that we had as a team and the belief that the supporters had in us was amazing. “I know it’s a midweek game but if we can get that level of support it’s going to go a long way towards us winning.” Winning? “I’ve said it ever since the challenge was confirmed and I’ll keep saying it until after the game . . . we can win. But we have to stand up to them physically. “They are first division ITM Cup players and will be bigger, stronger and faster, but anyone who has played rugby will tell you . . . it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Simpkins underlined the significance of the “log of wood” to any representative rugby player, saying that outside of a national first division championship title, it is the biggest prize in New Zealand domestic rugby. “I was on the bench when Bay of Plenty won the Shield (33-28 in 2004) against Auckland then played in the first defence against Waikato. Playing in a Shield challenge is one of the highlights of my career. “We’re not just playing for Ngati Porou and our iwi, we’re playing for every rugby player and supporter on the Coast and here in Poverty Bay. We’re representing all the communities.” Simpkins suffered a knee injury in the Coast’s 40-25 loss to Bay of Plenty last week. “I’m getting physio every day and I’ve got another five days to be fit, so fingers crossed I’ll be playing. “Apart from TK Moeke, who sprained an ankle, the rest of the squad are OK at this stage. TK is a key player for us and I’ll keep him in cotton wool when we train tomorrow night and go into camp on Sunday.” While Simpkins has never lost faith in his side’s ability to achieve the “impossible dream”, former Coast prop Ivan Hooper is not so sure. “I’d love it to happen but can’t see it,” said the 87-year-old, who was in the Coast’s first Ranfurly Shield challenge — a 42-0 loss to Wellington in 1953. The game was played in front of a 25,000-strong crowd at Athletic Park in Wellington. “I remember the game well. Winston McCarthy, who called the game for radio in those days, said we matched them in the forwards but their backs were too quick. He paid us the compliment of calling us the most rugged pack he had seen. But the game has changed so much nowadays and I would expect Waikato to have too much power and speed all over the pitch.” Former New Zealand Maori forward Hooper — one of four brothers (Ivan, Bill, Bert and Jim) to wear the Sky Blue jersey — will make the short trip from Tolaga Bay to watch the Coast’s latest challenge. He missed last year’s Meads Cup final but attended a reunion when Horowhenua came to the Coast for a Heartland Championship clash in 2010. “I played for Horowhenua after the war as there was no rugby on the Coast then. Once Coast rugby started up I came home to play for Tauwhareparae, my one and only club on the Coast.” Playing for NZ Maori was the highlight of his career. Other highlights were the Shield challenge and playing for the East Coast-Poverty Bay-Bay of Plenty team against the British Isles at the Oval in June, 1950. “We lost 27-3 but it was an honour to play with and against some great players, including Tiny White.”
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 00:40:05 +0000
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