- The reality is it's been eight years, 50 games where we haven't won. - # Take me home to the mountain. # - However your team's going in the rugby season depends on how the community's going in life. - Big hopes for the season with Hosea coming on board as the coach and get us back to where we know our boys can be. - We can win this. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2022. - The passion that the East Coast community have for their local rugby team is unwavering, despite the recent loss in their first game of the Heartland rugby season. - Hosea, nau mai, haramai ki Te Reo Irirangi o Ngati Porou. mai - Kia ora, bro. Good to be back. - And of course, Heartland Season has kicked off. The first game of the season ` you can never be happy with a loss. - Not the result that we wanted. You know, we need to be better. We need to go up another level. I must say, as disappointed as I was, I was still over the moon with the performance from the boys. - Especially Mr Sammy Parkes. Not only he's a great player ` he's got his own business, he's an MMA fighter, building his own house. - But he's been one of the strongest players that I've seen in the competition. - How is he tracking into this game? - He's fit. He's strong. He's one of our leaders in our team; again, leads with his actions, is really vocal. - What we play for, eh? What do we play for? Bit of success in life. - So, looking forward to seeing what he can do this year. - Oh, awesome, bro. All the best for the game this weekend, and thank you very much for coming in. There you go, whanau ` of course, the coach for Ngati Porou East Coast, Mr Hosea Gear. - After the first game of the season didn't break the eight-year losing streak, it's time for coach and ex-All Black Hosea Gear to catch up with the team. - Last weekend against North Otago, mean effort, OK? But not good enough. So we've gotta get better. We've got no choice but to go up another level. One thing that I've found with, uh, this group of players is that they are very... they're driven on emotion. So for me, it's about trying to find, you know, emotional strings, you know, to pull. The main thing for us this weekend is to replicate the attributes of our tipuna that went to war. The Maori Battalion C Company, they had a reputation for the best hand-to-hand combat fighters. The Maori Battalion C Company Cowboys, you know, the majority of them were Ngati Porou. The things that they had to go through to go to war, they had to make sacrifices. They had to prepare themselves. They weren't prepared enough, they weren't ready, like, on the battlefield, you pretty much lose your life. So our mindset on the attack is let's go to war. - It's a daunting legacy for the Ngati Porou East Coast rugby team to carry. But is their determination to honour their tupuna enough? - (SOLEMN MUSIC) - Another opportunity to achieve what we've set out to do from the beginning. First home game ` in front of our whanau,... in front of our friends, in front of our people,... on our whenua. We bring 110%. We're to go another level individually, focus on that collectively, and it'll come together. - (CHEERING) - And a nice run there from the big number five, the captain, Connor McVerry, catching the Ngati Porou East Coast boys asleep on there. They got numbers here ` Kaho! What a run there from Josh Kaho out wide again! And that's full-time here, whanau. Thames Valley come away with it 35-19. - (MEN CHANT HAKA) - From the outside up to the 30m line! - And the crowd goes bizarre! - (WHISTLE BLOWS) - (APPLAUSE) - Game over! Right, he goes wide. - (WHISTLE BLOWS) - Oh, and too strong there. Over for the try. - (MEN YELL) - They've got nothing. Can you feel that? - (MEN MUTTER) - We're letting them in the game. - Quick hands out to McKay. It's the number one who races away with it. That's full-time here. 34-12, South Canterbury will take it. - After four straight losses so far this season, coach and prodigal son Hosea Gear needs to take stock. - I'm looking at the games that we've lost. What have we done on game day? Obviously haven't won a game. Can't really keep the same sort of formula. In terms of the actual rugby stuff, just in particular here, so Sammy's thrown a bad pass. You know, why didn't we hit the target? So he'll be disappointed. He has really high standards, you know, backs himself a lot. That's what I like about him. - Breev. - Sammy. - Hosea seeks out Sam's input as to why the losses keep coming. - See some mean mahi going on here. What's sort of happening? - Well, we're on trial for a job in Aussie, apparently. - Heard you need a builder. - (BOTH LAUGH) - I do need a builder. Your game went pretty well on the weekend. Anything that you're looking to do more or better, this weekend? - Yeah, I suppose it's that last 10 minutes, where it could even be, you know, just a bad habit, you know? - Yeah. Not used to it, eh? - Yeah. Like, you know, losing can just become a habit, and we haven't quite won, so we don't really know how to` - Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. - My name's Sam Parkes. I'm 28, from Tolaga Bay, builder, and I play half back. Trying to run a business on the coast has its challenges, in terms of being so far away from the bigger town and that ` you get charged more for travel, really. Being from Tolaga Bay, I had a one-way desire to just build here, no matter what, you know. There are challenges here, but didn't wanna live anywhere else. - Rawe tera na te mea no Ngati Porou hoki ahau, ka taea maua te noho ki konei ki Uawa. He tino pai te kite he ngakaunui ana ia ki tenei momo hakinakina, ki tenei tima hoki. Sam goes a hundred percent with everything he does. It's awesome for the younger kids of the coast, of Uawa, just someone to look up to, which is amazing. It motivates me to wanna be like him as well. - Cut it out of... - Sam knows how important it is to give back to the community he was raised in. - When we first bought the land, it was just a bare paddock and an old kiwi-fruit field. And the first thing I built was the two sheds, so we could live in one and run the other one as a community gym ` mainly fitness-based circuit sort of things, and yeah, my partner runs it. - Life expectancy on the East Coast is 12 years less than the rest of the country ` a statistic Sam and partner, Te Tuhi, are determined to change. - That's it, Hope. Nice. Yeah, moving to Uawa, we kind of, um, saw a need for something like that in this community. And we're into to it, team. 40 seconds! Classes are pretty busy now. We're always just about a full house in most of our classes. And it's just, yeah, real good to see for the community ` everyone enjoying working out together. It's an awesome, like, whanau vibe. - Let's go, K. Tahi combo! - Tahi! - (CHUCKLES) - The numbers that are turning up is enough to start a bit of a ripple effect for Tolaga, where our whanau who are a bit whakama to get out there ` this is a way where they can build whanaungatanga, build that Uawa support. - Let's go! - The couple are making a difference for a reason. - I owe everything to Tolaga and the people that inhabit it, So it's just great to be sort of trying to give back in my own way. It's the easy one, eh? (LAUGHS) - I remember when Sammy was just a JAB. So coming through the ranks, and he was a little chubby, to where he's... well, he's leading the team now. We're really proud to see Uawa is still in the Ngati Porou East Coast team, but as a voice, not just as a passenger. - Sam's mana and loyalty demonstrates what the East Coast rugby team is all about. - So a lot of people have asked me, you know, why I, sort of, stick around in the hard times, when we're losing and that, but the answer is easy, eh. Like, I'd rather play for this team and lose every game for the rest of my life than play for another team and win a couple. (SEABIRD CALLS) - Leo. - Sunscreen. - There we go. Boom. (CHUCKLES GENTLY) (PLAYERS SHOUT, WHISTLES TRILL) - Mia. (WHISTLE TRILLS) - ...see so many of our younger learners putting their best foot forward. The winner is... Lewis Tyler. (APPLAUSE) - (MOUTHS) (WARM POP MUSIC) - The grips. That's it. One, two. - (GRUNTS) - That's it. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) - Got enough T-shirts in there and jerseys? - CHUCKLES GENTLY: Yes, Mum. - This will keep you safe, moko. - Thank you, Nana. - Mm. Pack your bags. - Hi, guys. Come on in. Nice and gentle. Look. You're all finished. - Easy. - (COUNTRY MUSIC) - Despite a punishing series of losses, the support for Ngati Porou East Coast rugby remained strong amongst the community, especially down at the local iwi radio station, Radio Ngati Porou. - Ae, e te iwi Te Reo Irirangi o Ngati Porou, te teihana tuatahi o te uranga mai o te ra. And it's Friday today, the end of the week ` everyone's getting ready for the rugby tomorrow. Right now is, for you, the old uncle, Brannigan Kaa, with his tino favourite song of mine called Ka Mau te Wehi. The song here is written just for the East Coast boys. - (TE REO ROCK MUSIC PLAYS) - # Raro i maunga Hikurangi... BOTH: # ...ki te taha Waiapu! # - My name is Maria Lailani Smith. My role at Te Reo Irirangi o Ngati Porou is the Maori announcer for, uh, the show called Te Kokonga Korero, which means in the corner having a good old yak. We should be an information centre too. They'll ring here and ask, 'Oh, what was that phone number? 'Did I hear a panui about, 'um, like, a service coming to Ruatoria? 'Oh, when's that marae having their hui again?' - With many isolated areas across the region, Radio Ngati Porou is often the local noticeboard, keeping supporters up to date. - Everybody's getting ready for rugby this weekend. Yes, they are here ` Ngati Porou East Coast has a home game right here in little old Ruatoria, and it is also our whanau club days. And rumour has it, there is a famous person coming to Ruatoria and is putting on a blue jersey to play for Ngati Porou East Coast. - The team are keen to know who the guest player could be. - I'll just address the elephant in the room. So, um, yep, Ma'a Nonu's playing for us this weekend. There's a feeling of excitement and also a feeling of belief. You can see it in each other's eyes. He's actually put his hand up to come in and help us out. Obviously, not obliged to, giving up his time with his family to come and hang out with us and give us a hand. So, all right, I'll name our team. Number one ` Peter Mirrielees, two ` Jorian Tangaere, three ` Perrin Manuel. - The appearance of Ma'a Nonu in the upcoming game isn't the only surprise that the East Coast players were hearing about. Another player is joining them on the field. - Verdon Bartlett, 21 ` Ma'a Nonu, and 22 ` um, myself. - (CHEERING) - I tried to say my name quietly, you know, under my breath, and the boys, you know, interrupted it. You know, it was pretty funny, because they've been asking me, almost every day, if I'm gonna play. And the answer was always no. Ma'a was only coming, um, as long as I was playing. So we're all in the same ruck, and we're all in this together. Kapai? Sweet as. OK. So we're straight outside on rigs. - Local East Coast businesses also feel the impacts of both the isolation and the team spirit during the Heartland Championship. - Well, whanau, I can't wait for the game tomorrow, and I bet you can't wait to show off your colours from your club. He oi ano, when you're passing through Ruatoria, don't forget to call into the Hikurangi Food Market. Grab yourself a Ruatoria Pie, made with love ` and I mean love, whanau ` delishiomo, best pies in Aotearoa. - My name is Bobbi Morice, born and bred in Ruatoria. My grandparents owned Ruatoria Pies, so I've been here since I was a baby, basically. Grew up some swimming in our rivers, seeing our mountain every day ` hey, you know, it's paradise. It's been hard work at times, when it comes to being in business, especially in an isolated community like Ruatoria. All supplies come from outside, so you have to prepare for things like power cuts, road closures ` have plan B all the time and sometimes plan C. All the men in my life have played for East Coast ` my father, in the '70s; my brother, my husband and, uh, my two sons. My husband, Pakanui Webb, started playing for the Coast in the early 2000s. In 2004, when we bought the shop, he sacrificed a year off playing for the East Coast, but it didn't mean we didn't go and watch, eh. You know, whatever you do, you're still involved somehow. Our community is just like that. Coast team will definitely have a win this year. I firmly believe that. Hopefully this weekend. - From businesses, workers, through to families, the whanaungatanga created by East Coast Rugby runs deep. - My name's Tim Wright. I deliver the pies for Ruatoria Pies. I deliver them round the Coast. Yeah, I love the job. I just really like that interaction with, um, the managers and the ones who own the shops. - A big game this week, Pete, eh, tomorrow? - Yeah. - Hey, I heard Ma'a Nonu's gonna be here. - Yeah, exactly. - (CHUCKLES) Very good. Old Ruatoria is getting on the map. - Yeah. - I'm looking forward to my mince pie for morning tea. - (BOTH CHUCKLE) - That's the one, Pete. Yeah, as for the people on the Coast, it's like, wherever you go, people look after each other. It's all about whanau ` I've found that, certainly seen that. Ngati Porou people are just so passionate about their rugby, and they support it with, uh, everything they've got ` that's how I'd describe it. - See Ma'a Nonu's playing on Saturday for the Coast, eh, bro? - Yeah. I've heard that, bro. It's gonna be awesome, eh? - It is awesome. - Yeah. - Buller, I think they'll beat them, my bro. - As long as they beat Poverty Bay, I don't care, bro. - (LAUGHS) - That's all that matters to me. Old Gear's got them good, man. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - I think fitter, eh? All right, brother. - See you later, my bro. Have a good one. (CHUCKLES) - Despite the geographic isolation of their region, the guest appearance of rugby superstar Ma'a Nonu, and the anticipation of the East Coast team's chances of a win in the coming weekend, spreads quickly through the entire community. - Did you know Ma'a Nonu's playing for the Coast, girl? - I already knew. I knew before you that Ma'a Nonu's gonna score a try. - Reckon? Should we have a race after this, when you get up here? - BOTH: Yeah. - Three, two, one. - Hold on, killer, oh! - (BOTH LAUGH) - Hold on, man! - Community spirits are high as the weekend's rugby match gallops closer. - (ALL LAUGH) - As the sun rises on game day five, Ngati Porou East Coast supporters are out in force. - Club Day, well, this is the first time we've had it at a East Coast game. - Yeah, really passionate about our club rugby up here. - I'd say 99% of the people on the Coast actually put their heart and soul behind this team. - Will this home game, legacy player Sam Parkes' 50th, and the debut match for former All Blacks Ma'a Nonu and Hosea Gear, bring about a change in fortunes for their side? - Oh, I think if we win, the whole iwi will probably take the field. - (TINKLY PIANO MUSIC) - It seems everyone wants to be part of the occasion, with the locals and their horses keen to show the pride in their community. - Yeah, so, it's Club Day today ` the buzz around town, the atmosphere is massive. Yeah, the passion is unreal. All the clubs, um, are trying to put out their stamp on the Whakarua Park, our home park. We're gonna all get together outside my house today, and we're gonna do a bit of a march through town, and then ride down to Whakarua Park and do a bit of a gallop round the fields with all the kids. - It's not only a show of community pride ` there's another reason for the cavalcade of riders. - Yeah, not only marching for just the club thing, but one of our biggest supporters, Ben Kaiwai, passed away this morning. Big supporter of the club I play for, City; mean supporter for all East Coast rugby, eh, and everything to do with East Coast. So today is gonna be adding fuel to our fire, eh, and we'll play for him today. And then Sammy's playing his 50th game for the Coast today ` massive milestone for the bro. - And there's a massive presence in the Coast dressing room too. - Number 21 ` the king, Ma'a Nonu. - (CHEERING) - Thank you, brothers. I'll keep it brief. This is your home right outside. So as soon as you get on there, you know what to do. Just let it happen. But as long as we do it together. And I'm grateful to be here with you guys together, and I'll do it together with you. Thank you, brothers. - Kia ora, brother. - And debuting for the side is one of the team's own. - Uh, Coach, um, we already know that you've put a lot into this jersey already, but today you get to honour it. And I know you'll do the jersey proud, brother. - (POIGNANT PIANO MUSIC) - I'll keep it brief. Never thought this day, you know, would come. I thought about it ever since, you know, I was younger, little kid. So again, huge honour and privilege to share it with each and every one of you. - He wiwi! - ALL: Nati! - But there's one more significant jersey to be presented, and standing by are half-back Sam Parkes' proud mum and dad. - Well done, mate. - Yeah, having my parents there to present my jersey took me by surprise, but, yeah, it was super-emotional. - I'd just like to say he's had four years away, so it's quite a thing to get 50 games at his age. And I know he loves putting on that jersey. But anyway, you've done well. I'm very proud of you. - (POIGNANT MUSIC) - Ko Titirangi te maunga, ko Uawa te awa, ko Ngati Porou te iwi. Tihei mauri ora. I've been looking forward to those 50 games, ever since I started playing for the Coast. It sort of winds me up when fellas say... every Kiwi kid wanted to be an All Black when they were little, cos I never did. All I wanted to be when I was little was a farmer, - but I couldn't whistle through my teeth so... - (LAUGHTER) - Yeah. And then,... yeah, from then on, I just always wanted to play for Ngati Porou. That's the honest truth ` no one else. A lot of people say they'll, sort of, die for the jersey, but I genuinely would. I'm a Coasty through and through, bros. Thank you. - (CHANTS HAKA) - (MEN CHANT HAKA) (MEN CHANT HAKA) - Nice, brothers. Four minutes. Four minutes! - He wiwi! - ALL: Nati! - He wiwi! - ALL: Nati! - He wiwi! - ALL: Nati! - (CHEERING) - I know Sammy will battle hard for that jersey, as he will today, as he has in his, uh, 49 previous appearances. And, of course, all our boys wearing a black armband this weekend, as we pay homage to the late Ben Kaiwai, who sadly passed away this morning. We send our thoughts, our aroha and our condolences out to Hubba and the whanau. - (MEN CHANT HAKA) - Referee Cottrell signals time on. - The team are revitalised and raring to go. Will the addition of the two star players be the catalyst that they need for the win? - Peeled off the back, quick hands out to Fraser. Fraser goes for a run. Fraser steps up the middle. Fraser, long pass out. Potae ` Potae, gets the bounce! Straight for the corner, it's Potae! - Does well, does Teina Potae! - (CHEERING) - As Fraser puts it high, does he have the accuracy? Ferguson comes out now to Norton. Davis, Long pass down from the left winger. It's, uh, Iliesa Tora. He'll get the first five-pointer on the board here for Buller. Looking for a cut, Potae with a pass, and he gets it away to Parkes! - Parkes in his 50th! - (CHEERING) - Sammy Parkes! What a way to celebrate his 50th! And there's a infringement here from Number 6 ` quick tap taken from Parkesy. Parkesy, heading for the line! Can they get him down? Referee there with a try! - Sammy Parkes catches them napping! - (CHEERING) - Ngati Porou East Coast will take the lead 24-5 into half-time. - Yeah, we're doing great! - Just focus on our line-up, eh, before we jump too far ahead. Fuck, first things first is win the ball ` that's all we need. - So, wingers, we should be in line with Te Rangi, eh. So we can be in line with Te Rangi; the rest of the back line can be flat. 'You know, we're up at half-time, and it's pretty much do or die for us. 'I mean, you know, we were nearly there ` 'a lot of close games that we let ourselves down.' So it's a game that we... that need to win. Well, it's different to what Skux was saying, in terms of being too flat on attack, OK, set piece. - Was on the brink of getting a win; the win's just around the corner. If the drought was to be broken on my 50th game, that would just be enormous, really. - He wiwi! - ALL: Nati! - Next time on East Coast Rising ` through the highs of Ngati Porou Women, getting their first ever home game... - They're gonna be scared, cos we look really ferocious. - ...and the lows of a great kauri of the community falling, can Hosea and the boys finally break their losing streak?