League makes return to Te Paamu
The years will be rolled back on Saturday as Te Paamu Rugby League Club is resurrected for its annual clash with teams from Rotorua’s Pikiao Warriors.
The annual clash for the Hauwhenua Dinsdale Shield has taken place since 1994 and has continued despite the demise of Te Paamu in the late 2000s. This year the clash takes place at Te Paamu’s old Malcolms Lane ground, off Rangiuru Rd.
A former player for both clubs and ex-te Paamu coach Toby Kingi, now based on the Gold Coast, is a major driving force behind the annual games.
“I moved to Australia in 2009, but we still come home to play in this each year,” he says.
“Most of our players are family and we come from all over to come back and play for this — we have a few here in Australia who have been coming back for the last 6-7 years to play in it.”
Toby coaches a Ma¯ ori league team in Australia, and tries to help young players get established and noticed by NRL clubs.
“We bring the Aussie kids back to play with their cousins in New Zealand and about eight of our boys have been scouted and three have already signed with NRL clubs.”
Toby hopes there will be four games on Saturday — masters, reserves, women and seniors.
“The main game is going to be a high quality game because all our players are proper league players from all over — they just don’t live at home any more.
“It’s a wha¯ nau day and it’s the same for Pikiao — they will have a lot of their players coming home as well.”
Toby says his heart is with both clubs — but with close family links to Rotoiti, Pikiao is “home”. “It doesn’t really matter — we are all up and down the Kaituna River.”
This year there is added optimism that there will, once again, be open age rugby league played in Te Puke in the not too distant future with Te Puke Tigers chairman David Taffard keen to find out if there is enough interest for junior club to be able to sustain an open age team, or for a senior Te Paamu team to be re-established.
In 2007, with Toby as coach, Te Paamu beat O¯ tumoetai Eels to win the Waicoa Bay (combined Waikato, Coastline, Bay of Plenty competition) Challenge. Inside two years, the club had folded.
Many of those who played in that final will be pulling on the boots again on Saturday.
■ Last weekend a Te Paamu side got to the final of the Hangarau Storm Senior Men’s 9s Tournament, with the final abandoned due to an injury.