Waitete’s Carlos Karaitiana (centre) breaks through the tackles of Waitomo’s Merekara Tupu Ngahere (left) and Te Heurika Porima during last Thursday’s King Country premier club clash in Te Kūiti. Photo: Laura Adams
Waitomo haven’t won a game in nearly three years, but you wouldn’t know it from their numbers.
By the time Saturday rolls around, it will be 1050 days since victory last graced the men from the caves – a 29-22 triumph against Kio Kio United at the Waitomo Domain on May 27, 2023.
Waitomo Bush RL
Aside from an 8-8 draw against Taumarunui Eels a few weeks later, that’s as good as it’s been for Waitomo ever since – 27 games without a win and a 23-game losing streak.
To rub salt into the wound, Waitomo finished 2025 conceding an average of 71 points a game while scoring a miserly 41 points across the 12-game King Country premier club season.
Losing 2025 co-captains Rangi Mulligan-Green to Ōtorohanga and Kees Muller to Waitete hasn’t helped, although the green-and-blacks have picked up Lachie van der Pasch, albeit with a broken arm, and Phil Lord to boost the back line.
And yet, despite the toil of the last few years, green shoots are appearing – there is hope.
Long-time club man and new Waitomo coach Gareth Owen has been getting 20 to 30 regulars to training following on from former coach Steve Edwards, something he puts down to the culture.
“We just have quite a heap of fun at training and a pretty crazy and laid back environment. We need to play rugby, but we’ve got to have fun at the same time,” Owen said.
“The culture was there from last year with the numbers, so I wanted to carry that on. Because I’m super competitive myself, I wanted to add a bit of that competitiveness to try and get us a couple of wins for the season, and making sure there’s an opportunity for young fellas to go to a club and play footy,” he said.
Nobody said it was going to be easy and after 57-7 and 98-12 losses to Piopio and Waitete respectively, Waitomo will be up against it again when they face Taupo Sports, who are also winless in 2026, on Saturday.
“It’ll be a physical encounter for the boys, especially on our home paddock. The forward pack will front up, and it’ll be a bruising one. We’ll definitely be hungry for it,” Owen said.
Last Thursday’s Easter round under lights was nothing but treats for Waitete, pummelling Waitomo to open their account after going down to Districts in round one.
Centre Baven Brown Jnr was the star of the 16-try show for Waitete, his classy hat-trick and doubles to Carlos Karaitiana, Riddick Rangitonga, Ivan Reid and Vailele Tupuola came from the acres of space Waitomo offered them out wide.
Waitomo stuck to their guns with two of their own tries to Lord, a steady hand at second five-eighth, and centre Dean Rata-Hemopo to give the visitors something for their efforts.
Piopio couldn’t make it two from two, going down 23-10 to the unbeaten Taumarunui Eels at Cherry Grove, Taupo Marist was too good and beat local rivals Taupo Sports 30-5, while Taumarunui Districts had a bye following Tongariro United’s withdrawal from the competition citing a lack of player numbers.
Round three will see Piopio get the first crack at Taupo Marist for the Hetet Shield after the Catholics took the shield off defending champions Tongariro in week one.
The game that stops Taumarunui – Districts v Eels – shapes as a ripper with both teams still unbeaten, while Taupo Sports makes the journey to the caves to take on Waitomo. All games kick-off on Saturday at 2.30pm.
Waitete’s Carlos Karaitiana (centre) breaks through the tackles of Waitomo’s Merekara Tupu Ngahere (left) and Te Heurika Porima during last Thursday’s King Country premier club clash in Te Kūiti. Photo: Laura Adams
