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Te Kauwhata Envirowaste and Onewhero Counties Bulk Haulage/Carters face off in this week’s Counties Power Game of the Week at Te Kauwhata at 2:45pm on Saturday.

The two Premier sides have something else to play for in the Challenge Cup this weekend as well, with the Golden Gumboot on the line.

The Golden Gumboot trophy has been around for many years and it’s played for every time Te Kauwhata and Onewhero meet.

Te Kauwhata Envirowaste head coach Pat Flavell says the prize has a rich tradition and both sides always lift for the occasion.

“The two clubs have been playing for it for many years. Maramarua used to be involved when they were in the competition, that’s how long it’s been going for. It goes back a number of years.”

Onewhero Counties Bulk Haulage/Carters won the Golden Gumboot last year and head coach Adam Cathcart is keen to hold onto it for another season.

“It’s the mighty Te Kauwhata and Onewhero Golden Gumboot, you can’t beat it. We can’t wait and it always provides a bit of good fun after the game.”

Flavell had a few injury concerns going into last weekend’s loss to Patumahoe, and he had to bring quite a few players up from the Reserves. He’s hoping to have a couple of players back this weekend.

“We are hoping to have our winger Simione Saravanua back which would be good. Probably for us though, it’s more about getting players back into the Reserves team so we don’t have to double up on our players. We should have a fresh side this week.”

“This is a game we always look forward to and the boys always get up for it. Hopefully we can come out with a good performance on home soil.”

Onewhero will again wear their special Anzac jersey, which they wore for the first time against Drury last weekend.

“It’s a pretty cool idea,” says Cathcart.

“It was all started by Brad Devlin.  He just wanted to pay tribute to all those soldiers who fought for our country. So we wore it last weekend, we will wear it against Te Kauwhata this weekend and then we will wear it against Patumahoe on Anzac weekend before auctioning it off. It’s a great initiative and it’s pretty special for the boys as well.”

Onewhero currently sit second on the Challenge Cup Premier ladder, four points behind Patumahoe. Cathcart’s happy with how things have gone so far this season.

“We’re starting to create some real depth now. We’ve got a good squad and everyone’s getting some good game time. That was the plan from the start of the season and now we can start narrowing the team down and playing some good footy.”

“We’re expecting Te Kauwhata to come out and attack us and go all out for the whole 80 minutes this weekend. They are a different team to what we have played in previous years, so it should be a really great battle.”

Sky Sport’s Grassroots Rugby will be at the game on Saturday, filming for their show. So there will be plenty of reasons to get to Te Kauwhata 1 at 2:45pm.

Get there to watch Te Kauwhata Envirowaste take on Onewhero Counties Bulk Haulage/Carters in the Counties Power Game of the Week, and watch the Golden Gumboot go on the line.

Photo Credit: Richard Spranger Photography