Norths, HOBM Third Round Leaders After Exciting Easter Round

Northern United and Hutt Old Boys Marist are the joint leaders after three rounds of the Swindale Shield. With 14 competition points, unbeaten Norths and HOBM are four points clear of third placed Marist St. Pats, after contrasting Easter weekend victories over Western Suburbs and Petone respectively.

HOBM fought hard for a popular 24-13 victory over big brother neighbours Petone in their McBain Shield clash at the Petone Recreation Ground, while Norths ran in eight tries at home to dispatch Wests 58-10 in this week’s feature game.

At the village, HOBM broke open a tight contest after half an hour when fullback Mike Kingsbeer finished off a well-executed team movement to give his side a 7-3 lead. A second try to long-serving centre Phillipe Rayasi and accurate goal kicking from first five-eighth Jonathon Bentley, who kicked four penalties, saw Hutt Old Boys Marist ahead 21-6 in the second half. Petone came back towards the end, but the damage had been done.

For the second week in succession Upper Hutt found themselves on the wrong side of a high scoring thriller, going down to Tawa 30-34 at Maidstone Park. Trailing 0-22 after 30 minutes of play and then 7-27 soon after the break, Upper Hutt mounted a comeback and threatened to snatch victory. But after narrowly losing their first two games to Oriental-Rongotai and Poneke, Tawa held on for their first win. Playmaking first five-eighth Malasio Mailo and right wing Vice Saletele each scored two tries for Tawa.

In other games, MSP ran in five tries to comfortably beat Old Boys-University 34-3 at Evans Bay Park, and Johnsonville also grabbed their opening win for 2006, overtaking Oriental-Rongotai towards the end of their clash at the Polo Grounds for a 20-17 victory.

Also coming from behind was Poneke who eclipsed Avalon 12-11, thanks to four penalties to first five-eighth Brad Cooper in a dogged battle at Kilbirnie Park. Cooper’s boot gave Poneke the lead late in the second half, after an early try to centre Finau Hopoi had given Avalon the edge.

Too big, too strong, and too skilful was the verdict at Porirua Park of Norths’ forwards, who steamrolled Wests on their Old Timer's Day in perfect rugby conditions. Norths served up a recipe for destruction on Wests, with the crisp passing skills of halfback Lua Vaoloaloa, the running game of first five-eighth Rob Aloe and the explosive flair of left wing Sinoti To’omaga also to the fore. The result speaks for itself and Norths have now sounded out an emphatic warning that they are the team to beat in 2006.

While To’omaga with a hat trick of tries was the key protagonist on the scoreboard, it was the Norths forwards who took centre stage against a Wests side, who found themselves on a hiding to nothing from early in the second half.

Norths' forwards dominated their counterparts in all aspects of play, from their scrum, which continually pushed Wests backwards, to their dangerous loose forward combination. But the real key to their predicted success this year lies in the mobility and skilfulness of their pack, who are entertaining to watch as well as intimidating to face.

Three well-taken tries characterised by long build-ups gave Norths a 22-3 lead at halftime. Athletic lock Toni Leota opened the scoring in the 11^th minute, after a series of long passes stretched Wests’ defence out wide. Five minutes later Hurricanes openside flanker Serge Lilo produced a lovely pop pass to To’omaga, who raced in on an angle to score his first try.

Wests then enjoyed their best period of the game, competing well in several lively passages of broken play, before a diving To’omaga put Norths further ahead late in the half.

To’omaga almost had his hat trick right after halftime, but was just bundled into touch near the corner flag. But it wasn’t long before Norths scored their bonus point try, from a 70-metre counterattack started from a tap-and-run from Vaoloaloa and completed by second five eighth Neihana Karepa. From there the floodgates opened as Norths ran in four further tries to powerful No. 8 Anare Koliavu, To’omaga, and replacement forwards Malasia Lokeni and Francis Seumanutafa.

Wests managed a consolation try, when hardworking hooker James Annabel scored from a well-worked forward drive, but it was Norths’ day.