Sizzling Comebacks Part 2

Club Rugby | 05 January 2015 | Steven White

Above: The 2007 Wests Roosters - Avalon Swindale Shield fixture unfolded in the last five minutes, with the Roosters coming back from a 10-point deficit to snatch a 20-17 win.?

With five minutes to play Avalon had seemingly grasped their third win in seven matches of the 2007 Swindale Shield. Avalon had scored two long-range tries and led 17-7 with time almost up. But the Roosters had other ideas, embarking on a late scoring spree and winning 20-17 in an extra-time thriller. Wests fullback Toby Robson couldn't have scripted a better finish, potting the winning dropped goal in the dying seconds, after the Roosters had struck with two late unconverted tries. Robson and replacement first five-eighth Naoya Nomura both created chances to win but the former’s penalty hit the posts and the latter’s injury time conversion sailed wide and a draw seemed the likely result at that point. Wests made one final surge and Robson positioned himself in the pocket and nailed his dropped kick. The ramifications of this match were that Wests snuck into the top eight and made the Jubilee Cup round and Avalon lost their next four straight and were assigned to the Hardham Cup for the remainder of the season.?

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Luckily for Tawa there was nothing on this last round 2007 Swindale Shield match at the Polo Ground. Already assured of the eighth and final spot for the start of the following week’s Jubilee Cup regardless of this result, Tawa were nevertheless rocked on their heels by Hardham Cup-bound Ories. Tawa led 24-0 at halftime, with lock Pati Gaualofa and centre Shaun Treeby both prominent. Openside flanker Mark Reddish led the way as Ories applied themselves after the break and turned the tables on Tawa. Lock Asher Derbyshire and replacement first five-eighth Maradona Matu’u each scored tries, but the hero for Ories was fullback Fa’avai Tuma’ai who flashed in for two tries including the match-winner, running off the shoulder of centre Paulo Aukuso. Ories won 28-24.?

Home team Petone produced arguably the comeback of the 2007 club rugby season to secure their spot in the following weekend’s Jubilee Cup semi-finals, beating top qualifier Marist St. Pat's 39-34 with the last play of the game. Petone fullback Tu Umaga-Marshall provided the final pass and wing Willie Moala scored the try in the right hand corner to break a 34-34 deadlock and complete a blockbuster win. Petone had trailed 26-8 at halftime but proceeded to score 18 unanswered points. Petone weren’t able to recreate this magic in the following week’s semi-final against MSP, who won playoff 24-23 in another thriller in which the lead changed hands four times in the second half. MSP went on to lose to Hutt Old Boys Marist 10-18 in the final, after HOBM had dealt Northern United their first loss at home at Porirua Park in three years in the other semi-final.

5 August 2007 Wainuiomata come from 10 points down to win Hardham Cup semi-final

Wainuiomata made their second consecutive visit to Westpac Stadium for finals day after coming from behind to topple Upper Hutt 17-12 in a rematch of the previous year's final. In a willing semi-final contest at Maidstone Park, the home side got on top after 15 minutes. With Wainuiomata lock Laifa Ta'ala cooling off in the sin bin, Upper Hutt No. 8 Mathew Luamanu combined with hooker Joe Ritchie for a converted try to put them ahead. Wainuiomata quickly replied through speedster Lewis Marshall, crossing from the left wing for a seven-pointer to tie it all up again. Next it was the turn of Marshall’s opposite number Sam Williamson to ignite the playoff, Williamson re-gathering a chip and chase with inches to spare before the deadball line to make it 12-7 to Upper Hutt at halftime. Wainuiomata came out of the sheds after the break pumped, dominating field position and possession. Luamanu was sin-binned for Upper Hutt, but still their line held until instrumental Wainuiomata first five-eighth Earl Va'a landed a penalty to close it to 12-10 to Upper Hutt. Wainuiomata No. 8 Daniel Olive then had the final say, crossing for a late try and the winning of the match.?

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No. 8 Alex Tulou and first five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili produced the magic that saw MSP snatch a thrilling 25-22 win over Northern United on their 2008 Old Timers' day clash at Evans Bay Park. Tulou scored two tries in a matter of minutes early in the second half, both off the shoulder off Fili, and Fili kicked both conversions as well as two late penalties that helped turn the game around and earn victory for MSP after they fought back from a 15-0 deficit at halftime. The second of these two Fili penalties four minutes from fulltime saw MSP take the lead that snatched a remarkable victory, after scores had been deadlocked at 22-22 late in the match. As far as the competition unfolded, this win was to prove even more significant for MSP as they went on to win the Swindale Shield and finish four points clear of second placed Norths.

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When Northern United were in their pomp several years ago, few teams could concede two early tries – including a runaway try after barely 30 seconds – and hope to come back and beat them. But this is exactly what OBU did in defeating Norths 37-26 and go to the top of the table in this eighth round Swindale Shield clash at the Basin Reserve. OBU were left reeling when Norths fullback Buxton Popoalii intercepted a laboured pass and ran away to score one of the fastest tries from a kick-off in modern Wellington club rugby history to make it 7-0. OBU kicked a penalty but Norths halfback Leon Ellison scored again to put his side ahead 14-3 after 10 minutes. However OBU recovered and scored tries through centre Paula Kinikinilau and halfback Tomasi Palu – later to play for Norths – and Norths’ lead was cut by halftime. After the break, OBU ran rampant and flew to a 34-19 lead which won them the game.?

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Upper Hutt climbed to sixth on the Swindale Shield table and booked their place in the Jubilee Cup competition with a week to spare when they won a cracker of an encounter against then strugglers Avalon 25-21 on their Old Timers' Day at Maidstone Park. The inclusion of the Waldrom brothers, Thomas and Scott, almost ignited Avalon to their first win of the year. But Upper Hutt prop Tui Hunt and his scrum dominated Avalon’s pack throughout, providing a platform for flyhalf Ben Aoina to unleash his backs to score all Upper Hutt’s points. With time winding down, Avalon led Upper Hutt 21-18, but Avalon had their hearts broken when wing Sam Williamson latched on to Aoina’s perfectly weighted cross-field kick to score the winner.

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Upper Hutt upset Northern United 24-18 at Porirua Park in an electrifying third round set of 2008 Jubilee Cup matches, in which three of the four games played went down to the wire. Upper Hutt set the afternoon alight when they came storming back from an 18-0 halftime deficit against Norths with a flurry of scoring to take the lead late in the contest. Hurricanes halfback Alby Mathewson scored his team's third converted try of the fourth quarter of play and what was the match winner five minutes from the end when he re-gathered his own stab kick for a 19-18 lead. First five-eighth Ben Aoina added the conversion and then sealed an incredible win with a penalty on fulltime.This was all after Norths had scored three tries before the first 40 minutes were up and appeared to be in control for a comfortable victory. Their first two tries were scintillating efforts and both scored off long-range counterattacking movements.?

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A stunning turnaround in fortunes for Upper Hutt, who had suffered 50-point losses to both MSP and Poneke earlier in the season, against previously unbeaten Petone who were gunning for their eighth straight win. The match went to script in the first half with Petone leading 19-0 at halftime through tries to hooker Eugene Smith and fullback Fraser Middleton. But Upper Hutt flew home with the wind at their backs to win 22-19, scoring a last-gasp try to hard-running No. 8 Mathew Luamanu, The comeback had started with an intercept by first five-eighth Nua Fono-Hunt and hooker Joe Ritchie led the charge up front in the second half. The loss for Petone meant that they shared the 2009 Swindale Shield with Norths instead of winning it outright.?

A last-ditch try to Poneke captain and No 8 Misipalauni Moananu snatched a stunning victory for his side over Hutt Old Boys Marist in a heart-stopper at the Hutt Recreation Ground. Moananu scored off the back of a scrum in the 78th minute and first five-eighth Sam Rasch added the conversion to give Poneke a 31-29 victory - sending them on their way to qualifying top for the 2009 Jubilee Cup playoffs while effectively shutting the 2007 champions out of semi-final contention. All the more painful for HOBM’s home supporters was the manner of defeat. Poneke had come right back into contention after the Eagles had scored four tries, including two to centre Reuben Colquhoun, and led 29-12 at halftime.