Porirua Park Showdown For Top Two HOBM Teams

Swindale Shield Premier | 01 June 2006 | Steven White

It could be a historic day for Hutt Old Boys Marist at Porirua Park this weekend, where both their premier and senior one sides could take out the top two divisions in Wellington Club rugby one after the other.

In a stellar year so far for the club, HOBM's senior one team leads the Harper Lock Shield and their premier side tops the Swindale Shield heading into the penultimate rounds for both competitions, and both play Northern United opposition this weekend in what should decide the titles in both. Additionally their Colts side has a top of the table clash with Petone to decide first round U21 honours, so they will be dusting off the trophy cabinet at the Hutt Recreation Ground in hopeful arrival of all the silverware next week.

In the Swindale Shield, HOBM have won eight from nine, while their Senior One's have yet to be beaten this year. Both competitions also have a remarkably similar look about them at the top, with Northern United and Poneke filling the second and third places on both points tables.

In the most anticipated Swindale Shield match of the season, Norths will want to avenge their upset 27-21 defeat to high flying Old Boys-University last week, while HOBM will be anxious to claim the side's first premier trophy since their 1997 Swindale Shield success. With both sides favoured to go on and win their final round matches this shapes as a virtual final.

A Norths victory by more than seven points would also keep alive Poneke's faint chances of grabbing the Shield next week. But Poneke must first beat archrivals Marist St. Pats with a bonus point in this week's other big clash at Kilbirinie Park. With MSP also desperate to win to secure eighth place ahead of ninth placed Western Suburbs, this promises to be another hotly fought encounter.

Wests are six points behind MSP, so their game against seventh placed Avalon at Fraser Park is also a must win for them. It's been somewhat of a rocky season for Avalon's supporters so far, with the side yet to win consecutive matches.

Petone, Old Boys-University and Tawa, who all qualified for the Jubilee Cup with wins last week, have away dates with the bottom three teams in round ten. Petone travel to Maidstone Park to play Upper Hutt, OBU play Ories at the Polo Grounds and Tawa takes on Johnsonville at Helston Park.