Marist St Pat?s out in front as Ories earn opening win of the season

Above: Fereti Soloa makes a break for it for Hutt Old Boys Marist against Avalon on Saturday.

A convincing win to Marist St Pat’s over Poneke in the ‘Battle of Kilbirnie’ and a swashbuckling come-from-behind win to Oriental-Rongotai over Old Boys-University, their first win of the season, were two of the features of Wellington Swindale Shield rugby today.

On a blustery day in Wellington, many third round matches were classic games of two halves, with contests in the balance until well into the second spells.

MSP earned their third straight win to start the defence of the Swindale Shield, after leading 11-0 into the wind at halftime on the back of a dominant forwards display led by Hurricanes prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen who also scored an eye-catching try running into a gap like a back.

MSP pulled ahead after halftime to win 23-10 - but also lost talisman halfback Peter Sciascia to a serious leg injury midway through the second half. MSP retained the Horan-Millar Trophy.

At the Bus Stop, home side Ories came back from 13-0 down to over-run OBU in an attractive match for the neutral spectator, but probably less so for coaching staff left reminding their sides that tackling wins matches. Ories came back to lead 21-16 on the stroke of halftime when big wing Afa Fa’atau scored his second try. There was a burst of scoring by both sides after halftime, before Ories sealed a 38-27 win later in the second spell.

In contrast, Tawa were made to work hard for their 14-10 win and third straight victory of the season and to retain the Mexted Trophy over the Wellington Axemen. There was little in this match at Wellington’s home ground of the Graveyard at Hataitai Park. Both sides scored a try apiece, but it was three penalties to Tawa fullback James So’oialo that proved the difference. Tawa led 11-3 at halftime.

Wainuiomata’s Tyler Tane scored 15 points, including an intercept try and a monster penalty from his own side of halfway, to take his season tally to 63 points in his team’s 35-7 win over Johnsonville at an extremely windy Helston Park.

Wainuiomata battled to a 16-7 halftime lead, but pulled clear in the second spell to keep their unbeaten record alive with two wins and a draw.

Likewise, the Upper Hutt Rams remain unbeaten with two wins and a draw after sailing to a 41-22 win over Paremata-Plimmerton at Ngatitoa Domain. The Rams led 29-5 at halftime. No. 8 Sam Wasley scored two tries and fullback Jordan Simpson-Hefft scored a try as part of his 21 point haul.

Paremata-Plimmerton scored four tries, to earn their first bonus point of the Premier competition in 2015.

The Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles flew to a 25-10 win over Avalon at Fraser Park, to win the Billy Herbert Memorial Trophy off Avalon who had won it last year in the Harper Lock Shield grade. HOBM out-scored Avalon three tries to one, including being awarded a penalty try.

Northern United remain winless in 2015, after losing 11-26 to Petone, in their third consecutive match to start 2015 against Hutt Valley opposition.

Home team Petone took a 12-3 lead when second five-eighth Lester Maulolo scored an early brace of tries. Norths scored their first and only try of the match, to fullback Inoke Rasabale, but Petone pulled clear again to lead 19-8 at halftime.

Flyhalf Jackson Garden-Bachop closed the gap for Norths to 11-19, but Petone sealed their win with a try to flanker James Bowen.

Harper Lock Shield:

Tawa, Wainuiomata and Poneke lead the way in the Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield with three consecutive wins apiece after the latest round today.

Tawa continue to set a cracking pace, easing to their third straight bonus point win in beating previously unbeaten Wellington 40-5.

Wainuiomata accounted for Johnsonville 57-11 in the early match at Helston Park, while Poneke tipped over Marist St Pat’s 18-12 in the Kilbirnie Park curtain-raiser.

In other results, the Ories second XV joined its top side in earning its first win of the season, overcoming OBU 24-10, Norths defeated Petone 34-26 and the Upper Hutt Rams beat Paremata-Plimmerton 38-12.

All other grades, including Women, start next weekend.

Ories v OBU – extended report:

Ories turned on the fireworks late in the first half and early in the second to pull clear of Old Boys University and win 38-27.

Old Boys University made a positive, swift start to the contest and were rewarded with a pair of outstanding tries, to centre Wes Goosen who sprint 60 metres, and to left wing Te Wehi Wright who linked up with fullback Jesse Johnson after a clever stab kick by first five-eighth Hamish Buick. OBU deservedly led 13-0 after 20 minutes.

However, Ories struck back through left wing Afa Fa’atau who ran on to a deft inside pass by halfback Peme Leiataua, then to Hurricanes fullback Matt Proctor who scored off an attacking scrum and then, on the stroke of halftime, to Afa Fa’atau again who stripped the ball clean out of the clutches of OBU No. 8 Teariki Ben-Nicholas and careened 40 metres to put Ories ahead 21-16 at halftime.

OBU opened the second half with a penalty, but from the next re-start Ories regained possession and lock Kane Dumelow scored. Goosen then set up a try to right wing Sam Chamberlain in the corner, making it 26-24 to Ories. Halfback Luke Campbell kicked a penalty to put OBU back in front 27-26.

But the home side, desperate for victory, launched a clinical raid up into OBU’s 22. Blindisde flanker Tutasi Masoe and Prop Whetu Henry made telling bursts, carried on by Fa’atau and halfback Leiataua who dived through to score. Ories now led 33-27 with first five-eighth Trevor Marama’s conversion.

OBU were still right in it, and dominated territory. But Orie’s powerful pack and added hunger, led by tireless flanker Pau Halafihi, kept them at bay. From a scrum, Ories spun it to second five-eighth Ben Tuitua who, in a classic Ories, counterattack, pinned his ears back and ran half the field to score the match winner.

Needing to score twice, OBU were unable to swing the contest back into their favour and Ories came away with a valuable third round bonus point win to launch their 2015 season.

Upper Hutt Rams v Paremata-Plimmerton - extended report

The Upper Hutt Rams took full advantage of the first use of the stiff nor'wester at Ngatitoa to remain undefeated and account for a gallant Paremata-Plimmerton side by 41-22.

The signs looked ominious for the hosts when Rams No.8 Sam Wasley crossed after less than 4 minutes, followed soon after by a statement of intent from fullback Jordon Simpson-Hefft with a penalty from near on halfway. However Pare-Plim hit back with a period of possession rewarded with captain Tane McMillan-Parata crossing.? The match then settled into a pattern of sustained Rams pressure, but despite Pare-Plim defending manfully, the visitors crossed twice more through Simpson-Hefft and wing Max Pearson.

At 22-5 down, Pare-Plim would have fancied their chances, but the immediate periods either side of the half dented that considerably. Firstly some soft defence under their sticks let Josh Blackwell through to conclude the first half, then they failed to secure the opening kickoff with the Rams sending Simpson-Hefft in after 20 seconds.

To their immense credit Pare-Plim refused to rollover after these setbacks, and had the better of play for the balance of the match. A dropped ball was scooped up by first-five Johnathan Sabo who raced away to score, then a well-worked set move put fullback Matt de Terte in for his first. The Rams were able to get back downfield, with Wasley adding his second before Pare-Plim concluding the scoring when de Terte was first to a grubber kick.

The bonus point was nothing less than Pare-Plim deserved for their efforts in their first Swindale home game since 1987, and the four tries were one more than Rimutaka managed in their entire 2012 Swindale campaign; but the Rams were deserved winners and climb to third on the ladder with this result.

Earlier the Rams also won the Premier Reserve fixture, racing to a 26-0 lead with the breeze before running out 38-12 winners.

?