Bumper weekend for representative and college rugby teams

UPDATED: All roads lead to Palmerston North this weekend.

The Wellington Pride, Wellington 19s and Wellington College and St Mary’s College school teams are all in action at Arena Manawatu on Saturday.

Along the way, the Centurions Development side is in action against Horowhenua Kapiti B in Levin in the second round of the RDO Cup competition, also involving the Wairarapa Bush B, Wanganui B and Wellington Maori Development sides.

Back at home, the Wellington Pride Development team is playing Tasman Women at Kilbirnie Park at 11am, while the Wellington U18 Girls side meet the Wellington Samoan Women at Porirua Park 11am. Last Saturday, the U18s lost to 22-24 to the Pride Development in Porirua and the Tasman Women’s side defeated the Wellington Samoans 51-26 in Picton.

The main match at Porirua Park tomorrow is the Festival Series game between the Wellington Maori and Wellington Samoan sides. The ground could shake when they collide at Jerry Collins Stadium at 1pm. Wellington Maori is coming off a 29-24 win over the Wellington Barbarians and the Samoans lost 26-31 to the Wellington U19s last Saturday, their second consecutive narrow loss.

On the other side of the Festival Series draw, the Wellington Barbarians have been awarded the 5 points from their abandoned match against the Wellington U19s, who are instead playing in Palmerston North this weekend (see below). Including this game that won’t go ahead, the points table is: Barbarians 11; Maori 9; U19s 6; Samoans 3. So if the Maori win tomorrow they will move ahead of the Barbarians and claim the Festival Series win. From the Festival Series, the Wellington Development team’s naming is imminent.

Finally, for the fair-weather fan, the All Blacks, featuring Wellington players Dane Coles, Julian and Ardie Savea and TJ Perenara, take on Australia in the second Bledisloe Cup Test at Westpac Stadium at 7.35pm.

The matches in Palmerston North are Hurricanes region school finals, a Central Region U19s game and a fourth round Women’s NPC match.

The Wellington U19s open their four-team competition series against the Hurricanes Barbarians side that will include a group of Wellington players, kick-off at noon. Hawke’s Bay host Manawatu in the other game of this competition that determines seeding for the National U19 tournament in Taupo that follows.

The Wellington Pride face a key battle against the Manawatu Cyclones in the first game inside the Arena Manawatu stadium at 1pm. Win and they’ll be right in contention for the playoffs at the midpoint of the round-robin, but lose and they could be behind the eight-ball in the short sprint to the end coming up.

Both teams have had a win, a loss and a week off after the opening three rounds of the Farah Palmer Cup competition.

The Pride opened with a narrow loss to Auckland, then had their bye and then scraped home against Waikato. The Cyclones comfortably defeated Otago, lost narrowly to Auckland as well and then had their bye last week.

The Pride have made one enforced change to the starting XV that beat Waikato 25-17 at Porirua last Saturday, Lizzie Goulden coming into first five-eighth for Ories teammate Amanda Rasch who injured her shoulder at the end of last week. Manawatu have several dangerous players in their ranks, such as explosive fullback Selicas Winiata, but if the Pride can produce a repeat of last week’s defensive effort and also markedly improve their discipline at the breakdown and the offside line they will push the Cyclones.

Hurricanes Regional Finals

There are three other Wellington-competition schools in action tomorrow, all at Arena Manawatu in Palmerston North, in their respective Hurricanes region finals. All three will go into their matches as the underdogs.

In the major boys final at 2.45pm WelTec Premiership winners Wellington College will take on Hastings’ Boys High School. After winning the local crown, Wellington beat Napier Boys’ 39-31 last weekend to qualify. However Hastings have been one of the form sides of the year going undefeated in all games, winning their Super 8 competition by dealing to another perennial contender in Hamilton Boys’ High School 30-8 in the final, and then crushing St Pat’s Town 57-3 last weekend. Of note these two didn’t meet in the early-season Tranzit Festival, but arguably College will have to be at their very best to win this one.

Another Premiership side, surprise semi-finalists Wairarapa College, will contest the Co-ed Final after beating a combined Ngati Porou East Coast schools side 52-0 last week. They face Feilding High School, who have practically annexed this title in recent years and are twice national winners since the Co-ed section was introduced in 2007, and who beat Wellington Co-ed winners Hutt Valley HS 62-11 in the other qualifier.

The other school in action is St Mary’s College, who will contest the Girls match after claiming the Wellington title with their 27-10 win over Aotea last week. They too will take on Feilding; with their girls perhaps even more dominant than their boys are having won this title on all but two occasions (both by New Plymouth Girls who now play in the Chiefs region) since its introduction, and won the first two national titles in 2012 and 2013.

Teams (as received, all subject to change):

Wellington Maori
1. Jonathon Fuimaono, 2. Eugene Smith, 3. Whetu Henry, 4. Jamie Norman, 5. Mykel Herewini, 6. TJ Fermanis, 7. Mateaki Kafatolu, 8.Tuakana Metuarau, 9. Declan Hay, 10. Greg Mullany, 11. Andy Ellis, 12. Taurima Morrison, 13. Jarrod Adams, 14. Max Pearson, 15. Randall Bishop RESERVES 16. Joe Walding Karaitiana, 17. Marcus Roil, 18. Manasseh Wineera, 19. Ryan Nepia, 20. Dean Ropata, 21. Tu Greenland, 22. John Monu, 23. Levi Grace, 24. Tom Pere

Wellington Samoans
1. Anthony Mamea, 2.Junior Makapelu, 3. Ray Manaia, 4. Fala Tuala-Milo, 5. Lucky Tuia, 6. Pago Haini, 7. Tasi Masoe, 8. Matt Peni, 9. Phillip Finau, 10. Faatonu Fili, 11. Fereti Soloa, 12. Isaia Petelo, 13. Paulo Aukuso, 14. Joyner Key, 15. Ryan Setefano RESERVES: 16. Jacob Taituave, 17.James Tuia,18. Ken Kapeli,19. Josh Robertson-Weepu, 20. Ope Peleseuma, 21. Aukuso Tuitama

Wellington Pride
1. Mo Aiatu, 2. Alicia Print, 3. Brooke Tauaneai, 4. Joanah Ngan-Woo, 5. Sanita Levave, 6. Sauimoana Solia, 7. Kiri Mei, 8. Jackie Patea, 9, Accacia Te Iwimate, 10. Lizzie Goulden, 11. Aysesha Leti-Liga, 12. Fa’ausa Makisi, 13. Bernadette Robertson, 14. Vaine Marsters, 15. Georgia Daals RSERVES 16. Alice Soper, 17. Patricia Kalolo-Apolinario, 18. Gina Williamson, 19. Rosie Stirling, 20. Hope Hakopa, 21. Davina Lasini, 22. Anna Engels

Wellington U19s
1. Siteveni Paongo, 2. Jimmy Hewitt, 3. Ben Aumua-Peseta, 4. Jarimar Schuster, 5. Taisson Lealaisalanoa, 6. Folau Vea, 7. John Tuia, 8. Josh Brown, 9. Kem Hauiti-Hemara, 10. Sam Fox, 11. Losi Filipo, 12. Lester Maulolo, 13. Levi Harmon, 14. Maile Koloto, 15. Alex Ropeti RESERVES 16. Penieli Poasa, 17. Ivan Fepuleai, 18. Junior Fa’amalele-Davey, 19. Paterson Carter, 20. Nesse Solia, 21. Elijah Va’a-Brooking, 22. Willie Fine, 23. Regan Sword

Wellington Women's Development
1. Christina (Ina) Ualesi, 2. Christina Laiman, 3. Nesa Galuefa, 4. Anna Darling, 5. Rose Petherick, 6. Georgia Scott, 7. Dayna Taramai, 8. Angel Uila, 9. Teporah Stowers, 10. Tina Vaaua-Hamlin, 11. Stacie Tutaki-Harper, 12. Georgia Broughton, 13. Leka Leti. 14. Stacee Sturm, 15. Chanelle Kohika-Skipper, 16. Lina Time , 17. Maryanne Collins, 18. Suzanne Yee, 19. Uma Pule, 20. TBC, 21. TBC, 22. TBC