Wellington U19s, Pride headline representative matches at home

The Wellington U19s and the Wellington Pride are set to headline Wellington teams in another busy day of representative rugby tomorrow.

The Wellington U19s face Hawke’s Bay at the Petone Recreation Ground, kick-off 1pm, in their second round Central Region Shield clash. The U19s opened their account last week in this three-match series with a 76-5 win over the Hurricanes Barbarians side, while Hawke’s Bay had a first-up 7-56 loss to Manawatu. The Junior Lions will be eager to maintain their winning run as this tournament determines seedings for the National U19 tournament in Taupo later this month. Manawatu hosts the Hurricanes Barbarians in the other match, while Wellington and Manawatu meet next week.

The Wellington Pride are hunting their third straight win in the Farah Palmer Cup Women’s NPC competition against the Otago Spirit at Jerry Collins Stadium, kick-off 12.30pm.

The Pride have dug deep over the past fortnight to beat Waikato (25-17) at Porirua Park and Manawatu (25-20) in Palmerston North. Both wins have been based on stoic defence, with the strong ball running of several forwards such as captain and No. 8 Jackie Patea and up and coming prop Brooke Tauaneai a feature. Both have also come at a cost, with the Pride losing first five-eighth Amanda Rasch to injury late in the contest against Waikato and in-form openside flanker Kiri Mei early against Manawatu.

Experienced flyhalf Lizzie Goulden and replacement flanker Gina Wiliamson both played well against Manawatu and return to the starting line-up this week. In one other change, Alice Soper starts at hooker with Alicia Print coming off the bench. Also on the reserves is Mary-Ann Collins, who captained Wainuiomata to the Wellington club championship in July. Last week, Collins came off the pine for the Wellington Development team and set up a try on her first touch and scored herself on her second. Flanker Caroline Sio and wing Lekah Leti will also come off the Pride bench.

With Auckland and Canterbury also clashing this weekend, a bonus point win for the Pride would cement their place inside the top four with big matches to come against Counties Manukau (away) and Bay of Plenty (home).

Otago are searching for their first win of this year’s competition, following defeats to Manawatu (5-32), Canterbury (24-69) and Counties Manukau (10-58).However, with a number of experienced players they will present a dangerous threat to the Pride. The two teams didn’t meet last year, but loose forwards Georgia Mason and Angie Sisifa put on a clinic when Otago beat Wellington 33-12 at Petone in 2014. Both Mason and Sisifa return for this clash, while centre Greer Muir, who has scored four tries so far, will be another player for the Pride to contain. Their biggest threat will likely come from fullback where Olympic 7s silver medallist Kelly Brazier comes in for the Spirit.

The curtain-raiser at Jerry Collins Stadium is between the Wellington Pride Development side and the Wellington Samoan Women, kick-off at 10.30am.

Also in Wellington, the third round of the RDO Cup is being played at Kilbirnie Park, with two matches at noon. The Centurions Development side takes on Wairarapa Bush B on the Number 1 and the Wellington Maori Development meets the Horowhenua-Kapiti B side on the Number 2. 

The Wellington U18 representative team kicks off its 2016 campaign in Nelson with a fixture under the midway sun against Tasman U18. The team contains many familiar names from this year’s WelTec Premiership competition, including a group of Wellington College players that lost the Hurricanes final last week to Hastings’ BHS. The team is captained by St Pat’s Silverstream flanker Jack Wright, with Wellington College first five-eighth Toka Sopoaga vice-captain.

The U18s have this match and two more locally against the New Zealand Institute of Sport side and the Wellington Centurions ahead of blockbuster clashes against Auckland U18 (away) on 24 September and Canterbury U18 (home) on 1 October.

The two Wellington U16 representative sides are also in action tomorrow, with the Wellington U16 A side playing Wairarapa Bush U16.

Rounding out the day are the Wellington Lions who host North Harbour in the Men’s NPC at Westpac Stadium, kick-off 5.35pm. The curtain-raiser to this match is the Heartland Championship fixture between Wairarapa-Bush and Horowhenua-Kapiti. This is being carried live on air on Te Upoko E Ika at 1161AM and being simulcast live in the Wairarapa on Radio Eketahuna. The commentators are Gordon Noble-Campbell and former Wellington, Manawatu and Horowhenua-Kapiti Hurricane Sam Doyle.

Teams (as received, subject to change):

Wellington Pride
1. Moana Aiatu, 2, Alice Soper, 3. Brooke Tauanaei, 4. Sanita Levave, 5. Joanah Ngan-Woo, 6. Sauimoana Solia, 7. Gina Williamson, 8. Jackie Patea (captain), 9. Accacia Te Iwimate, 10. Lizzie Goulden, 11. Ayesha Leti-Liga, 12. Fa’ausa Makisi, 13. Bernadette Robertson, 14. Vaine Marsters, 15. Georgia Daals RESERVES 16. Alicia Print, 17. Angel Uila, 18. Rosie Stirling, 19. Caroline Sio, 20. Mary-Ann Collins, 21. Lekah Leti, 22. Davinia Lasini

Wellington U19s
1. Stiveni Paongo, 2. Jimmy Hewitt, 3. Ben Aumua-Peseta, 4. Jarimar Schuster, 5. Taisson Lealaisalanoa, 6. Bruce Kauika-Peterson, 7. John Tuia, 8. Josh Brown ©, 9. Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, 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. Folau Finau Vea, 21. Kerrod Foaese, 22. WillIe Fine, 23. Regan Sword

Wellington U18s
1. Meinrad Fitismanu, 2. Fredrick Sunia, 3. Sefo Numia, 4. Eamonn Carr, 5. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 6. Jack Wright, 7. Ezra Dunlop, 8. Jack Loader, 9. Luke Georgeson, 10.Toka Sopoaga, 11. Reuben Va'a, 12. Denny To'o, 13. Tai Neli, 14. Connor Garden-Bachop, 15. Reece Plumtree RESERVES 16. Karl Brownlee, 17. Tanara Haenga, 18. Qualen Asi, 19. Harry Saker, 20. Adam Tone, 21. Adrian Seumanfagai, 22. Esi Komaisavai, 23. Malachi Unasa, 24. Todd Svenson