OBU and Ories keep unbeaten records intact on day of high scoring

Above: Wainuiomata No. 8 Ben Tupuola crashes over to score Wainuiomata's first try of the day on their Old Timers' Day, but Oriental-Rongotai won the match 29-25. 

There were two close results and five blowouts in Wellington club Premier Swindale Shield sixth round set of matches played in bright autumn sunshine around the region this afternoon.

There were big wins – on the scoreboard at least – to Tawa, Hutt Old Boys Marist, Poneke, the Upper Hutt Rams and Northern United, while it was the two unbeaten teams Old Boys University and Oriental-Rongotai that had to fight hard to maintain their positions as the competition frontrunners.

Old Boys University retained the Jack Lamason Cup and Bill Brien Trophy over Marist St Pat’s at Nairnville Park, but they left in late at Nairnville Park, scoring eight points in the last five minutes to win 28-20.

Scores were tied at 20-all as the game drew to a close with OBU attacking MSP's goal line. After several team infringements, replacement first five-eighth Dudley Parsons was sin-binned and OBU's Dale Sabbarh duly added the three points to put the hosts up by three.

OBU found themselves inside MSP's 22 just moments later thanks to a break by Joe Hill and Wes Goosen, leading to a try on full time to Te Wehi Wright to seal the result.

Earlier in the game MSP found themselves up 10-0 after a runaway try to wing Mike Buckley, though they were unable to take advantage of a yellow card to Tomasi Palu late in the first half and eventually succumbed to the pressure of the OBU pack. Perhaps the pivotal moment came in the opening moments of the second half when MSP's Andrew Wells beat several players and had an open run to the line, only to shell the ball while trying to ground it. The howls of delight and horror from the embankment could be heard across Khandallah.

Leader OBU are on 29 points, while MSP slip to fifth equal on 21.

Oriental-Rongotai head into Tuesday’s ANZAC Day round with their unbeaten record intact and in second place on 27 points, but only just, after holding on in the latter stages to beat Wainuiomata 29-25 at William Jones Park.

On their Old Timers’ Day, Wainuiomata came back from a 13-26 deficit to trail Ories 20-26 heading into a tense final few minutes. After turning down some shots on goal centre Michael Lealava’a took a quick tap and crashed over to make it 25-26. Ories got down the other end of the park and kicked the winning penalty at the end. Despite defeat, Wainuiomata remain inside the top four on 23 points. 

The Upper Hutt Rams held their Old Timers’ Day at Maidstone Park and celebrated with a 52-8 victory over Paremata-Plimmerton. But the run of play was much closer than the scoreline suggests. Paremata-Plimmerton made much of the early play and only trailed 8-14 at halftime.

The Rams pulled clear to 33-8 after halftime, with centre Jayden Treviranus completing a brace. It was then only three quick tries in the last five minutes that blew the score out past 50 points. The Rams are now seventh on 16 competition points.

The HOBM Eagles grabbed their second consecutive win to move up into fifth equal with MSP on 21 points with their 47-22 win over the Johnsonville Hawks in the battle of the birds at Helston Park. The Eagles held a 20-point halftime lead and had the match in the bag when leading 40-8 midway through the second half, despite a late flurry of scoring by the home side.

Tighthead prop Joe ‘Apikotoa continued his strong early season form scoring two of seven tries for the visitors, while halfback Sheridan Rangihuna scored 17 points.

Poneke reclaimed the Spud Lindsay Trophy off neighbours the Wellington Axemen, with a well-earned 59-26 victory on Kilbirnie Park. Fullback Michael Sage and left wing Nick Robertson scored two of his three tries in the match as they raced to a 17-0 lead. The Axemen closed the gap to 17-5, but the Streetkids laid on three consecutive tries in quick succession early in the second half to take the game away from them. It was a much needed win for Poneke, who remain outside the top eight on 12 points, but Wellington's hopes of a return trip to the Jubilee Cup are looking rather threadbare.

Northern United are third on 26 points after blanking Avalon 38-0 at Fraser Park to leave the Wolves at the foot of the table alongside Paremata-Plimmerton. No. 8 Mike Ioapo, a former prop, continued his strong start to the season to score the first two tries. When flanker Antony Fox crossed the whitewash early in the second half, Norths were up 26-0 and had their bonus point.

Tawa had their bonus point in the bag by halftime en route to beating Petone 47-24 at home at Lyndhurst Park. Both sides played free-wheeling rugby in the opening 40 minutes of play that saw seven tries scored in total and Tawa lead 26-19 at the break. A highlight of the first half was the two tries scored by Petone centre Lester Maulolo. Tawa’s abrasive pack got on top of Petone’s in the second spell and when replacement prop Tolu Fahamokioa barged over to make it 40-19 Tawa had the match won. Tawa are now in 8th on 15 points and Petone ninth on 14 points.

Harper Lock Shield

Marist St Pat’s had the first word at in the early game at Nairnville Park. But after that it was all Old Boys University as the Goats seconds dominated territory and possession to power away to a 41-15 win, scoring 6 tries to two and remain unbeaten after six rounds.

HOBM accounted for Johnsonville 46-8 in their game at Helston Park. 

Below frontrunners OBU, just six points seperates the next five teams including MSP in the Premier Reserve competition after another close afternoon of results.

The closest match of the round was Oriental-Rongotai’s 46-45 win over Wainuiomata in the William Jones Park curtain-raiser.

The second closest result of the round was Poneke’s 30-29 win over the Wellington Axemen, with Wellington scoring at the end but missing a conversion to win with the last play of the game.

It was a game of two halves in the Lyndhurst Park curtain-raiser, with home side Tawa taking a 17-0 lead into halftime. But Petone came back in the second spell to win 26-17.

The Northern United second XVs beat the back-up Avalon Wolves 45-24, while the Upper Hutt Rams defeated Paremata-Plimmerton 61-0.

Women’s

Oriental-Rongotai have made a hot start to the 2017 season. After laying on a century in their season opener a fortnight ago, the Magpies returned from their bye to beat the Old Boys University Impalas 71-3 today.

Ories scored 16 tries in their first game at home at the Polo Ground, with left wing Ayesha Leti-I'iga scoring five tries and Tina Paulo bagging a brace. Amanda Rasch kicked eight of 11 conversion attempts.

Defending second round champions Wainuiomata got themselves o n the board with a 41-10 win over the HOBM Eagles in the other match.

In Division Two contests, Marist St Pat’s beat Petone 38-17 and Poneke defeated Paremata-Plimmerton 22-17.

Colts

The opening round of the Les Mills Colts Paris Memorial Trophy competition saw wins to Ories, OBU, Petone and Poneke.

Ories beat Norths 46-22, Knockout Cup winners OBU Green defeated MSP 36-12, Poneke beat Knockout Cup runners-up the Upper Hutt Rams 21-16 and Petone beat Tawa 29-7.

The Petone-Tawa fixture at Redwood Park took a long time to get going, a stop-start affair saw scores locked up at 7-7 at halftime. Petone’s pack went into monster mode in the second spell, repeatedly pushing Tawa off their ball and they pressed ahead to win29-17.

The second division JRD Cup Les Mill Colts opening round matches saw Johnsonville beat HOBM 51-29, Paremata-Plimmerton 27 beat Kapiti 27-15, Wainuiomata defeat the Avalon Wolf Cubs 48-26 and MSP’s second team miss the starting gates and default to OBU Black.

First Grade Knockout (Division One) – Week 3 - Top Four Final: Northern United A 15 - Petone 14. Bottom Four Final: Hutt Old Boys Marist 50 - Northern United B 28

First Grade Knockout (Division Two) – Week 3 Top Four Final: Johnsonville Cripples 25 - Stokes Valley B 24. Bottom Four Final Poneke Ruffnuts 48 Upper Hutt Rams Pirates 24

Under 85kg Knockout (Division One) – Week 2 Top Four Final: Avalon Wolves 10 - Eastbourne 0 Bottom Four Final Johnsonville 35 - Old Boys University Bunnies 19

Under 85kg Knockout (Division Two) – Week 2 Top Four Final: Hutt Old Boys Marist 17 - Kapiti 15. Bottom Four Final Poneke 29 Upper Hutt Rams 15