Petone wins McBain thriller as Ories qualify for the Jubilee Cup

Above: Action from today's First Grade match on the Petone Rec, where the Norhern United Usos made it three from three in the Thompson Memorial Trophy with a 29-25 win over the Petone Brotherhood.

Petone pulled clear late to beat Hutt Old Boys Marist 49-31 today in an entertaining McBain Shield match at the Hutt Rec, while Oriental-Rongotai held off Marist St Pat’s 32-27 at the Polo Ground to pull 16 points clear of the ninth placed team and become the first team to officially for this year’s Jubilee Cup.

Ories also hold a 4-point lead at the top of the table to second placed Northern United who blasted to a 47-27 win over the Upper Hutt Rams, with the Old Boys Boys University two points behind Norths in third after losing 11-16 to Wainuiomata at the Kelburn Park.

Johnsonville earned their second win of the season, beating the Avalon Wolves 26-17 at Helston Park, Tawa overhauled Poneke 18-15 at Kilbirnie Park and the Wellington Axemen kicked a late penalty to pip Paremata-Plimmerton 22-21 on their Old Timers’ Day at Ngatitoa Domain.

Despite victory, the Wellington Axemen officially joined Avalon, Johnsonville and Paremata-Plimmerton out of top 8 Jubilee Cup contention with three rounds to play.

Today’s results also set up a potentially big match at the Petone Recreation Ground next weekend between the home side Petone and Poneke for the F.J Tilyard Memorial Shield and with top 8 places at stake for both sides and in particular the visitors.

The match this afternoon at the Polo Ground was also marred by a 25-minute injury delay and a change of field to Polo 2, with Marist St Pat’s lock Sean Bridge breaking his leg.

Marist St Pat’s were ahead 10-7 at the time, and went on to lead 13-12 at halftime. Ories had the wind advantage on the next field in the second half and they pulled ahead 32-13 with two penalties and two tries, including an intercept try.

Wainuiomata held on for a narrow win over Old Boys-University at Kelburn Park, to win the Peter Dunford Cup and the Bill Brien Challenge Shield.

It was a rampant beginning to the match for Wainuiomata who crossed the chalk twice in the opening 15 minutes after an early OBU penalty goal.

Flanker Matt Jacobs rumbled his way over from close range after Wainui found their way into OBU's 22, before a well-placed Frae Wilson box kick sent wing Erich Tuisila in for Wainui's second try in 10 minutes. 

OBU would hit back before the half through wing Sam Reid. He was on the wrong end of a Ben Tupuola head-high tackle en route to scoring the try, seeing Tupuola sin-binned, though OBU first five-eighth soon followed Tupuola to the bin after infringing near his own goal line.

OBU were ahead 11-10 at half time, though those 11 points would be all they would score in the match as a scrum-dominated and sloppy second half played out.

That worked into Wainui's favour, who kicked two penalties in the second 40 to earn a tense four points. 

Petone retained the famous McBain Shield in an 80-point thriller at the Hut Recreation Ground.

Petone sealed the win in the closing minutes with two late runaway tries, livewire centre and left wing pairing Lester Maulolo and Losi Filipo combining and then lock Jack Ross intercepting a pass and steaming away to win the match 49-31.

Minutes earlier Petone were leading 35-31 and with the game still up in the air when the Eagles got penalised 35m out from their line. Some backchat saw them marched another 10m and replacement loosie Lise Soloa sin-binned. Carne Green missed a penalty from in front for Petone and HOBM launched a late assault from their 22. But Petone won a turnover and scored the first of their two tries to take the wind out of HOBM’s sails.

Previously, HOBM had got their noses in front with tries to prop Joe ‘Apikotoa and hooker James O’Reilly. Replacement Petone forward Bruce Kauika-Petersen intercepted a pass and fed first five-eighth Jared Kahu a try in reply. Petone had led 21-17 at halftime, after left wing Losi Filipo had scored a clinical try try out-wide off an attacking lineout on the near side right on halftime.

Poneke had first use of the Kilbirnie Park southerly and led 15-7 at halftime. Tawa had opened the scoring with a 70m intercept converted try, but Poneke hit back with a 50m special to left wing Michael Sage. Poneke scored their second try and final points of the match with a forwards pick and go try just before the interval.

The second half was a dogged affair, Tawa kicking a monster penalty through flyhalf James So’oialo and scoring a try to Hurricanes midfielder Ben Lam to make it 15-15 after 60 minutes. Tawa won the game late with a penalty.

The Wellington Axemen also won their game over Paremata-Plimmerton with a late penalty. Trailing 19-21, they kicked the winning penalty with about 5 minutes to play.

The game was also close at Ngatitoa Domain, Paremata-Plimmerton opening the scoring with an intercept try (one of several in Premier rugby today) and the Axemen replying with a try to right wing Izieh Montgomery on debut. The two teams shadowed each other throughout the second half, the score advancing to 14-14 midway through the half and then staying tight to the end.

Try scoring bursts characterised Northern United’s and Johnsonville’s wins.

At home at Jerry Collins Stadium, Norths led the Upper Hutt Rams 10-3 at halftime. They then scored five tries in 12 minutes to take a 35-3 lead. The Rams then closed the match right up and threatened one of their famous comeback wins with a burst of tries themselves. The contest settled down again and Norths laid on another two tries to take the win for the Terry Farrow Memorial Cup and stay in contention to win the Swindale Shield.

Avalon scored the game’s first try against Johnsonvile at Helston Park, converted from the sideline by Cameron Cross for a 7-0 lead to the visitors. After a steady period of Avalon pressure, Johnsonville right wing Jacob Walmsley scored a 30m try in the 25th minutes, followed by tries in quick succession before the break to flankers Nick Murdoch and Marcus Ale giving the Hawks a 19-7 halftime lead. Johnsonville extended their lead to 26-7 with a 50m try scored under the bar by centre Tiwi Davies. Avalon came back with two further tries but the home side held on to win.

Premier Reserve

The Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles second XV maintained their lead at the top of the Harper Lock Shield standings with a tense 19-17 win over Petone in today’s McBain Shield curtain-raiser.

Petone scored first after about 20 minutes to take a 7-0 lead, but the Eagles hit back with three consecutive tries. HOBM should have scored again just before the break, which would have sealed the game there and then.

The second half was much tighter, Petone crossing again in the 60th minute to narrow HOBM’s lead to 19-12. They then scored again after a penalty and lineout drive in the 72nd minute, which closed it to 19-17. HOBM rallied late and missed late chances to skip clear and also earn a four-try bonus point.

The OBU Premier Reserves earned a 4-try bonus point in their 31-26 win over Wainuiomata in the early game at Kelburn Park to see them neck-and-neck on 45 points with HOBM at the top of the table. They meet in a fortnight in a likely Harper Lock Shield decider.

Norths are third after beating the Upper Hutt Rams 38-3 today, with Tawa fourth after their 29-25 win over Poneke. Ories beat MSP 31-3 in a mid-table clash, while Paremata-Plimmerton defeated Wellington 17-10 and Avalon beat Johnsonville 38-24 in the clashes of the lower ranked sides.

Women’s

The opening weekend of the Victoria Tavern Trophy/Division 2 second round competition saw promoted side Marist St Pat’s push Northern United close before falling 15-10 at Porirua Park.

Old Boys University defeated Wainuiomata 46-24 in the other Victoria Tavern Trophy fixture today.

In Division 2 matches, Paremata-Plimmerton defeated Poneke 20-17 and Petone met Hutt Old Boys Marist.

Colts

The Petone Colts have leapt to a clear lead at the top of the table after an incomplete fourth round of Les Mills Paris Memorial Trophy matches.

Petone earned their fourth straight bonus point win, beating defending champions Old Boys University Green 33-24 today on the Petone Rec

Tawa earned a bonus point 31-24 win over Poneke and Norths tipped over the Upper Hutt Junior Rams 15-12 in the two other completed matches.

The fourth match of the round between Ories and MSP was supposed to be at Te Whaea on Friday evening, but some of the lights were out on the evening of the match deeming the ground unfit for purpose on the night and this match has been deferred.

In the division 2 JRD Cup, the biggest win of the day was Paremata-Plimmerton’s 65-10 win over the Wellington Junior Axemen, while Wainuiomata beat OBU Black 34-10, MSB beat Kapiti 29-15 and Johnsonville beat the Avalon Wolf Cubs 19-7.

U85kg

Defending JC Bowl champions the Tawa Titans made it three straight bonus point victories from three today, beating Eastbourne 28-0.

The Wellington Light Axemen are just behind after beating the Avalon Emaciated Wolves 22-7, while the Johnsonville Terrahawks beat the Wests Roosters 64-10 in the battle of the birds. On Friday night the HOBM Howlers beat the OBU Bunnies 12-5.

The Upper Hutt Rams and Poneke are the two unbeaten teams in division 2, the Rams still on top without leaving their clubrooms owing to their bye and the Poneke Cavs beating Petone 53-0. MSP Red beat MSP Green 29-11 in the other contested match today.

College Rugby

There was little joy for the Wellington teams in Napier in today’s second round of the Tranzit Coachlines First XV Festival.

All four Wellington WelTec Premiership teams met defeats, with Wellington College falling to Napier Boys’ School 0-15, Rongotai College losing 7-34 to Gisborne Boys’ High School, Wairarapa College defeated 3-44 by Palmerston North Boys’ High School and St Pat’s Town being sent back to the drawing board after losing 7-106 to Hastings’ Boys High School.

At home, Scots College and St Pat’s Silverstream officially qualified for the WelTec Premiership with next week’s last round of grading games to sparre. Scots overcame St Bernard’s College 78-0 and Silverstream overran Bishop Viard College 77-0.