It's tight at the top of the Swindale Shield with just two points separating the leading five teams on the points table as the competition heads into this weekend's round seven set of matches. Picking a winner at this stage is anyone's guess, with Hutt Old Boys Marist, Old Boys-University, Petone, Northern United and Marist St. Pat's all right in contention for the 2008 first round title.
Following on from last Saturday's results, another epic weekend of games is expected. Norths' 95-0 win over the Wests Roosters stood out like a beacon among the other round six results, that saw ?the average margins of victory in four of the other five encounters fewer than six points, and in the other Avalon restricted OBU to just two tries in the second half.
This week four of the top five teams meet each other, including a top of the table clash at the Hutt Recreation Ground between HOBM and OBU and Petone versus Marist St. Pat's just down river at the Petone Recreation Ground.
HOBM suffered their first loss of the year to MSP in the last round and will be eager to re-establish their winning ways against an in-form OBU who are coming off a 35-point win over Avalon. To beat the Eagles OBU will need to find a way past their wily defence that has conceded just two tries in six games, one of which was a penalty try.
Petone will be hoping for a return to the sublime form that saw them pound Poneke a fortnight ago after struggling to overcome Wainui in their last clash, while it will be a fifth win on the trot for MSP if they can win at the Village. It was a thriller the last time Petone and MSP met at this ground in the 2007 Jubilee Cup when Petone fought back from a 26-5 deficit to defeat MSP 39-34, while MSP prevailed 24-23 a week later in the semi-finals.
With these two thunderous clashes on offer, Norths could well have a share of the lead by the end of the round if they score four tries or more and beat Tawa at Porirua Park. Following on from their large win over Wests their fans will expect them to, but clashes between these two northern neighbours are typically not friendly affairs. Tawa's season is in need of a spark and Norths will do well not to be complacent against them, although it's been three years since Tawa won this clash when they prevailed 25-22 in the last round of the Swindale Shield to scrape into the top eight for the Jubilee Cup.
In other games, it could be close at William Jones Park where both Wainuiomata and Upper Hutt will be desperate to re-join the winners circle, while the Wests Roosters host Poneke at Ian Galloway Park and Avalon entertain Oriental Rongotai at Fraser Park.