OBU in box seat as Swindale Shield set to go down to the wire

Above: Avalon's Scott Waldrom evades tacklers during the Avalon-Poneke Premier Reserve match on Kilbirnie Park this afternoon. 

The Old Boys University Goats have put themselves in the box seat to defend the Swindale Shield next week following their thrilling 38-36 win over Hutt Old Boys Marist at the Hutt Rec this afternoon.

OBU go into the final round set of first round matches next weekend holding a 2-point lead to a chasing pack of three teams that can still win the Swindale Shield should they stumble and circumstances fall in the favour of others.

OBU (on 49 points), Wainuiomata (47), Oriental-Rongotai (46) and Northern United (45) are the four teams that can still win next weekend following today’s 12th round set of matches.

OBU will retain the Swindale Shield if they overcome the lowly Avalon Wolves at home at Kelburn Park next weekend, but a draw or a loss will open the door for one or more of the chasing pack to collect the first round silverware.

Wainuiomata climbed to outright second with a bonus point 34-11 win over the Wellington Axemen for the Bill Jones Cup at Hataitai Park; while Northern United held on to beat Ories 23-19 at Jerry Collins Stadium for the To'omaga Alex Iona Memorial Cup.

Despite the loss to OBU, HOBM (42) had already qualified for the Jubilee Cup, to be joined by Marist St Pat’s (40) and Tawa (39) as seven sides now safely through to the championship rounds after today.

MSP powered past Paremata-Plimmerton 65-13 this afternoon at Ngatitoa Domain, while Tawa out muscled the Upper Hutt Rams 37-12 at Maidstone Park.

The loss for the Upper Hutt Rams (28) sends them down to the Hardham Cup for the second half of the season, joining Wellington (16), Johnsonville (7), Avalon (5) and Paremata-Plimmerton (4) in the Premier 2 ranks.

The battle for the last place comes down to next weekend. Petone are in eighth (35), ahead of Poneke in ninth (33), despite Poneke slaying Avalon today 70-14 at home at Kilbirnie Park. Petone defeated Johnsonville 32-5 on the latter’s Old Timers’ Day at Helston Park.

Petone will just need to beat the Upper Hutt Rams next weekend to secure the eighth and final Jubilee Cup place, while Poneke must beat Paremata-Plimmerton and hope for a Rams win at the Petone Rec if they are to leapfrog the Villagers and make the Jubilee Cup. In the event the two sides are tied, Poneke will progress by virtue of their 23-19 win two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the OBU second XV already have one hand on the Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield with one round to play, just needing a single point against Avalon in next week’s curtain-raiser at home to raise that trophy aloft. OBU defeated HOBM 31-20 in today’s top of the table penultimate round clash to see them go to 55 points with HOBM still on 50.

Swindale Shield

Old Boys-University earned a one-handed grasp on the Swindale Shield with a thrilling 38-36 win over Hutt Old Boys Marist at the Hutt Rec.

First five-eighth Dale Sabbagh kicked the eventual game-winning penalty with a minute to play, though Hutt prop Joe Apikotoa won the ball off the ensuing kick-off to give the Eagles a chance at a last gasp win.

HOBM toiled away for several phases though OBU were able to interrupt HOBM's ruck ball and kicked the ball through, winning possession to then finish the game.

Scoring began in bizarre fashion as HOBM cleared the ball to the hands of OBU fullback Jono Ihaka who waltzed his way to the try line after a 40-metre run. The controversy, though, was that Ihaka's run was made during a confrontation between both forward packs which is where the referee's attention was focused during Ihaka's passage.

However, the try was awarded after the referee consulted with his assistant.

A back-and-forth first half was played out as Hutt worked their way to a 19-14 halftime lead, though two Sam Reid tries in two minutes blew the game open in the second half. 

First Reid regathered a loose Sheridan Rangihuna pass to run 45 metres for the second half's first try, before moments later finishing off a great Sam Coventry offload.

That passage of play put OBU up 28-19 before Hutt Old Boys came back to lead at 36-35 with Sabbagh's penalty proving the difference.

Wainuiomata’s monster pack powered the green and blacks to their 34-11 win over the Wellington Axemen at a muddy Hataitai Park.

Both sides scored a try apiece as Wellington led 11-8 at halftime, before Wainuiomata pulled away in the second spell. Flanker Matt Jacobs slotted a sideline conversion and then scored a try himself to put them ahead 20-11. Centre Fa’atau Mamea scored the fifth and final try at the end to complete a strong second half.

Tawa flexed their muscles up front against the Upper Hutt Rams, who faced a two-try deficit when prop James Coburn scored under the bar midway through the first half. Tawa extended their lead to 20-0 at halftime and then scored again after the break to take the score to 25-0 and then No. 8 crossed for his brace to make it 30-0 and it was game over. The Rams replied through front rowers Vaughan Koopu and Eli Hunt but Tawa scored again themselves.

Petone were clinical 5 tries to 1 winners over Johnsonville on the latter’s Old Timers’ Day, left wing Jarrod Adams scoring two tries. Petone scored two tries in the first half, the second to halfback Logan Henry out side giving them a 15-0 lead at the break.

Poneke had to beat Avalon with a bonus point at Kilbirnie Park to keep their Jubilee Cup hopes burning for another week.

Poneke were fast out of the blocks, tries to fullback Pakai Turia and openside flanker Jarrod Bryan putting them ahead 14-0 early. This was quickly doubled to 28-0 with their bonus point try and they raced to a 6 tries to 1 42-7 lead by halftime. There was a bit of a lull in scoring early in the second spell before Poneke pulled clear to win 70-14.

Fullback Michael Sage scored a hat-trick and Turia scored two tries and kicked all 10 conversions for a personal haul of 30 points.

At Ngatitoa Domain, Paremata-Plimmerton started well and led MSP 7-5 midway through the first half. MSP scored twice more in quick succession to lead 17-7 and then extended their lead to 22-13 at halftime.

MSP then put the afterburners on in the second half, scoring 43 unanswered points in about half and hour’s play to make sure of their win and their place in the Jubilee Cup. No. 8 Matt Peni crossed for 4 tries and left wing Mike Buckley 2 in the eventual 11 tries to 1 victory. Goal kicker Wells scored 25 points all up while Paremata-Plimmerton fullback Blake Neve scored all his side’s 13 points.

At Jerry Collins Stadium Norths overcame Ories in a game that ebbed and flowed. Both sides played enterprising rugby in the opening 20 without reward, until Ories opened the scoring with a well-worked backline move that saw Andrew Ellis put Ambrose Curtis into space and away. Norths responded with 20 unanswered points, and tries through Johnny Tealaga and Jordan Mellars-Rose before halftime, and Mike Ioapo immediately afterwards. Ories mounted a comeback with Malo Tuitama and then Luca Rees scoring solo efforts, both leaving a trail of defenders in the wakes. That set up a titanic last few minutes, but Norths held on and reclaimed their interclub To'omaga Alex Iona Memorial Cup.

That result capped off a successful Old Timers’ Day for Norths. Their Premier Reserves beat Ories 45-28, their Colts edged Poneke 17-16 in a torrid hard-fought encounter, and last night the Uso's beat the Reds 19-12 in the clash between their First Grade sides.

Women’s

The only blemish for Northern United teams at home today came in the first game of the day, where the Ories women once again proved too strong for their great rivals, running out to a 20-0 halftime lead before the two were largely even in the second with a final score of 38-17 to the Lady Magpies.

Marist St Pat's were convincing 41-10 winners over the Old Boys University Impalas in the other division 1 women's fixture.

MSP opened the scoring after 20 minutes on Kilbirnie Park 2 when tighthead prop Molly Maligi soared through to score in the lefthand corner. They scored three more tries before halftime, including two long-range strikes to second five-eighth Monica Tagoai and right wing Paige Va'auli, the latter going 90 metres to score.

OBU hit back with two tries in the second half, with blindside flanker Emma Hopoi and left wing Siteri Tabua both finding the chalk, but MSP maintained the pressure and remained in front.

In the two division 2 women's matches, Petone scored four tries to secure a bonus point win over Paremata-Plimmerton. Forwards Leah Uila, Mary Lee Sa'u and Lavinia Lea and halfback Suzanne Yee all scored in their 24-0 win.

Poneke beat Tawa 75-0 in the other women's match, with openside flanker Leah Perret and first five-eighth Loretta Maiava both scoring hat-tricks.

Premier Reserve

Old Boys University’s strong defence and speed to the breakdowns helped them overcome Hutt Old Boys Marist in today's top of the table clash in the early game at the Hutt Rec, and almost certainly the Harper Lock Shield outright next weekend.

It was tight early as both sides kicked penalties to advance the score to 3-3. OBU went ahead 13-3 late in the first following forwards try and a penalty.

HOBM sprang into life just before halftime when their first five-eighth cut through to cross the line only to knock on over the line in a try-saving tackle. The Eagles kept the pressure on and subsequently scored out wide through the forwards, converted from out wide to cut OBU's lead to 13-10 at the oranges.

However, OBU pulled further ahead with their right wing showing good pace up the far touchline and more penalty kicks to extend their lead to 26-10.

HOBM hit back with a try to close the gap to 26-15, but OBU fullback Chris Crichton crossed to put the result beyond doubt. HOBM scored a consolation try at the end.

Norths are third after beating Ories 45-26 and Tawa fourth despite losing to the fifth placed Upper Hutt Rams 7-26. In other games today, Poneke beat the Avalon Wolves 52-26, Petone accounted for Johnsonvile 66-21, MSP beat Paremata-Plimmerton 68-8 and Wainuiomata beat Wellington by default.

Colts

The Petone Colts side has won the Paris Memorial Trophy first round competition with a week to spare after accounting for Marist St Pat’s 51-24 today.

Ories are second, seven points behind Petone, after beating the Upper Hutt Rams Colts 36-7.

In a replay of last year’s Colts championship final, Tawa pipped Old Boys University Green 18-17, while Norths edged Poneke 17-16 in another one-pointer.

Paremata-Plimmerton beat MSP B by default today to be on a maximum 25 points after 5 rounds in Colts division 2, while HOBM launched a barrage of tries on Hutt Rec 2 in beating OBU Black 79-25.

First Grade

The Stokes Valley Chiefs defeated the HOBM Barbarians today 17-15, meaning that the Petone Brotherhood have joined HOBM at the top of the Thompson Memoria Trophy on 21 points. Petone defeated MSP 27-7 in their game today.

OBU are a point back on 20 after their 35-10 win over Poneke and the Norths Usos are on 19 following their Friday night win over Norths Red.

The Johnsonville Cripples are unbeaten after four rounds of the JRD Cup First Grade Division 2 competition after their 19-10 win today over the Poneke Ruffnuts. The Stokes Valley Rhinos are also unbeaten and a point back after their 22-20 win over Wainuiomata.

U85kg

The Tawa Titans made it five wins on the trot in the JC Bowl U85kg competition, beating the HOBM Howlers 15-0 on Hutt Rec 3 this afternoon.

The Wellington Light Axemen are also unbeaten and just behind the Titans after blanking the Wests Roosters side 58-0. The Avalon Wolves are third after beating the OBU Bunnies 19-3 and Eastbourne fourth after defeating Johsonville 35-18.

The Ponke Cavs won their fifth straight game in the division 2 competition, ripping through MSP Green 103-0.

College

The opening round of the WelTec Premiership saw three big wins and a close victory.

St Pat’s Silverstream beat Kapiti College 97-7, Scots College beat Porirua College 62-0 and Wairarapa College dedeated Hutt Valley High School 31-0. Rongotai College overcame Tawa College 15-12 in the other match.

Wellington College and St Pat’s Town complete the first round on Wednesday in the first of the mid-week Traditionals.