OBU, Wainuiomata, MSP and HOBM first round winners in Jubilee Cup

First round Swindale Shield winners Old Boys University, Wainuiomata, Marist St Pat’s and Hutt Old Boys Marist emerged from a gloomy afternoon as opening week Wellington club rugby Jubilee Cup winners.

The OBU Goats secured a bonus point 36-10 win over Northern United at Jerry Collins Stadium.

OBU scored six tries, through six individuals, No. 8 Teariki Ben Nicholas, wing Teegan Minkley, midfielders Matt Goosen and Patrick Hausman, fullback Jono Ihaka and replacement Sam Reid. OBU struck twice just prior to halftime, giving them a 19-5 lead at the turnaround.

The other three games were all much closer, with Wainuiomata retaining the Bil Brien Challenge Trophy with a 19-8 win over defending Jubilee Cup champions Tawa, Marist St Pat’s holding off Petone 19-17 at the Petone Rec and Hutt Old Boys Marist defeating Oriental-Rongotai 24-15 at the Polo Ground.

The three Hardham Cup matches played today saw three bonus point wins.

The Johnsonville Hawks were convincing 48-15 winners over Paremata-Plimmerton at Ngatitoa Domain, the Upper Hutt Rams beat Poneke 36-15 at home at Maidstone Park and the Wellington Axemen held off the Avalon Wolves at Hataitai Park.

At the Petone Rec, the home side’s first five-eighth Piri Paraone had two consecutive late chances to win the game, but was unsuccessful with both penalty attempts.

The match also saw a head injury to Petone second five-eighth Willie Tufui, who was taken to hospital by ambulance and the game was moved from the No.1 to the No. 2 field just prior to halftime. An evening update is that Willie Tufui is awake, alert and sitting up. A big knock but otherwise okay.

MSP were leading 11-7 at the time of Tufui’s injury, following MSP first five-eighth James Proctor crossing for a try after hooker Valentine Meachen had plucked a chip kick out of the air to set up the score. Proctor added a further penalty to extend their lead to 14-7 but Petone drew level with a converted try. Proctor’s brother, centre Billy Proctor, crossed for another key try and that proved enough for the red machine to hold and win and also reverse their first round loss to Petone.

It was a fiercely contested match at William Jones Park where the only scoring of the first half was a penalty to Tawa flyhalf James So’oialo to give them a 3-0 lead. Wainuiomata No. 8 Ben Tupuola barged over to score the game’s first try. Tawa replied with their only try of the match to Samoan Sevens representative blindside flanker Telea Seumanutafa but Tupuola scored his second try and the home side took victory.

An impressive Hutt Old Boys Marist saw off Oriental-Rongotai at the Polo Ground, winning 24-15.

HOBM's win was built off a dominant lineout, particularly their lineout drive, and they were clinical in the opening 40 minutes in converting their opportunities. 

It took the Eagles a matter of minutes to score their first try with centre Ope Peleseuma crashing over from close range, before his inside, Brandyn Laursen, made the lead 14-0 five minutes later with a try of his own.

An Aukuso Tuitama run got Ories the field position for their first three points of the game through the boot of Adam Deck, though moments later Deck prematurely kicked the ball into touch, thinking it was halftime.

From that, Hutt had a lineout inside Ories' 22 and were able to capitalise on the opportunity with Laursen scoring his second after 60 seconds of pick and goes, putting Hutt up 21-3.

Malo Tuitama responded in brilliant fashion, regathering a Deck grubber kick to run 60 metres to score on halftime, making the score 21-8.

The pace of the game slowed in the second half as conditions deteriorated. Hutt were able to add a penalty shortly into the second spell, though Tukia Purcell scored for the hosts with 10 minutes to go to give them a sniff at a win.

It wasn't to be, however, as Hutt controlled the remainder of the game.

In some Hardham Cup scoring, Johnsonville beat Paremata-Plimmerton seven tries to two, with three players scoring braces. Pare-Plimm’s two tries were scored by flanker Shane Hedges and centre Matt de Terte.

Scott Waldrom took the field in the second half for his 100th game for the Avalon Wolves, but wasn’t able to affect the outcome of their match against the Axemen. Ollie Sapsford scored two of four tries in the four tries to two victory for the Axemen.

The Rams trailed Poneke 14-16 at halftime but pulled away in the second to win five tries to two. Left wing Sione Uvea and centre Max Pearson both scored two tries, while evergreen prop Apa Heemi scored their other try. Right wing nailed all five conversions. For Poneke, they scored two unconverted first half tries to lock Sam Ready and left wing Nick Roberton, while 10 Pakai Turia added two penalties.

Premier Reserve

First round Harper Lock Shield Premier Reserve winners Old Boys University started the second round Ed Chaney Cup with a 37-3 win over Northern United.

HOBM also kept their opposition tryless, beating Ories 38-3, while Petone beat MSP 41-17 and the William Jones Park curtain-raiser was an exciting 12-try affair that resulted in visitors Tawa winning 41-29 over Wainuiomata.

There was a flurry of scoring in all three division 2 Premier Reserver HD Morgan Memorial clashes today, with the Upper Hutt Rams beating Poneke 45-21, Paremata-Plimmerton taking down Johnsonville 27-23 and the Avalon Wolves beating the Wellington Axemen’s second XV 48-41 in a belter.

Les Mills Colts

The first round of the Division 1 John E Kelly Cup resulted in bonus point wins to first round winners Petone, Old Boys University, Ories and Tawa.

Petone defeated MSP 34-14, OBU beat Norths 22-0, Ories overcame HOBM 44-22 and Tawa beat first round division 2 winners Paremata-Plimmerton 41-5.

First Grade

The Stokes Valley Chiefs were the day’s biggest victors, beating Marist St Pat’s 88-10.

The HOBM Barbarians beat the Petone Brotherhood 24-12, three tries to two, in their traditional clash, while the Norths Usos overcame OBU 15-13.

The HOBM Barbarians are the competition leaders after six rounds on 25 points, ahead of the Norths Usos on 23 and OBU and the Petone Brotherhood both on 21.

The Johnsonville Cripples made it five from five in division 2 with a 14-5 win over the Stokes Valley Rhinos.

Women’s

Oriental-Rongotai accounted for Marist St Pat’s 61-19 to maintain their unbeaten record this season in their Victoria Tavern Trophy match on Kilbirnie Park #2. Left wing Ayseha Leti-l’iga scored a hat-trick to take her try tally for the season to 15. No. 8 Joanah Ngan-Woo and loosehead prop Raylene Lolo both crossed twice while centre Amanda Rasch kicked eight of nine conversions.

Northern United also had a big Victoria Tavern Trophy win, defeating Wainuiomata 50-19. Left wing and St Mary’s College player Lyric Faleafaga scored four of their eight tries.

On the second match on Kilbirnie Park today, home team Poneke edged Hutt Old Boys Marist 27-19 in a hard fought women’s division 2 encounter. Paremata-Plimmerton defeated Poneke 64-13 in the other game.

OBU (division 1) and Petone (division 2) had the byes today.

U85kg

The Tawa Titans earned their sixth straight win of the JC Bowl today, but they had to do it the hard way, edging the Avalon Wolves 16-15.

The Wellington Light Axemen are also unbeaten after six rounds, easing to a 40-0 win over Johnsonville.

Eastbourne defeated the Hutt Old Boys Marist Howlers 20-10 in the other recorded division 1 JC Bowl match this afternoon.

Poneke lead the division 2 U85kg standings after six rounds by a solitary point to second placed Kapiti after Poneke were held to a 10-10 draw by the Upper Hutt Rams today. Kapiti had the bye.

WelTec Premiership

Kapiti College beat Rongotai College 19-15 today in the early game and the closest scoreline of the day. The win was Kapiti’s second consecutive win after lowering Tawa College last week.
The other four matches were one-sided affairs.

Wellington College bounced back from their midweek defeat to St Pat’s Silverstream to beat Tawa College 50-0, Silverstream beat Porirua College 62-5, St Pat’s Town eased past Hutt Valley High School 82-0 and Scots College blanked Wairarapa College 32-0.

Silverstream and Scots College are the two unbeaten teams after three rounds, both sitting on a maximum 15 competition points so far.