Top Eight Scramble Now On For Mid Table Protagonists

The race for the 2008 Swindale Shield looks set to go down to the wire over the next three weeks with just a bonus point win separating leaders Old Boys-University and the chasing pack consisting of Marist St. Pat's, Northern United, Hutt Old Boys Marist and Petone. But below the title contenders the scramble is now also on to fill the remaining three places still realistically up for grabs in the Jubilee Cup.

In this category are Oriental-Rongotai, Poneke, Upper Hutt and Wainuiomata, and although there's also a six-point buffer between sixth placed Ories and ninth placed Wainui their fortunes can still change radically over the next three weeks.

Only two teams are confirmed Hardham Cup starters from the second week of June, while Tawa are all but certainties to join the Wests Roosters and Avalon in that competition unless they can finish with three bonus point wins and hope for other results to fall in their favour.

With the chance for Jubilee Cup glory at stake, a high intensity clash will be expected in this weekend's Eastern Suburbs derby between Ories and Poneke at the Polo Ground, where the winner should book their top eight spot. It should also be an extremely close game with both teams boasting four wins and four losses after eight rounds and with similar points differentials. Poneke have the better attacking record, having scored 22 tries to Ories' 14, but Ories have conceded 38 fewer points than their Kilbirnie neighbours. Multiple finalists over the past decade, Poneke have all the recent big game experience, while Ories have their sights on their first Cup berth in five seasons.

It's also crunch time for Wainui who could find themselves needing to knock over leaders OBU at home at William Jones Park. If not it is likely they will need to start preparing for their Hardham Cup defence in the second round, especially given that Upper Hutt fans will fancy their teams' chances of banking the points against Wests at Ian Galloway Park and thus securing their Jubilee Cup fate.

An epic encounter is also expected in this week's marquee clash between title contenders HOBM and Northern United at the Hutt Recreation Ground, while MSP should be pressing for the lead if they beat score four or more tries and defeat Avalon at Fraser Park. In another Hutt Valley clash, Petone will also be expected to trump Tawa at home, although Tawa is known for its upsets over the Villagers, including an eight try 46-21 win over them in this corresponding clash last year.

In other grades, Johnsonville should cement its grip on the Senior One Harper Lock Shield when they play lowly Petone at the Petone Rec, while in the Senior Two National Mutual Cup, MSP will be searching for nine wins on the trot against third placed Avalon and second placed Wellington will start as favourites against Poneke at Hataitai Park.

?