MSP In Line For Swindale Shield as Students Stumble Against Petone

Marist St. Pat's have emerged as the likely winners of the 2008 Swindale shield next week, after their bonus point victory over Oriental-Rongotai and with other results going their way have seen them open up a four-point lead at the top of the table after the penultimate set of matches played on Saturday.

MSP were in imperial form over Ories in a comfortable five tries to one 41-11 win at Hataitai Park. Ories, who last week qualified to contest their first Jubilee Cup in five seasons, were expected to provide tougher resistance but MSP were too strong on the day, running in four tries to nil in the first half for a 31-6 lead at the break.

Despite the injection of marauding midfielder Ma'a Nonu after halftime, Ories rarely fired a shot after the interval as MSP cantered home for their ninth consecutive win.

Meanwhile, previous joint leaders Old Boys-University's challenge for a historic maiden Swindale Shield title came to an abrupt end at the hands of Petone at Nairnville Park, the students stumbling to a 41-13 win to the Villagers to leave MSP only needing to draw or win their match next week against Upper Hutt to claim their 10th first round title.

Both Petone and defending champions Northern United have leapfrogged OBU into joint second four points back from MSP, after Norths also won with a bonus point in their stylish 51-10 win over Wainuiomata at Porirua Park.

Norths withstood an early onslaught from the passionate Wainuiomata, but were too slick for them as the contest developed, eventually scoring nine tries. These included a hat trick to electric wing Sinoti To'omaga to see him lead the 2008 try scorers list with 10 tries to date, a try to Buxton Leutulava to see him maintain a try a game for Norths this season, and one to Hurricanes prop John Schwalger in his first club outing of the year.

The loss for Wainuiomata along with Poneke's encouraging 28-18 win over Hutt Old Boys Marist in their match at the Hutt Recreation Ground has also served to confirm the top eight spots that will contest the second round Jubilee Cup starting in two weeks.

Wainui will finish no higher than ninth and will join the previously resigned Wests Roosters, Tawa and Avalon in the Hardham Cup.

Wests and Tawa provided a taste of that competition's expected competitiveness as Wests slugged out a 14-11 win over Tawa at Lyndhurst Park, while Upper Hutt climbed to sixth on the table when they won a cracker of an encounter against Avalon 25-21 on their Old Timers' Day at Maidstone Park.

A try to Wests lock Hamish Irving made the difference against Tawa and earned the plucky Roosters their second win of the season, while the inclusion of the Waldrom brothers, Thomas and Scott almost ignited Avalon to their first win of the year.

With time winding down, Avalon led Upper Hutt 21-18, but Upper Hutt were able to score a late converted try to take the win, and their fans can now turn their attention to next week's big clash at Evans Bay Park where they will try to spoil MSP's title aspirations.

It may have been billed as a top of the table clash at Nairnville Park, but it was more Rasch than clash, where the recently returned Petone first five-eighth engineered his side's 41-13 win over OBU.

The Students' dream of snatching a Swindale Shield title looks increasingly illusory. Petone looked the far more physically abrasive of the two sides, and indeed if either is to take out the shield next week, it'll be the Villagers. There was something Shakespearean about their resounding win - a signal that natural order has been restored. This is a Petone team that is playing winning rugby, and enjoying it.

Playing in front of a smattering of ex-international pack men - Jamie Joseph, Frank Oliver and Martin Leslie were all there - the Petone eight took this game to OBU early. After five minutes, a scrum five out from OBU's line was heaved over by the Petone forwards, gifting number eight Shaun Mahoney with a Zinzan-esque try.

Another ten minutes and Petone was attacking again. A Mahoney break deep into the OBU 22, followed by good ruck ball, saw halfback Isaac Paewai send it left. Openside flanker Mateaki Kafatolu took the ball in midfield, before smuggling it in mid-tackle to blindside Api Sione. Sione's pace and a Rasch conversion made it 12-0.

Ongoing pressure on the OBU scrum led to Petone's next score, when snaffled ball from the base of the OBU scrum saw the Villagers send it left once more. Exciting young fullback Lewis Marshall made yardage down the lefthand touchline before in-passing to Fautua Otto, whose in-pass to Greg Walker was partially but unsuccessfully interrupted by an OBU hand. Walker dotted down under the posts to make Rasch's job easy, and suddenly it was 19-0 with just twenty minutes gone. A Petone penalty followed, and then a try to Fautua Otto, capping off excellent teamwork between Petone's slick back three combination of Otto, Marshall and Willie Moala.

OBU began the second-half with renewed fizz, quickly scoring a penalty through Hurricane returnee Jimmy Gopperth. A penalty try to Petone ten minutes in, however, scotched any lingering hope on the part of OBU fans that the wind was a 30-pointer. After three Petone attempts at a repeat pushover try, referee Lyndon Bray decided enough was enough, and blew his whistle under the sticks to make it 36-3

When Petone lock Jonathan Cleland was shown the wrong side of Bray's red card for stomping, OBU ignited for the first time in the match. From a penalty tap inside Petone's 22, halfback Tomasi Palu sent it right where quick hands saw fullback and brother David Palu over for a consolation five points. Thereafter, the teams traded tries. Willie Moala scored the try of the match for Petone, taking the ball near halfway on the right-wing blindside and accelerating, before chipping past his opposite, then regathering, his pace and power enough to make the corner. A late try to Jimmy Gopperth saw the match close at 41-13.

While the scoreboard told the story of the Petone - OBU match, it wasn't a fair reflection of Poneke's strong showing against HOBM, who have one eye on next week's McBain Shield match with Petone and then on their defence of the Jubilee Cup - and played like it.

Indeed Poneke's ten-point margin of victory that saw them confirmed as Jubilee Cup starters on 14 June flattered the Eagles who scored two late consolation tries after a largely fumbling and bumbling performance throughout most of the game.

Uncharacteristic unforced errors, poor passing and missed first up tackles were the order of the day for HOBM against a Poneke side that in contrast played with commitment and dedication for an excellent win.

The Poneke pack all played well, led by all three loose forwards, openside flanker Masefau Leuluniu, No. 8 Chris Brightwell and blindside Peter Savelio in the first half, and carried on by the tight five in to the wind in the second. Of these, locks Cam Garvie and Haimona Waititi were particularly industrious, hooker Dane Coles was typically dynamic and special mention can be made to the commitment of tighthead prop Judd Baker, a club stalwart but on Premier debut.

Poneke piled on all the early pressure and following an early James Pointon penalty Leuluniu and Brightwell combined for the first try. Poneke stretched HOBM out wide, Leuluniu carried the promising movement on and offloaded in the tackle to Brightwell who scored his eighth try of he season untouched.
Poneke continued to dominate but could only manage one more scoring play of the half through a second Pointon penalty on halftime, immediately after HOBM fullback Mike Kingsbeer succeeded with his team's one and only scoring chance of the first half with a penalty.

Now with the wind behind him, Kingsbeer missed one but succeeded with his second penalty after halftime to close the gap to 16-6. But hopes of a comeback were soon dashed as Poneke scored their second try, captain and second five-eighth Misipalauni Moananu crashing over after lock Cam Garvie hacked ahead a loose ball from the back of HOBM ruck - from yet another mistake by the home team.

Pointon's conversion was charged down by HOBM halfback Nick Risdon, but when replacement prop Alex McIntyre was driven over for a vintage Poneke try off a lineout drive to make it 28-6 it was game over with 15 minutes remaining.
HOBM came back to score two late tries with a Poneke player in the sin bin, replacement winger Brad Hines scoring after a mistake-free lead up, and explosive reserve flanker Ash Parker scoring an excellent individual try near the end.

Meanwhile in lower grade action, Johnsonville are all but confirmed as Harper Lock Shield Senior 1 winners, only needing a point out of their match next week against mid-table Poneke to claim the title outright ahead of MSP who are five points further adrift.

MSP and Johnsonville also dominate the news from the Senior 2 National Mutual Cup and Women's Premier Fleurs Trophy, MSP looking likely to take out the National Mutual Cup next week despite losing to Wellington 15-22 in their top of the table clash and Johnsonville winning the Fleurs Trophy.

The Johnsonville Women could only draw with third placed Petone 15-15 in their last round match, but that was enough to see them finish three points clear of Norths, whom they defeated earlier in the round.

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