Semi-finalists found with one week to play

The 2017 Jubilee Cup semi-finalists were found this afternoon, with Old Boys University, Marist St Pat’s, Hutt Old Boys Marist and Tawa set to contest this year’s Wellington club rugby championship playoffs.

Just the order of finishing and the all-important home ground advantage will be sorted out in next week’s final regular season round. The four teams play each other next week as well, with MSP hosting OBU and HOBM entertaining Tawa.

Leaders the Old Boys University Goats (on 25 points) are guaranteed to book one of the two home semi-finals, with MSP (21), HOBM (18) and Tawa (18) all hoping to book the other spot.

After a week of storms in Wellington, the sun shone brightly on club rugby today and there were a series of electric results to match the weather on Ruck Cancer day.

In Jubilee Cup contests, OBU claimed the Bill Brien Challenge Shield with a 56-17 win over Wainuiomata (10) at William Jones Park, MSP pulled away from Norths (12) to win 43-32, HOBM out-muscled Petone (3) 36-17 and Tawa sneaked past Oriental-Rongotai (12) 29-17.

In the Premier 2 Hardham Cup, leaders Johnsonville maintained their frontrunning position with a 22-19 win over Avalon away at Fraser Park. The other two Hardham Cup matches saw the Upper Hutt Rams comfortably account for strugglers Paremata-Plimmerton 57-16 and Poneke beat Wellington 35-14 on a game that was transferred down to Kilbirnie Park from Hataitai.

The Hardham Cup points table after 6 rounds of 10 sees Johnsonville and the Upper Hutt Rams tied on 27 points, Poneke on 19, Wellington on 10, Avalon on 8 and Paremata-Plimmerton on 1.

At Lyndhurst Park, a late try scored and converted by James So’oialo earned Tawa a place in the top four. The 2016 Billy Wallace Best and Fairest Winner appeared to be grounded short, but willed himself over in traffic after a mighty display of strength.

Eariler Tawa surged to a 15-3 lead on the back of a superior set-piece, but two length of the field tries to Hayden Wheelan and Karl Dumelow saw the visitors lead 17-15 at halftime.

Tawa mauled 25-metres for their third try, but another cracking try to wing Andrew Ellis chasing down a Pauolo Aukuso kick put Ories back in front. So’oalio missed two easy penalty attempts, but in the end it wasn’t costly as Tawa’s bench added more impact and edged one of the best games of the season.

At the Hutt Recreation Ground, forwards power got HOBM home over Petone whose dangerous backs were kept in check for the most part. After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, the Eagles scored two converted tries to lock David Filipo and blindside flanker Tasi Fidow to take a 14-0 lead into the interval.

Petone closed the gap through halfback Logan Henry but the Eagles pulled clear to lead 31-12 and eventually win 36-17. HOBM bounced back from three consecutive defeats.

At Jerry Collins Stadium, MSP led 6-0 early on penalties before a pair of tries from kicks ahead in broken play put them in front 20-3, the second of these engineered after a penalty and quick tap from halfway by halfback Jack Taulapapa. MSP went to the interval leading 20-8. The second half saw a Norths comeback and they closed to within a point to trail just 22-23. But MSP skipped ahead.Right wing Ryan Saunders scored two of their tries, while fullback Andrew Wells nailed 23 points with his boot.

At William Jones Park, OBU leapt to an early lead and kept home side Wainuiomata in check throughout the contest. Centre Regan Verney finished with two of seven tries, while flyhalf Dale Sabbargh scored a try and landed nine goals for 26 points in the 56-22 win. Wainuiomata were in the contest for long periods but poor decision making and lack of execution proved costly.

At Ngatitoa Domain, the Upper Hutt Rams bounced back from their defeat last week by laying on eight tries. The Rams led 21-6 at halftime. Right wing Joyner Key and kicked 17 points for 22 points, while lock Sio Luamanu crashed over for two tries.

At Fraser Park, Johsonville took a 10-0 lead over home side the Avalon Wolves at the turnaround, but the Wolves came back to lead 19-15 late in the clash. The top-of-the-table Hawks held their composure and won with a late converted try.

At Kilbirnie Park, Poneke scored five tries to five different individuals, all converted by first five-eighth Pakai Turia. The Axemen replied with two converted tries, to centre Paddy Hughes and bookend Joe Reid.

Premier Reserve

In Ed Chaney Cup Division 1 results today, leaders Old Boys Univeristy put 50 points on Wainuiomata to book their home semi-final spot and all but qualify first. Tawa are now second after beating Ories 33-5, while Norths came back with a strong second half performance to defeat MSP 31-28 after MSP had led 20-5 at halftime. Petone defeated HOBM 44-18 in the other match. 

In the HD Morgan Memorial Division 2 competition, Johnsonville beat the Avalon Wolves 49-38, the Upper Hutt Rams defeated Paremata-Plimmerton 31-3 and Poneke accounted for the undermanned Wellington Axemen’s second XV 55-15. All three of these matches went the way of the main games that followed.

Women’s

Northern United sealed a home semi-final with next week’s final round to spare with a comeback win over Wainuiomata in the mud on the top field of Porirua Park. Northern United scored first, through right wing Eden Gibson, but Wainuiomata’s forwards muscled up and blindside flanker Brooke Tauanei (2) and No.8 Jackie Fereti scored tries to give them a 17-5 lead at halftime.

Norths came back into the match in the second 40 minutes, scoring three unconverted tries, including the match winner with a few minutes to play, to also retain the Challenge Cup. 

Confirmed top qualifiers Oriental-Rongotai defeated MSP 36-5 in the other Division 1 match. OBU, who had the bye today, and MSP will decide the third and fourth spots in next week’s final round.

The Poneke women beat Hutt Old Boys Marist 40-20 in their Division 2 match, with left wing Christine Ualesi scoring a hat-trick and fullback Kiriwera Nepia-Su’a crossing for two tries. For HOBM, fullback Tyler Bentley scored a brace. The bonus point win all but confirms them a home semi-final with next week’s final round to play.

Paremata-Plimmerton defeated Tawa 66-5 in their match on Friday night, and like the top flight, will vie with HOBM next week to decide who finishes third and who qualifies fourth for the semi-finals in a fortnight.

Colts

The Division 1 Colts John E Kelly Cup results today saw Petone restore their lead at the top of the standings with one round to play before the semi-finals. Petone beat HOBM 38-17, whilst Tawa were defeated 33-22 by Ories in a minor upset. OBU Green got a much needed 14-5 win over Paremata-Plimmerton, to round out the top four.

The points table with a round to play is Petone 26, Tawa 25, Ories 24 and OBU 20 – Petone, Tawa and Ories have qualified for the top four, while OBU will need a point next week over MSP or to hold MSP without a bonus point.

The Kapiti Colts made it five from five in the Division 2 Colts grade, edging Poneke 16-14.

Other grades

As reported yesterday, the First Grade, Under 85s, Reserve grade, and Presidents grade competitions were all cancelled on Friday owing to the storm.

The First XV WelTec Premiership resumes next weekend with Wellington College travelling over the hill to take on Wairarapa College in the concluding match of the seventh round. The competition resumes in full the following week when the school term commences.

Hurricanes U18s v Crusaders U18s

The Hurricanes U18s have beaten the Crusaders U18s 25-10.

 In a curtain raiser to the senior contest at Westpac Stadium, the Hurricanes reversed a 10-8 deficit to win the fixture for the third year running.

It was a match which failed to soar to great heights with heavy dew making handling difficult and ambitious players trying too hard to make a favourable impression.

The Hurricanes scored the opening try after about 15 minutes when burly prop Kaliopasi Uluilakepa from Petone FC muscled over after repeat phases.

The Crusaders responded a short time later by scoring their only try. Winger Leicester Faingaanuku galloped away after halfback Louie Chapman darted short-side and captured the Hurricanes short of numbers.

The Hurricanes employed a more direct approach in the second-spell and the Crusaders at times struggled to contain the host’s aggressive forward runners. Openside Josh Southall was a standout and scored two tries. The first was scored by attaching himself to the back of an unstoppable maul. 

The second was an individual beauty which saw him push aside two players and dash 20-metres.

Both benches were emptied as the game petered out lamely. Other standouts for the Hurricanes included lock Taine Plumtree, No.8 Devan Flanders who grew in stature as the game progressed and reserve halfback Humphrey Sheild who injected obvious energy.

For the Crusaders, first-five Fergus Burke, lock Cullen Grace, centre Isaiah Punivai and Faingaanuku were the standouts.