All in readiness for club rugby’s opening day for 2018

Tomorrow sees the kick-off of the 139th season of club rugby in Wellington and the first of 20 weekends (plus Anzac Day) of Premier rugby culminating in the Jubilee Cup Final in early August.

Upper Hutt’s Awakairangi and Maoribank Parks will again play host to the opening round of games, meaning that fans can take in as many games as they choose with this year’s matchups the same that got the competition underway last season.

Premier Swindale Shield

Top billing – or at least the ground closest to the entrance at Awakairangi – has been given to last year’s two beaten Jubilee Cup semi-finalists who kick-off at 2.30pm. The expectations for Tawa and Marist St Pats will be high and will both be looking to go at least one stage further this term. Firstly though they will look to get their season off to the ideal start, gain a measure of ascendancy by knocking over one of their biggest rivals of recent years, and set a marker for the rest of the competition. The pair’s meeting last year saw MSP roll to a relatively comfortable 31-13 victory reversing the result from the previous year’s Jubilee Cup final, though Tawa edged the return match in the Jubilee round-robin by 31-29. Both sides are relatively settled with plenty of familiar names allied to some new ones, and both will have new captains with Kemara Hauiti-Parapara leading Tawa and Nick Harrison having the honours for MSP.

At the same time at the opposite end of Awakairangi Old Boys-University get their quest for a third consecutive Swindale Shield crown underway against Poneke. The defending double-winners have experienced some turnover over the summer but you’d expect that the Goats will be amongst the frontrunners once again and a result akin to last year’s 27-14 win would be an ideal start. For Poneke nothing would make a bigger statement than knocking over the champions as they look to return Jubilee Cup rugby to Kilbirnie Park, especially after last year where three losses out of the gate left them playing catch-up.

Along with those faces that were part of the Jubilee Cup win OBU include a pair of returnees to their side tomorrow with Zeke Sopoaga back from a stint in Southland and Greg Mullany who faces his previous team, while former Scots College back Tai Neli debuts on the wing. Poneke will turn to star loose forwards Greg Foe and Galu Taufale for inspiration in a key area of battle in this clash. Joining them on the side of the scrum will be Jonty Miller from Wairarapa-Bush, while new pivot Charlie Russell-Vick from England will be one to watch.

The only 2.45pm game is across the road at Maoribank where you’ll find Avalon and Wainuiomata. Wainuiomata have the third-longest streak of qualifying for the Jubilee Cup (after MSP and Ories) at seven years and their experienced veteran side will be looking to extend that. Conversely the Wolves haven’t been there since 2006 and after last years winless Swindale they’ll be looking to turn things back in the right direction. Their match last year was the only meeting between the sides, and it took a last-minute penalty from goal-kicking loose forward Matt Jacobs for Wainuiomata to prevail 14-13 in the lowest-scoring match of the day. Jacobs will be there tomorrow, as will reigning Best & Fairest joint-winner Ben Tupuola, NZ Maori U18 prop Tanera Haenga on debut and midfielder Marvin Karawana after a year away. Avalon’s side doesn’t have Asafo Aumua, but have both his older brother Sefo and younger Chris, the latter making his debut, and all three Ah Wongs; Leauro, Leman, and Liddy.

Back over at Awakairangi the first of the 3pm kick-offs has one of the competition heavyweights face one of the minnows with Oriental-Rongotai up against Paremata-Plimmerton. The Magpies have retained most of their core and added a few newcomers as well and on paper are one of the most talented sides going around. Their expectation will be not just making the Jubilee Cup but – if they can make it all click – to win it. Taking that first big scalp remains elusive for Pare-Plim but the Ngatitoa side was, on balance, more competitive last year than their first two at this level and they know that nothing will garner respect more quickly than a couple of early wins. Ories won this match last year 30-13 over the road at Maoribank, and their side tomorrow has the usual mix of forward grunt and outside firepower, with Tuakana Metuarau to captain the side. Pare-Plim has a handful of new faces amongst their regulars such as the McMillan-Parata twins, Shane Hedges, and Blake Neve though usual skipper James Corcoran will absent owing to his own wedding.

The other 3pm game at Awakairangi pits two sides that played in the Hardham Cup with Johnsonville taking on Wellington. Both sides have been busy in the offseason and will have new faces in their ranks, and will be looking for early season results to push themselves into contention for the Jubilee places. The two produced the highest-scoring encounter of the day last year with Wellington taking a 37-27 win though Johnsonville took both of their meetings in the Hardham Cup by 17-5 and 33-26. The Hawks side tomorrow includes a long-awaited debut for the well-traveled Api Naikatini and a return for Campbell Tait after three years overseas, with Wellington having a host of new and returning faces alongside those who were in the black and yellow hoops last year including both Alex Dalzell and Olly Sapsford.

Last up at 3.30pm on the middle two fields are a pair of games that will attract interest. Hutt Old Boys Marist might have reached the Jubilee Cup final, but last year their season got off on the wrong foot when they were beaten 33-23 by the Upper Hutt Rams after leading 20-3 at one point. HOBM warmed up for the season with last weekend’s Spillane Cup tournament in Auckland where they beat Christchurch Marist Albion and lost to Napier OBM, but also opted to rest several of their players who will start tomorrow. The Rams go into the season as Hardham Cup holders but you’d venture they’d rather be playing for the big prize, and repeating last year’s first-up result would be an ideal start. Despite a number of offseason defections it’s a strong looking Eagles side that includes former Rams Vince Sosefo and Jayden Treviranus but not Lions halfback Sheridan Rangihuna, while the Rams have a new halves pairing in former Rimutaka halfback Issac Marriner (returned from Australia) and Raniera Petersen, with Josh Hunt returning to No.8.

Alongside that are two sides that returned to the Jubilee Cup clash with Norths taking on Petone. For Norths their 25-19 win here in an entertaining match last year set in motion a Swindale campaign that saw them finally again contest the trophy that a decade ago they almost made their own. It’s further back into the mists of time for when Petone were the dominant force of Wellington rugby, and that’s something that the current crop would want to put right. With both sides having a wealth of talent – particularly in the backs – this could be a real cracker. Three of last year’s First XV standouts – Werdna Maligi, Kienan Higgins, and Junior Time-Tautoa – are in line for their Premier debuts for Norths from the bench while the Villagers have Carlos Price and Losi Filipo in their ranks, along with Wainuiomata centurion Glen Angus on debut for his new club.

Four interclub trophies are also at stake tomorrow:

• OBU and Poneke will contest their Beet Algar Rosebowl; named Beethoven after the composer Algar played for Poneke and was a Wellington representative each side of World War I (where he was wounded), and an All Black in 1920-21. After retiring he was a coach, administrator and finally club patron for Poneke until his passing in 1989. OBU are the holder.
• Norths and Petone will play for their Murray Henderson Shield, currently held by Norths. First played for in 2016, Henderson was amongst those that facilitated the merger of Norths’ predecessor clubs Porirua and Titahi Bay, a great friend of many Villagers, and his tireless work for community rugby saw him made a Life Member of the WRFU. They also have the Collins Medal – honouring late cousins Jerry and Willie – at stake for the player of the match.
• Johnsonville and Wellington will contest their Mick Kenny Memorial Cup. Kenny was a Hawk before he saw service in World War II and an Axeman after it with the trophy donated after his passing in 2001. He was also instrumental in the WRFU taking over and putting into play the Harper Lock Shield, a services trophy he had played for while stationed in Egypt. Wellington is the holders.
• Avalon and Wainuiomata will contest the inaugural Anthony Waldrom Trophy after Avalon coach Scott's and his younger brother Thomas's father who is a former Wainuiomata first five-eighth. 

Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield

Before the Premiers take to the field the second-stringers get to raise the curtain on the year. As normal all seven matchups are the same as those that follow, with the start times also staggered.

First up at 12.30 defending Harper Lock champions get OBU start their quest to repeat against Poneke, along with two other sides that will consider themselves contenders – Tawa and MSP – at the other end of Awakairangi. 15 minutes later Avalon and Wainuiomata get underway over at Maoribank, followed at 1pm at Awakairangi by Johnsonville lining up against Wellington and Pare-Plim taking on Ories. Finally in the pair of 1.30pm kickoffs the winners of the two second round trophies, Ed Chaney winners Petone and HD Morgan winners Upper Hutt Rams, start their seasons against Norths and HOBM respectively.