Wins for Avalon and Paremata-Plimmerton as OBU lay down credentials

Above: New Junior All Blacks prop Kaliopasi Uluilakepa runs freely for Petone against Jonsonville in their 65-0 win this afternoon. 

There were big wins against current top 7 positioned sides for both the Avalon Wolves and Paremata-Plimmerton while defending champions the Old Boys University Goats laid down their title credentials in an emphatic second half against Hutt Old Boys Marist in Swindale Shield action this afternoon.

In gloomy, cool conditions, the battling injury-hit Wolves ignited the competition with an upset 27-19 win for the Joe Aspell Cup against Marist St Pat’s at Evans Park Park, while Paremata-Plimmerton lowered Poneke’s flag 25-11 at Ngatitoa Domain.

Both wins came as part of fighting defensive efforts and, together with wins for both Ories and Tawa elsewhere today, have served to tighten up the mid-table points race to finish inside the top 7 and make the Jubilee Cup.

Avalon leapt to a 17-7 halftime lead against Marist St Pat's, with Laman ah Wong who is normally a lock scoring a key try on the left wing for the Wolves before the interval. First-year centre Chris Aumua scored a converted try soon after the break and first five-eighth TK Kiwara added a penalty to put them ahead 27-7. MSP mounted a comeback but couldn’t reel in the 20-point deficit.

Paremata-Plimmerton, who won in town last week, returned home to beat Poneke. Following an early injury delay (PP fullback Joshae Witana broken leg) The visitors opened the scoring through right wing Nick Robertson, but home side flanker James Hansen scored under the bar to see Poneke lead 8-7 at halftime. Paremata-Plimmerton overtook them in the second 40 minutes, going up 17-8 and then 25-8, with veteran replacement fullback Blake Neve scoring both tries, before only conceding a further penalty and finishing on top.

Despite losing half of their starting forwards (three in the first-half) Old Boys University stormed to the top of the Swindale Shield trouncing previous leaders Hutt Old Boys Marist 48-16.

Jonathan Fuimaono, Sam Green, Daven Candy and later Morgan Poi (after a series of thunderous tackles) all hobbled of injured, but the Goats were unfazed winning the seconf half 34-0 in a commanding victory.

The visitors actually led at the break, but didn't utilise the sizable breeze and were overpowered in the final 40 minutes.

Tongan halfback Tomasi Palu (on Jonah Lomu's birthday) scored four tries. The halfback was in the right place three times after powerful forward surges and supported a breakout by fullback Sam Reid in the first-half. 

Together Palu and first-five Dale Sabbagh (21 points) allowed the Goats to control territory with astute kicking and tactics.

Glen Walters kicked HOBM into a 6-0 lead with two penalties before Reid slipped through and Palu backed-up. The lead changed twice more in an entertaining opening.

OBU scored two tries in the first five minutes after the interval and never surrendered the ascendancy as the Eagles error rate soared. 

OBU lock Augustin Escalona played a blinder, Paddy Carter grew in stature Will Mangos didn't appear jetlagged shortly after returning for Australia.

Tasi Fidow and Lise Soloa were gallant for the Eagles who will be smarting after this hiding.

At the Petone Recreation Ground, No. 8 Tupou Sopoaga also scored four tries as part of Petone’s 65-0 win over Johnsonville.

Johnsonville were gallant and the scoreline flattered the home side somewhat, but it was Petone’s dominant scrum and big games from new Junior All Black prop Kaliopasi Uluilakepa and U20s hopeful halfback Carlos Price that helped pave the way for this win.

Uluilakepa and Price helped set up the second two of Sopoaga’s tries, before left wing and captain Jarro Adams crossed to make it 33-0 at halftime.Hurricane Murray Douglas scored first after the break and it was game over.

Oriental-Rongotai held on to beat Wainuiomata 26-20 at the Polo Ground, in a result that keeps Ories in the hunt for the Jubilee Cup and probably relegates Wainuiomata to the Hardham Cup for the second round.

In a typically close match between these sides, Ories skipped out to a lead but Wainuiomata crossed for their second try on 40 minutes to make it 16-15 to Ories at the break.

A key try came soon after when Wainuiomata No. 8 Greg Lealofi was sin-binned and from the resulting play Ories monstered their scrum and crossed to put them ahead 23-15. The rest of the contest remained close but Ories kept their noses in front.

Northern United shuffled into second place on the Swindale Shield points tale with a 42-28 win over the Upper Hutt Rams at Maidstone Park for the Terry Farrow Cup.

It was tit-for-tat early on as Norths raced to a 14-0 lead, only for the Rams to strike twice and draw level at 14-14.

Norths then put the afterburners on and created the winning of the game with a burst of three tries, two to fullback Esi Komaisavai and one to No. 8 Peter Pili. The remainder of the match remained lively and the Rams won the second half but couldn’t reel in the earlier advantage.

Tawa’s midfield pairing of Player of the Match Kalim Kelemete and Pepesana Patafilo was a major strength in their 51-30 over the Wellington Axemen at Hataitai Park.

The Axemen weren’t helped by the late scratching through illness of No. 8 Alex Dalzell, but Patafilo scored the game’s first two tries as they took a 13-6 lead midway through the first spell. They advanced this to 25-11 by the break with the Axemen still in the contest.

But Kelemete raced away to scored virtually from the second half kick-off and then prop Sitiveni Paongo scored their sixth try and at 39-11 it was all over. The Axemen scored two late tries to close it up.

Harper Lock Shield

The curtain-raiser at Hataitai Park saw Tawa win 38-0 but it was much closer than that, with a burst of late scoring blowing the margin of victory wide open.

The Upper Hutt Rams won their Harper Lock Shield clash with Norths 15-12 as that game was called off 10 minutes early due to a scuffle involving players and spectators.

Marist St Pat’s slayed the Avalon Wolves second XV 94-5, meaning that MSP are the only unbeaten side in the Harper Lock Shield following Norths’ defeat.

Elsewhere, third-placed Poneke beat Paremata-Plimmerton 36-0, OBU beat HOBM 33-14 and Johnsonville tipped over Petone 25-24.

Women’s

Northern United defeated Oriental-Rongotai 32-22 in today’s feature Women’s first round Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy fixture at Jerry Collins Stadium.

Ories scored the game’s opening try to No. 8 Tina Paulo but much of the remainder of the first half was all Norths, who ran in four consecutive tries playing into the wind to lead 24-5.

The Norths blindside flanker was sin-binned late in the half, allowing Ories to come back and score to close the gap to 12-22.

Norths midfielder Helen Collins and both props, Dora Laupola and Patsy Schwalger, were outstanding, and it was Laupola who scored soon after halftime to increase their lead to 29-12.

Ories cut the gap to 17-29 but Norths closed with the match-winner that made it 34-17. Centre Ayseha Leti’l’iga scored an 80 metre counter-attacking try for Ories with a few minutes to play.

Both these teams are behind Paremata-Plimmerton who lead the standings with an extra game played after beating Poneke 77-5. Wellington Pride wing Tove Svanborg scored four tries and three other players scored two tries.

Injury-depleted Marist St Pat’s had a good 38-22 win over Avalon and Petone beat Old Boys University 21-7.

Colts

Marist St Pat’s continued on their merry way in the Les Mills Paris Memorial Trophy Colts grade, beating last year’s winners Petone 31-12.

The OBU Goats have slipped into second with a 38-14 over the HOBM Green side.

Ories beat Tawa 38-19, after racing to a 17-0 lead that soon became 24-0 by the end of the first 40 minutes.

The fourth scheduled match between the Upper Hutt Rams and Northern United has been postponed for reasons that aren’t clear.

In the Colts RD Cup second division, Wellington beat Avalon 24-14, OBU Black beat OBU White 47-7, Wainuiomata beat Johnsonville 19-15 and Paremata-Plimmerton beat Poneke 29-10 to claim their fifth straight win.

In U85kg rugby for the Paul Potiki Shield, Avalon won today’s early season table-clashing clash, beating Eastbourne 15-6.

In the second round of the pre-season First XV Tranzit series played in Hastings, St Pat’s Silverstream defeated last year’s national champions Hastings Boys’ High School 14-7.

There was little joy for the three other Wellington teams. Scots College lost out 20-22 to Palmerston North BHS, while St Pat’s Town were mauled 8-68 by Napier Boys’ High School and Wellington College missed out 8-48 to Gisborne Boys’ High School.