Jubilee Cup final preview

This year's Jubilee Cup final pits the best performing Wellington Premier team of the last three decades against the top team of the last five years. Today Marist St. Pat's will be gunning for their 12th Jubilee Cup in the last 30 years since they won their first in 1978. That would give them a winning strike-rate of one every 2.5 years, a record in Wellington club rugby comparable with the all-conquering Ian Upston-coached Petone teams of the late 1960s and 1970s.

But the Red Machine hasn't won the coveted Jubilee Cup for six years when they beat Old Boys-University in the 2002 final, despite making two finals since in 2003 and 2007. Instead they have been overshadowed in recent times by their opposition today Northern United, champions in 2004 and 2006 and beaten finalists by a whisker in 2005.

A new powerhouse arose in 2003 when Norths won their first Swindale shield, and then defeated Poneke 20-18 and 25-12 in their two wins to date. Their last win also secured them both the Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cup titles in the same year, a feat last achieved by MSP in 1999 which they will be trying for today after winning this year's first round title.

Despite both teams missing several frontline players to representative duties, fans can expect an intense battle today, similar to both their semi-final wins last week that saw MSP beat Poneke 19-5 and Norths see off Petone 18-5, with both victories only decided deep into the second halves of play. If the tight nature of past Jubilee Cup finals is anything to go by then little will separate MSP and Norths. In six finals at Westpac Stadium between 2000 and 2005 the widest winning margin was no greater than five points and last year Hutt Old Boys Marist beat MSP 18-10 after only leading 6-3 after 50 minutes.

As such patience and composure will be the keys to victory for the winning side, particularly in the set-piece forward exchanges and at first five-eighth. Past finals experience will be crucial, between such players as MSP props Jamie Parkinson and Jonathan Hopgood and Norths prop Fono Salu and flanker Anare Koliavu. Look out for first fives Fa'atonu Fili and Rob Aloe to each be a major influence too.