All set for first round silverware Saturday

It’s the final round of the Swindale and Harper Lock Shields tomorrow, the end of thirteen rounds of action before the competitions split next week. The two pieces of silverware are still up for grabs so there will plenty of tension and excitement, while elsewhere the Women’s first-round winners could be found tomorrow.

Elsewhere there’s a full slate of College action, as well as 85s and some Reserve grade with other club grades having the long weekend off.

Finally, it’s also Old Timers' Day at Norths, so Porirua Park will be a busy place!

Premier Swindale Shield

It’ll be a colossal afternoon with the Swindale Shield going right down to the line and any of three teams – Norths, OBU, or HOBM – could be in possession of it by 5pm tomorrow, so supporters of each of those teams will be keeping eyes and ears out for information from the other two venues. However there is a tie on points the title won’t be shared as it has been every other time since the trophy was reintroduced in 1969; rather tiebreakers will be used to determine a sole winner after a re-write of the relevant WRFU by-laws ahead of last season.

Further down the order there’s the identity of the last team to make the Jubilee Cup to be found; will it be Petone or Oriental-Rongotai?

Northern United's win over OBU last weekend didn’t just keep them in contention for the Swindale Shield but also elevated them into the box seat (see below), but to make absolutely certain and claim their first Swindale since 2011 they need the maximum five points when they host Marist St Pat's at Jerry Collins Stadium. The home team has named perhaps the strongest side available to them with Mike Ioapo and Ethan Robinson-Mate back in the front row and, with Esi Komaisavai out for a few weeks due to injury, Mike Teofilo at halfback; otherwise they’re unchanged from the side that edged the Goats in last weekend’s pulsating thriller.

It’s perhaps wrong to say the wheels have come off MSP’s season, but they’re definitely a bit wobbly and they will be looking for a performance more like that against Poneke two weeks ago than the ones they’ve served up in their past two home games against Avalon and Ories. That said, they’ve also made just three changes rather than wholesale ones. Regan Sword comes in at halfback in their only backline change while in the pack Josh To’omaga switches to lock to accommodate Tom Horan on the blindside.

Additionally, after years of joking that the only trophy the two played for was the Jubilee Cup, the two clubs will inaugurate an interclub trophy tomorrow. It honours Maurice Standish who was a Jubilee Cup winner as both a player and a coach with MSP, played for Titahi Bay, and later coached at Norths. It is expected that Maurice will be on hand to present it himself.

Across town at Nairnville Park Old Boys-University know that their hopes of a Swindale three-peat is now out of their hands, as they can only do what they can against Petone which is to win with four tries and hope that MSP tip Norths over or deny them four tries. On the other side of that they could consign the Villagers – and their former coach Jeremy Little – to the Hardham Cup as Petone need just a point for safety but having failed to do that last weekend it’s the last-chance saloon this time out for them.

Injuries have again robbed the Goats of some of their names with Tomasi Palu out tomorrow and Teariki Ben Nicholas a possibility only for the bench. Will Mangos shifts to the back of the scrum with Matt Fowler behind him, while Te Wehi Wright is on the bench for his first outing of the season. That same bug also has Petone without eight first-choice players including Mateaki Kafatolu, Losi Filipo, and Carlos Price. Jordan Gogo and Taurima Morris both start after try-scoring efforts off the pine last weekend with Piri Paraone in the #10 jersey. There’s also the interest of brothers Tupou and Zeke Sopoaga facing off against each other.

The two sides will once again contest their Marc Verhoeven Memorial Trophy. Nicknamed ‘Alby’, Verhoeven captained the Wellington representative side, was a Jubilee Cup winning captain with Petone in 1990, and in 1992 was OBU’s (then known as Harlequins) first captain following the merger. His death in Australia in 2011 following complications during surgery aged just 50 shocked many in the local game.

The third contender is Hutt Old Boys Marist, who host Wainuiomata at the Hutt Rec. A point behind they too can only take care of their own business and hope results fall their way if the Swindale is to reside at the Nest for the summer. They’ll have to do that without Sheridan Rangihuna with Matt Poole starting in his place, and Rei Manaia, Jared Woodward, and Jayden Treviranus all return to the starting side with Chase Tiatia at fullback this week.

Last weekend’s loss to Wellington combined with Poneke’s win extinguished the visitors hopes, and they’ll contest the Hardham Cup for the first time since 2010. However, that’s unlikely to stop them trying to get one over their neighbours and rivals, and they’re able to include Peter Umaga-Jensen for another week where this time he’ll partner Marvin Karawana in midfield. They’ll however be without goal-kicking ace Justin Wilson and some of their big ball carriers in the pack.

So to recap what happens in the event of ties:

• If Norths and OBU finish tied, then Norths will be declared winners due to their win last weekend
• If OBU and HOBM are tied, then OBU will be the winners because of their 48-16 win a month ago 
• If Norths and HOBM are tied, then HOBM are the winners because of their 47-17 win in the second week of the season
• Should all three teams tie, then the first tie-breaker is the number of matches won in the Swindale round, which would eliminate OBU as the Goats have won one fewer game than the other two. The next tiebreaker is points difference (HOBM are currently +159, Norths +146), and if that is tied then it becomes points scored – currently Norths have amassed 452 against HOBM’s 438.

A very interested party in one of those matches will be Oriental-Rongotai, who are away against bottom-side Johnsonville at Helston Park. The Magpies did exactly what they had to last weekend in taking a bonus point win against MSP, and got what they wanted with Petone not getting any competition points across the road. They need that to happen again tomorrow, and if it does they’ll tie the Villagers on 37 points and make the Jubilee Cup at their expense due to their 25-17 win four weeks ago.

Ories have just two changes with Poasa Poasa coming in for younger brother Penieli in the front row and Connor Lemon switching back to hooker; otherwise their sticking with the hot hands from last weekend. Only once this year have the Hawks held their opponents to fewer than four tries – Wellington on Opening Day – and just need to turn their ability to hold onto the ball for long periods into points. Their latest addition is former Samoa A and Wanganui prop Tietie Tuimauga, who’ll start at tighthead next to Hurricanes call-in Nathan Vella.

The two sides also play for their Ash Pointon Cup. Pointon played over 250 Premier matches across both clubs and was a well-respected member of the Wellington rugby community right up until his passing a year ago this week. Ories hold this after their 34-19 win at Polo in the same round last year.

The remaining three matches are all dead-rubbers in the sense that they don’t affect the title or which competition they’ll be playing in next week. One of these matches has already been played, with Wellington prevailing 49-47 over the Upper Hutt Rams in a thriller last night, with the other two tomorrow.

After making certain of their place in the Jubilee Cup last weekend Tawa host Hardham Cup-bound Paremata-Plimmerton at Lyndhurst Park in their third defence of the Bill Brien Challenge Trophy. Long-serving prop Tolu Fahamokioa will captain the home team tomorrow with the trio of Kem Hauiti-Parapara, James So’oialo, and Kalim Kelemete all given a bit of a breather and named on the bench ahead of Monday’s hit-out match in Levin. Opposing skipper James Corcoran will lead the visitors as he plays his 50th game for Pare-Plim, and their side includes returns for Tane McMillan-Parata and brothers Dre and Broadus Melvin.

The final game on tomorrow is out at Fraser Park where Avalon and Poneke take to the grass rather than the turf. The Wolves get a couple of their big boppers – Sefo Aumua (for his 50th Premier match) and Daley Ena – back after they missed the win over Pare-Plim, while Poneke will again have Isaia Walker-Leawere in their side, but will be without Pakai Turia (who’s being rested) with English youngster Charlie Robertson-Vick handed the reins at first-five. The teams respective top try-scorers Chris Aumua and Nick Robertson will see if they can add to their personal tallies.

All six matches tomorrow are at the usual 2.45pm start time.

Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield

There’s only one game in the grade that matters, and that’s at Jerry Collins Stadium where second-placed Norths take on unbeaten leaders Marist St Pat's in what amounts to a virtual final. MSP hold a two-point edge in the standings, but that counts for nothing as there’s no way they can lose tomorrow and still emerge with the title, so its winner takes all.

OBU and Petone meet in another top-five match at Nairnville, Poneke will look to secure third when they venture to Avalon, Tawa host bottom-side Pare-Plim, mid-table pair Johnsonville and Ories meet at Helston, HOBM and Wainuiomata will battle over local rights in the early game at the Hutt Rec, and although their Premier sides played last night the Axemen and Rams B-sides will still play their contest tomorrow at Hataitai.

All seven matches are at 1pm.

Women’s Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy

Just two weekends remain in the first round, and the first of this week’s games has already been played with Petone trouncing MSP 74-17 on Wednesday night. Tomorrow Norths can sew up the first-round silverware when they face neighbours Paremata-Plimmerton on the #2 ground at Porirua Park, while Oriental-Rongotai will be hoping for their great rivals to slip up and get the win themselves against Old Boys-University at the Polo Ground. The final match of the round has the bottom pair – Poneke and Hutt Old Boys Marist – meeting at Kilbirnie, while Avalon has this week’s bye.

There are two notable milestones in tomorrow’s round of matches, both at the Polo Ground. OBU stalwart Gina Williamson reaches a century of appearances for the Impala’s, while Ories and Pride tighthead Janet Taumoli brings up 50 games for the Magpies.

All three matches tomorrow are at the normal 11.30am kickoff.

College

Like the Women’s, the round in the College Premiership got off to an early start with Wednesday’s win by St Pats Town over Wellington College in their annual Traditional match. Tomorrow’s four matches is highlighted by the eastern suburbs derby between Rongotai and Scots which is a feature of Rongotai’s 90th anniversary celebrations this weekend, while Silverstream make the journey over the Remutaka’s to face Wairarapa in Masterton. Four sides will be looking for their first wins in the remaining matches with Kapiti heading to Trentham to face Hutt International, and Porirua at home against St Bernard’s after easing past Premier 3 side Mana in Wednesday’s Beard Trophy match.

In Premier 2 all of the matches pit a team that won last weekend against one that lost. All three 2nd XV’s are at home with Wellington College hosting Aotea and Silverstream likewise for Paraparaumu (both at 1pm), with St Pats Town being visited by Upper Hutt. In the pair of all-1st XV matches Tawa make the journey to Taita, and Onslow are at home against Hutt Valley High.

Unless stated all matches are 2.30pm kickoffs.