Focus on big games tomorrow in the second round

Above: Josh Houston-Tupou and the Upper Hutt Rams will want to arrest recent losses when they take on Wainuiomata while Api Naikatini and Johnsonville have their bye and the weekend off. 

UPDATED: After one weird weekend where there was considerable focus in off-field goings-on rather than those on it, hopefully normal transmission resumes tomorrow with a full round in the Jubilee and Hardham Cups. Another weekend of wet weather is likely to affect proceedings, but perhaps not the teams’ ambitions to move the ball and play entertaining rugby.

Note that this weekend the start times are all 30 minutes earlier due to the All Blacks vs France Test at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night.

Premier Jubilee Cup

After last weekend’s postponement where they were an innocent party to the whole saga, Swindale Shield winners Northern United belatedly get their Jubilee Cup quest underway when they take on the team they last faced on the field, Marist St Pat's, only this time at Evans Bay, but looking for the same outcome eve if that isn’t the same 64-36 scoreline.

For Norths, tighthead prop Jerome Va'ai  plays his 50th Premier match, while there is no Jackson Garden-Bachop on the teamsheet with Luke Bowden running the cutter at first five-eighth. Bowden will be up against evergreen Fa’atonu Fili.

For MSP the need to right the ship is becoming critical having lost three matches in a row and four of their last five, and another would put their Jubilee hopes on shaky ground even at this early stage. . James Tuia, who had a storming game against Norths a fortnight ago, returns to start at openside flanker for MSP, while Ryan Saunders starts on the wing for Kerrod Foase.

Through the cutting at the Polo Ground the other side that had an unexpected Saturday off, Poneke, make the short trip to take on Oriental-Rongotai. The Magpies second win of the year over MSP continued their run of victories and taking down their other eastern suburbs rival – and reversing the 28-25 result in Poneke’s favour from the Derby Day Jim Grbich Memorial Shield match – will put them well on their way. Like Norths, Poneke will have to shake off any rust quickly and recapture the form that carried them to resounding wins over Petone and Avalon to close out the Swindale Shield.

If it stays dry, Ories could have an edge i the backs, with some swift operators ready to pounce and Paula Kinikinilau coming off the bench for his first game in Wellington since the 2011 Jubilee Cup final. Poneke has made several changes from that which last played a fortnight ago, with Pakai Turia missing for this one and Galu Taufale coming off the bench. Tighthead prop Rhys Reiri plays his blazer game, while Billy Wallace competition leader Greg Foe packs down at No. 8 against Luca Rees who has scored 18 tries so far this season.

The third match of the day is unaffected by last weekend’s events as the two teams that followed Norths in the Swindale standings and contested last year’s Jubilee Cup final – Hutt Old Boys Marist and Old Boys-University – clash at the Hutt Rec. Despite being down on manpower last weekend owing in part to No.8 Lise Soloa’s wedding, the Eagles kept doing what they have all year and overcoming hurdles to get results like last weekend’s one over Tawa. Soloa (and others) return

The Goats had the scheduled bye last weekend and will have been both plotting their campaign and resting up. They’ll be keen to continue their recent stretch of dominance over tomorrows opponents which includes the 48-16 win five weeks ago, but they have been dealt something of a blow with news that long-serving inside back Tomasi Palu has been forced to retire due to a neck injury.

Old Boys University have made several changes to their side from a fortnight ago, including a new halfback-first five-eighth combination and a new prop making his Premier debut off the bench. Adrian Seumanufagai starts at halfback in place of Matt Fowler, while Cook Islands international Greg Mullany plays first five-eighth in place of Dale Sabbagh. Additionally, former St Pat’s Silverstream power prop Joel Hintz comes off the bench for his first Premier start after returning from Canterbury.

Tawa has this week’s bye.

Premier 2 Hardham Cup

Unlike the Jubilee Cup, all three matches were played last week. More than likely being somewhere they’d rather not be but are, Petone gets their Hardham Cup underway by hosting Avalon at the Petone Rec. The favourites on paper, the Villagers will now let their on-field efforts do the talking for them while the visiting Wolves will look to rebound after last week’s narrow loss to Wellington.

The Wolves welcome back Liddy Ah Wong to fullback, sidelined since their win over MSP a month ago, as part of several changes to last week. Chris Aumua moves from pivot to centre with Thomas Kiwara slotting in there. For Petone, Jack Coles and Mason Henry make their starting debuts. Injury rules out Mateaki Kafatolu, Jared Kahu, Eugene Smith, Glen Angus, Adam Simpson and Losi Filipo.

Over the Hill Road two more valley teams meet at William Jones with the Upper Hutt Rams visiting Wainuiomata. The two sides had contrasting results with the home team seeing off Pare-Plim, while the Rams dropped their third game in a row and became the first side to lose to Johnsonville this year. Both teams have made similar line-ups from last weekend. The Rams have made just one change to their starting XV from last Saturday, with Jack Wright coming off the pine for Josh Hunt at openside flanker. Wainuiomata lose the services of Peter Umaga-Jensen, who scored a brace at centre last round. With the match to be refereed by World Series Sevens whistler Richard Kelly who is in town as part of the officiating group for the Test match.

The last match is in the opposite corner of the province with Paremata-Plimmerton hosting Wellington at Ngati Toa. Pare-Plim will be looking to repeat their 14-8 win at Hataitai from the Swindale, while Wellington be after their third straight win but with a bit more breathing space than their last two, both of which went down to a kick on full-time to decide the result. Look out the Axemen’s inside back pairing of Gareth Simpson ad Te Raina Richards-Coxhead, while Paremata-Plimmerton have selected an unchanged team from that which took the field last week.

Johnsonville get to savour that first win of the year for another week with the bye this round.

All Premier matches are 30 minutes earlier this weekend, at either 12.15pm or 12.30pm.

Premier Reserve Ed Chaney and HD Morgan Cups

The top two in the Harper Lock Shield renew acquaintances in the Ed Chaney Cup in the early game at Evans Bay, with MSP coming off their first loss of the year and Norths the unplanned rest last Saturday. Around at Polo Ories take on Poneke, while in the third match HOBM – upset winners over Tawa – host OBU who are coming off their bye.

The three HD Morgan matches have first-up winners Wainuiomata hosting the Upper Hutt Rams at William Jones and Wellington heading out to Ngati Toa to face Pare-Plim. The third match has Petone getting their campaign underway at home on the Rec against Avalon.

Tawa and Johnsonville have the respective byes while all six matches are also earlier this week, with kickoff at either 12.15pm or 12.30pm.

Women’s

After the conclusion of the first-round Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy the Women take a week off with the second round Division 1 Tia Paasi Memorial Trophy and Division 2 Izzy Ford Trophy to kick off next week. However the provinces best players will still be in action, with a Pride trial scheduled for 11.30 at the Petone Rec.

Les Mills Colts

Like the Premiers the Colts are also into round two. In the Division 1 John E Kelly Memorial there’s one clash between sides that won their opening game with HOBM taking on OBU Green at the Hutt Rec. Also winning first-up were Norths and first-round winners MSP, with Norths taking on the Upper Hutt Rams on the JCS and MSP away against Petone on the Petone Rec. The fourth match is at Ngati Toa where Pare-Plim take on near-neighbours Tawa.

The Division 2 Vic Calcinai Trophy gets underway tonight with first-up winners OBU Black and Wainuiomata meeting at Te Whaea, while across town Johnsonville and Avalon take to Alex Moore Park – both games at 7.30pm. Tomorrow’s two matches sees an eastern suburbs derby between Ories and Poneke at Polo, with Wellington and OBU White taking to Hataitai Park.

All of tomorrow's matches are presently scheduled for 12.30pm kickoffs.

College

Like the last two weeks the Premiership round had a Wednesday start with Silverstream maintaining their unbeaten start by beating Rongotai 65-0. Tomorrows four matches are headlined by the clash between the other two unbeaten sides, Scots and St Pats Town, in Strathmore with each looking to get a march on the other for a potential home semi-final, even at this early stage.

At the other end of the table the two winless sides, Hutt International and Porirua, will battle it out to get off the mark in Trentham, while Wellington College will look to get something positive after a rough couple of weeks that and Tuesday’s 7-15 loss in the rain to Christchurch Boys’ High School when they head to St Bernard’s. The remaining clash sees Kapiti make the haul to Masterton to take on Wairarapa in a noon kick-off.

In Premier 2 Aotea and the Silverstream 2nds are the remaining unbeatens, and tomorrow Aotea host winless Upper Hutt with Silverstream doing the same against valley counterparts Hutt Valley HS (at 1.30pm). In the other three matches Tawa host the Wellington College 2nds, the Town 2nds are at Onslow, and bottom pair Paraparaumu and Taita meet up the coast.

All matches are at 2pm this week, unless stated otherwise.

Aside from the test match, there are two other matches on tomorrow in Wellington. Horowhenua-Kapiti club side Toa – who usually play their home matches at Te Atiawa Park in Paraparaumu but draw a number of their players from the Porirua and Tawa areas – are playing their Premier and Reserve matches against Shannon at Mana College, with TV’s Grassroots rugby in attendance.