This week in club rugby history: 3-9 July

Above: When Petone beat Wainuiomata 27-25 in a come-from-behind win, this week in 2014. 

In association with Lovelocks Sports Bar on Bond Street in Wellington, some highlights from this week in Wellington club rugby history are below.

3 July

1976: The Wellington Axemen prevail 10-7 over MSP. The match is locked up at 7-7 late in the piece when Wellington captain Graham Williams hands the ball to fullback Geoff Stone for a crucial penalty. Stone, who has already missed two easy kicks today, makes no mistake.

1983: A day after the All Blacks beat the British Isles 15-8 in Dunedin, Murray Mexted (Wellington) and Stu Wilson (WCOB) step off the plane and on to the club field for this Sunday round to help their sides to first round Jubilee Cup wins. Meanwhile, Ken Laban scores a try in West’s first ever Jubilee Cup match, the Roosters losing 7-10 to Petone.

1988: MSP right wing Chris Welch scores five tries in his side’s first round Jubilee Cup opener against new championship side Wainuiomata. MSP win 73-3.

1993: Avalon prop Huia Gordon scores a hat-trick in his side’s 66-15 win over Norths.

2010: Poneke grabs one of the more sensational Wellington club rugby victories, coming from behind late in the match to pip neighbours Marist St. Pat's 23-21. In a dramatic finish, Poneke comes back from a 6-21 deficit after 75 minutes with two converted tries and a penalty at the death.

4 July

1998: Competition leaders Western Suburbs kick an injury-time penalty to scramble a 9-9 draw with MSP. First five-eighth Scott Leighton steps up in the 85th minute to kick the equaliser. Elsewhere, Tawa first five-eighth Ryan Craig lands seven from seven in his side’s 41-20 win over Petone. Wests and Tawa will meet in the Jubilee Cup final in a little over three weeks.

2009: A late try to captain and No. 8 Misipalauni Moananu clinches a stunning victory for Poneke over Hutt Old Boys Marist in a heart stopper at the Hutt Recreation Ground. Moananu scores off the back of a scrum in the 78th minute and first five-eighth Sam Rasch adds the conversion to give Poneke a 31-29 victory over HOBM. The result is significant for both teams, helping propel Poneke to the top qualifier’s position for the semi-finals while helping to shut the Eagles and 2007 champions out of the playoffs.

5 July

1969: Petone win the inaugural first round Swindale Shield competition today, but Oriental-Rongotai are desperately unlucky to miss out on the Jubilee Cup. Needing a win to go through, Ories lose to Wellington 12-9 after leading with several minutes to play. Ories will win the Hardham Cup later in the season.

1986: Upper Hutt beats defending champions Wellington 18-17 in a key upset of the season. Wellington led 10-0 at halftime but, despite Murray Pierce ruling the lineouts, let Upper Hutt back into the game and first five-eighth Sam McLean kicks a late winning penalty.

2008: Swindale Shield champions Marist St. Pat's take a major step towards their 12th Jubilee Cup title in defeating Northern United 25-17 in today’s fourth round clash at Porirua Park. MSP's 14th consecutive win this season sees them maintain their two-point lead at the top of the points table, while Norths have now lost their last two games. Norths outscore MSP three tries to one, including a 70 metre effort by fullback Buxton Popoalii, but they let themselves down through poor discipline and MSP first five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili boots 17 points. MSP and Norths will go to draw the Jubilee Cup final 10-10.

2014: Not one, but two remarkable come-from-behind wins in the Jubilee Cup has made the race to the 2014 playoffs one of the most exciting in years. The two headline results today in the Jubilee Cup are Petone's 27-25 win over Wainuiomata and the Upper Hutt Rams' 34-30 victory over Old Boys University. Both are achieved in the dying minutes of play.

6 July

1973: Horrendous weather forces the cancellation of all senior club rugby in Wellington, putting the competition back a week at the end of the season.

1991: Flanker Mark Purdy and No. 8 Isaac Adams have blinders for Upper Hutt as they pip Avalon 13-9 at Maidstone Park. Soon-to-be champions Hutt Old Boys beat Wellington 28-21 at Athletic Park.

1996: All Black Alama Ieremia scores one and wing Steve Skinnon scores a hat trick as Wests go to the top of the table with a 43-15 win over Upper Hutt. Soon-to-be Jubilee Cup champions Poneke are still back in the pack, despite beating Norths 25-11.

2002: Norths show superior hunger and commitment to steal a 14-11 victory off competition leaders MSP at Porirua Park. MSP took an 8-0 lead into halftime, but, with the win, Norths storm to victory with tries to flanker Tui Meavao and wing Cassidy Godinet after a clean break by first five-eighth Rob Aloe. Elsewhere, Ma’a Nonu scores his 8th try of the season in Ories’ 34-17 win over Upper Hutt

2013: Old Boys University beat red-hot Tawa 31-28 in the Nairnville Park mud. After trailing 21-8 at halftime, OBU come roaring back with the wind in their favour to tie the score up to 21-21 midway through the second half and then 28-28 with the clock winding down. Player of the match, Wellington and Highlanders first five-eighth Lima Sopoaga then kicks the winner at the end for the Billy Goats. Tawa goes on to beat OBU in their semi-final three weeks later.

7 July

1956: Leading contenders Petone are given a fright by the Ivan Vodanovich -led Marist Old Boys side, before racing clear toward the end and winning 22-3. For Petone, former All Black Bob Scott and new All Black Don McIntosh are outstanding figures, while New Zealand Maori wing T.PKatene scores a hat-trick.

1962: Petone keeps the McBain Shield for the 10th straight year, beating Hutt 11-9, Oriental grabs their first win of the year, overwhelming Athletic 13-12, while Onslow are swept from the top of the table, losing 8-12 to University.

1979: Unbeaten MSP are trailing Athletic 9-10 deep into the match when first five-eighth Tu Wylie carves through to score a 50-metre try that sets up a 21-19 win. Meanwhile, MSP’s main rivals for the title Petone defeat Poneke 38-14, despite Poneke wing Wayne Collins scoring two solo tries.

1984: MSP let slip a 15-0 halftime lead to lose to Petone 15-16. In a heart-stopping finish, Petone first five-eighth Murray Blandford pots a dropped goal with only a few minutes left. Blandford has previously scored a 60th minute try off a charge-down to get Petone to 13-15.

2007: MSP emerge today as the only unbeaten side after four rounds of the Jubilee Cup, beating Tawa 23-16 away at Lyndhurst Park to move two points clear of second placed Hutt Old Boys Marist who loses their first second-round game to Northern United 28-5 at home. HOBM are undone by a brilliant Sinoti Sinoti double and never recover. MSP and HOBM are destined to meet in the final at Westpac Stadium five weeks from now.

8 July

1978: MSP crushes an understrength Petone 38-9 to effectively end Petone’s 1978 Jubilee Cup challenge, while the Wellington Axemen overrun University 29-0 in these two third-round Jubilee Cup clashes. MSP and Wellington go on to share the title.

1995: A try in the last second to halfback Derek Stone by MSP to give them a 28-28 draw with Harlequins has seemingly shut Harlequins out of the playoffs. But when Johnsonville captain Kerry Whale scores a hat-trick to beat Wellington 29-12, Harlequins seal fourth place ahead of the Axemen.

2000: Poneke upset previously unbeaten MSP 19-13 to propel them into the top four with one round remaining. Poneke’s forwards steamroll their opposites and secure victory by scoring off a lineout try in the corner.

2006: It’s a day for the traditional big guns in the Jubilee Cup, with MSP, Poneke and Petone all coming to the fore with significant wins in fourth round action to set up a real dogfight over the remaining three rounds in the race to the playoffs. Most momentous is MSP's hugely needed 17-10 upset victory over previously unbeaten Northern United, while Poneke outlasts Old Boys-University 16-7 at home in another key result.

9 July

1938: Form is turned on its head when previous leaders Poneke are upset by the previous winless Johnsonville 9-6. The loss spells the end of Poneke’s 1938 Jubilee Cup challenge, Petone winning the title.

1977: Athletic celebrate an upset 15-14 win over Petone, after fullback Brian Cederwall kicks the winning goal with 10 minutes left. Also on this day, minnows Onslow stun MSP 7-3. Athletic go on to win their last ever Jubilee Cup, before amalgamating with Onslow in 1982 to form Wests.

1988: MSP wins away at Petone for the first time in 17 years. Peter O’Shaughnessy kicking 19 points and wing Damien O’Brien scoring two tries in the 31-18 victory.

1994: Brothers Mike and Tana Umaga score five tries between them in Petone’s 81-18 win over Western Suburbs.

2005: Swindale Shield winners Upper Hutt take on defending champions Norths. In a brutal encounter, Norths win 10-8 and book a home semi-final with three weeks to spare.

2011: A ferocious storm accompanied by thunder and lightning, heavy rain and high winds from the north arrives around mid-afternoon Undeterred, home team Oriental-Rongotai holds out eastern suburbs rivals Poneke 23-19 at the Polo Ground, to remain unbeaten after five rounds and become the first team to officially qualify for the semi-finals. At William Jones Park, Wainuiomata, with the help of super-sub Piri Weepu in the second half, come back to score a late converted try to draw their match 7-7 with Northern United.