Win or bust for playoff hopefuls in penultimate round

Above: Josh Hunt and the Upper Hutt Rams are hoping to push on through to the semi-finals when they play Petone in a clutch sixth round Hardham Cup fixture tomorrow. The good news is the weather is going to be much better than last weekend. PHOTO: Hugh Pretorius. 

After last weekend’s difficult weather conditions look to be much better for tomorrow’s penultimate rounds in the main grades and hopefully with it open running rugby.    

The carrot for several teams is that they can punch their ticket for the playoffs in their grade while for others its win or bust, and there’s key matches in every grade starting with the two Women’s Division 1 clashes at 11.30am.    

At the Premier Men’s end, this is what remains for the 14 sides in the Jubilee and Hardham Cups.      

Jubilee Cup    

Norths (20) To play: Oriental-Rongotai (H), Old Boys-University (A) At the head of proceedings, the Swindale winners are all but there and probably only need a point from tomorrow’s tilt with Oriental-Rongotai at the JCS to qualify. Of course there are bigger and more important prizes at stake in coming weeks and it’s hard to see them lifting their foot off the pedal at this stage. Their side tomorrow has a number of changes including no Jackson Garden-Bachop or Faifili Levave, but lock Quaid Martin-Laumatia will start in his blazer game, and Chris Middleton will join the club’s list of centurions when he comes on from the bench.    

Hutt Old Boys Marist (17) To play: Bye, Poneke (A) Idle tomorrow with the bye, there’s one result that the Eagles will be most interested in and that will be the one at Evans Bay. The best case for them is an MSP win which could put them in the playoffs, depending on the number of bonus points Poneke gets in that situation. The worst is a Poneke win, which could – depending on other results tomorrow – leave them facing a virtual quarter-final at Kilbirnie Park next Saturday.      

Old Boys-University (15) To play: Tawa (A), Norths (H) Had the Goats hung on last Saturday and beaten Poneke both they and Norths would already be playoff-bound. However they didn’t and they aren’t yet, but can address that with a win tomorrow at Lyndhurst Park against Tawa, while conversely a second-consecutive loss could have them on the outside looking in if both Ories and Poneke get up. Joel Hintz makes his first start in the front-row with both Finnbarr Kerr-Newell and Jonathan Fuimaono overseas, while the only other change to last week’s line-up has Jared Verney named at 12 with Izzy Foai dropping back to the bench.    

Oriental-Rongotai (13) To play: Norths (A), Tawa (H) Coming off the bye, there’s only one way that the Magpies can assure themselves a semi-final place tomorrow and that is to beat Norths, allied to a Poneke loss. Should the reverse happen they’ll be on the team sitting outside the playoff places, and in any case a loss will still leave them work to do next weekend. It’s a remarkably settled team for Ories with just one change from the side that lost narrowly to OBU two weeks ago with Malo Tuitama replaced in midfield by veteran Paulo Aukuso, while Xavier Numia is on the bench for his return to club rugby after the NZ U20s campaign.    

Poneke (11) To play: Marist St Pats (A), Hutt Old Boys Marist (H) There’s no way of understating last week’s win for Poneke, as without it they would be all but gone from contention. It’s still a far from easy road that they face, but a win tomorrow against MSP and reversing the 42-28 result from the Swindale edition of the Battle of Kilbirnie is almost a must while their supporters will be after information from both Porirua and Lyndhurst. They’re about the only team not shorn of Wellington rep players with Isaia Walker-Leawere named with Jonte Miller, Jimmy Hewitt, and Jimmy-Lee Hongara all elevated to the starting line-up, and they’ll again lean heavily on talisman Greg Foe.    

Tawa (4) are still mathematically alive, but require two bonus point wins as well as both Oriental Rongotai (who they play next week) and Poneke to each lose their remaining fixtures.  

Marist St Pats (4) are already eliminated and will finish up their season with tomorrows home clash with Poneke, where they’ll be looking to not just end their great rivals season, but also their own seven-game losing run.      

Hardham Cup  

Wainuiomata (17) To play: Johnsonville (H), Wellington (A) It’s hard to imagine that the past two weekends could have gone any better for Wainuiomata; firstly beating Petone then sitting at home on their bye week while seeing Johnsonville beaten. Already guaranteed to be in the playoffs, the only question is where they’ll finish and a win tomorrow against the latter will all but mean that they’ll be at home for their semi-final. Michael Lealeva’a and Isaiah Mamea are tomorrow’s midfield pairing, while veterans Henry Smith and Teru Time are both named in their starting pack. There’s also one notable inclusion on their bench in former college phenom TJ Va’a, who could make his first club appearance in nearly two years.    

Petone (15) To play: Upper Hutt Rams (H), Johnsonville (A) The Villagers only need one point from their remaining two games, something you’d have heard before as that was their equation at the end of the Swindale Shield to make the Jubilee Cup. Unlike then though they should manage that with ease and a home-semi, but if lightning strikes twice they could still end up on the outside. Their ever-changing line-up to face the Upper Hutt Rams is without their Hurricanes locks, and there’s no Tupou Sopoaga either (he and his OBU brother Zeke have headed to Dunedin to take in Lima’s last Highlanders home game) with Andrew Christie making his first Premier start at No8 in his place. There’s also a pair of returning veterans with Willie Tufui back in midfield, and Eugene Smith is on the bench for game #199 of his storied Petone career.    

Johnsonville (15) To play: Wainuiomata (A), Petone (H) The Hawks could have put themselves in the playoffs last Saturday, but that loss means they’ll have to wait a week at least. They can take care of business with just two competition points over the next two weeks, or otherwise they’ll be relying on Wellington not beating Wainuiomata in next weekend’s final round. They’re almost unchanged from the side that went down to the Axemen last weekend with only props Tui Yandall and Tietie Tuimauga returning, while Matt Mullany is on the bench after being away with the Cook Islands side the past three weeks.    

Upper Hutt Rams (13) To play: Petone (A), Paremata-Plimmerton (H) As it stands, all the Rams need to do to make certain is to take one win from their remaining two games, and their best case is that if they win both they could emerge from it all with a home semi-final. But two losses will mean that they’ll be sweating on the result of the match at Hataitai next weekend, though before that though is tomorrow’s trip to Petone. The Rams have something of a loose forward crisis and haven’t been able to name a starting blindside for tomorrow, and there’s no Josh Houston-Tupou either. Still they’re able to name several of their consistent performers this season including both Josh Hunt and Tyler Tane.    

Wellington (11) To play: Bye, Wainuiomata (H) After overcoming Johnsonville last Saturday to keep their hopes alive, the Axemen will be hoping that either the Hawks or Rams (or both) lose their contests to stay afloat for another week and leave them with at least the possibility that they could make it if they beat Wainuiomata next week.    

Like Tawa in the Jubilee Cup, Paremata-Plimmerton (3) are also still alive. However that hinges on a series of circumstances that starts with beating Avalon at home with the full five points plus the Upper Hutt Rams getting nothing at Petone, and then similar happening again same next weekend. They have Blake Neve playing his 200th first-team game for the club.    

Already eliminated are Avalon (3) who finishes up their season away to Pare-Plim, and having been cruelly denied once again in the 80th minute last weekend.    

All six Premier matches kick-off at 2.45pm      

Premier Reserve Ed Chaney and HD Morgan Cups  

In the Ed Chaney section Ories (19) are confirmed semi-finalists ahead of their clash with Norths, sitting 10 points clear of Poneke who they’ve already beaten this round. MSP (17) can join them if they beat Poneke tomorrow, but with the bye next week it could be a nervous wait if they don’t. Norths (11) can advance their cause but have the leaders in the early game at Porirua Park while Poneke (9), OBU (8) and Tawa (5) – the latter pair playing each other at Lyndhurst – all need wins to stay in the hunt. HOBM (11) has this week’s bye.    

In the HD Morgan division it’s four into three. Petone (20) are already in the playoffs, with Wellington (15), Johnsonville (14), Upper Hutt Rams (14), and Wainuiomata (10) scrapping over the remaining places. Tomorrow’s matches have the Rams at Petone and Johnsonville over the Hill Road at William Jones while Wellington has the bye. The third match is at Ngati Toa between winless pair Pare-Plim (0) and Avalon (3) with both already out of contention.    

All six matches are at the normal 1pm start time.      

Women’s Tia Paasi Memorial and Izzy Ford Trophies   

Tomorrow sees the return match between the big two in Division 1 with Oriental-Rongotai (10) and Norths (15) taking to the Polo Ground. With both already assured of being in the playoffs, this match looms as a likely Finals preview; Norths will be looking to maintain their season-long unbeaten record, while Ories will be out for revenge after Norths ended their own streak 34-22 at Porirua Park in the first round.    

The second match of the day is at Ngati Toa where Paremata-Plimmerton and Marist St Pats will battle it out in what amounts to a virtual quarter-final for that fourth playoff place. Petone (6) have this week’s bye.    

In Division 2 leaders Hutt Old Boys Marist (15) are at home against valley rivals Avalon (5), while Old Boys-University (10) travels to Kilbirnie to face minnows Poneke (0).    

All four matches are 11.30am kick-offs.      

Les Mills Colts John E Kelly and Vic Calcinai Memorials    

A last week’s topsy-turvy events in the age-grade came to a head last Saturday with HOBM surprisingly comfortable 31-0 winners over leaders Norths. The latter remain on top of the Division 1 standings, but their lead has been cut to a single point and they aren’t even assured yet of a playoffs place. Norths’ (20) tomorrow face another tricky assignment against OBU Green (17) away at Te Whaea, while HOBM (19) head to Ngati Toa to face a Pare-Plim (8) side that needs a win themselves and results elsewhere to go their way if they are to remain in the playoff hunt. MSP (13) and Tawa (13) clash on the St Pats artificial where the winner could book their playoffs place, and in the fourth match winless pair Petone (4) and the Upper Hutt Rams (2) face off on the Petone Rec looking for a bright spot in their campaigns.    

In Wainuiomata (23) will look to retain top spot in Division 2 when they head to Hataitai Park to face Wellington (12). Oriental-Rongotai (22) will look to keep pace when they host OBU Black (16) at Polo, with Poneke (21) also looking to cement a playoff place when they head to Helston to play Johnsonville (5). Avalon (10) has the bye this week with OBU White having been withdrawn from the competition.    

All seven matches are at 1pm.      

Under 85kg restricted    

After last weekend’s hard-fought opening round, tomorrows matches in the Division 1 Paul Potiki Shield could be more of the same. JC Bowl winners Avalon, 10-5 victor’s over Eastbourne, head up the coast to visit Paraparaumu, who lost 8-10 to Tawa, at Waikanae Park. Eastbourne are at home at HW Shortt against the Upper Hutt Rams, while the OBU Bunnies will look to make up ground after having to default to the Rams last Saturday.    

In the Division 2 Tony O’Brien Shield matches first-up winners Johnsonville and Wests met at Helston and MSP and Wellington take to Kilbirnie Park. HOBM have the bye.

There’s no college rugby this weekend or next owing to the school holidays.