This week in club rugby history: 23-29 July

Above: Wainuiomata's bench looks on as MSP's Ryan Setefano attempts a chargedown in Wainuiomata's 26-14 2014 Jubilee Cup semi-final win at home. Wainuiomata went on to meet Hutt Old Boys Marist in the final. 

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

23 July

1938: Petone beat Athletic 6-3 by the margin of “two penalty goals to a try” in their top of the table clash. The two teams went into this game as joint leaders, but this win gives Petone the edge and they go on and win their third Jubilee Cup against the 1936 and 1937 champions.

1983: Wellington left wing Jim Morgan grabs a second half hat-trick in the Axemen’s 40-15 win over Upper Hutt today. Morgan credits his forwards Jim Mei, Murray Pierce, Alan Mexted, Nigel Hughes and Paul McKay for the win. Wellington and MSP are the two unbeaten teams after four rounds of the Jubilee Cup after MSP beats Wests 22-9, after trailing 6-9 at the interval.

2011: Ories hold on to earn top spot for next week's 2011 Jubilee Cup semi-finals with tenacious 12-8 win over Wainuiomata in terrible conditions in the last round. Ories will host Hutt Old Boys Marist at the Polo Ground in one Jubilee Cup semi-final after HOBM beat winless Upper Hutt 22-5 away at Maidstone Park, while second placed qualifier Poneke and third placed Northern United will do it all again at Kilbirnie Park after Norths overrun the red and blacks 19-13 on their own turf. Ories collect the Andy Leslie Trophy for the first time for winning the round-robin and also qualify for their Jubilee Cup semi-finals berth since 2002.

2016: Points differential. That’s what this year’s Jubilee Cup semi-finals come down to after a drama-filled final day of round-robin matches played in appalling conditions. While Marist St Pat’s seal top spot for next week’s semi-finals and with it the Andy Leslie Trophy, and four teams are left in second equal place on the ladder. Tawa, Wainuiomata, Oriental-Rongotai and defending champions Old Boys University all finish the regular season on 19 points. With just three semi-finals places to be filled it came down to who had the better points differential and Tawa’s was +26, Wainuiomata’s +4, Ories’ -4 and OBU’s -26. OBU are particularly disappointed after beating Ories 25-24 on the day but missing out.
24 July

1937: Wellington thrashes Poneke 30-11 at Anderson Park, in a notable upset result of the season. Both teams finish mid-table, however, defending champions Athletic going back-to-back and winning the 1937 Jubilee Cup.

1982: Petone play effective 10-man rugby to beat leaders Wellington 20-16 in front of 5,000 at Athletic Park - thus ensuring that the 1982 Jubilee Cup is shared between the Villagers and the Axemen.

1993: In a rematch of the Swindale Shield ‘final’ earlier in the season, Petone reverses their earlier defeat and beats Avalon 21-19 in this last round-robin Jubilee Cup encounter to finish as top qualifier for the semi-finals. Avalon qualifies third behind Petone and MSP who defeat Upper Hutt 39-10.

1994: Petone, MSP, Harlequins and Avalon secure this year’s Jubilee Cup semi-finals spots after today’s Sunday round to end the regular season. MSP beat Avalon 42-10, but Avalon holds fourth spot after rivals HOBM lose 18-24 to Wellington. Of the other semi-finalists, Harlequins battle to a 9-5 win over Wests and Petone smoke Poneke 55-10.

1999: Poneke beat Petone 20-7 and MSP edge Wests 16-15 in the Jubilee Cup semi-finals. Poneke beat Petone with a typically tradesmen-like performance while MSP wing Lome Fa’atau swoops on a dropped ball and runs away to score the try that ends defending champions Wests’ season.

2010: At Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt are desperately unlucky not to have scored themselves a major scalp in Swindale Shield champions Norths - who had put 82 points on them in the first round. It takes a late penalty to fullback Buxton Popoalii to seal the tied 23-23 result for Norths. Scores were locked at 10-10 late in the first half, but a converted try to lock James Wall puts the home side ahead 20-10 at the break. Norths come back, but Upper Hutt fullback Jason Woodward scores 13 points. Norths go on to win this year’s Jubilee Cup.

25 July

1959: Petone will have to wait another round to claim the Jubilee Cup after losing dramatically to Marist 9-11. Petone think that they have scored the match and championship winning try at the end, but the referee rules otherwise. Heading into next week’s last round, the points table thus has Petone on 22 and University, Wellington, Athletic and Marist all on 21. With two points for a win, Petone can still claim the title outright, which they do.

1981: MSP are now clear-cut favourites to take out this year’s Jubilee Cup in three weeks from now, beating Wellington 24-14. Murray Tocker kicks five out of seven of his attempts...Petone are now clear second, after coming back from 0-3 at halftime to beat Poneke 19-3.

1987: Veteran midfield back Jim Morgan takes full advantage of a drifting Poneke defence to dash in for tries in Wellington’s 25-6 win to see them clear leaders at the top of the Jubilee Cup table after four rounds. Wellington FC goes on to win this year’s Jubilee Cup – its last ever championship win.

1998: Western Suburbs are too slick for Tawa in the Final at the Petone Recreation Ground. Their outside backs score all eight tries in the 53-21 win - centre Mark Fatialofa and fullback Toby Robson scoring two tries each. For Wests, it’s their first (and only) Jubilee Cup since the club’s formation in 1983, while Tawa are playing in their first and only final.

2009: Already confirmed semi-finalists Northern United beat Petone 29-20 in the last round set of matches today, this result ensuring Poneke, who beat Ories 18-5, qualifies top and wins the Andy Leslie Trophy. Petone finish second, MSP third and Norths fourth - the latter pair going on to meet in the final.

2015: Top qualifier Old Boys University and Marist St Pat’s will contest the 2015 Jubilee Cup final, after each winning epic semi-finals in Wellington today in bright sunshine. At the Basin Reserve, Old Boys University scored a late try, converted from the sideline by fullback Sam Chamberlain, before watching a death-knock James Proctor sail wide to hold on and beat Oriental-Rongotai 20-18.nAt Evans Bay Park, Marist St Pat’s beat Tawa 27-23 in a titanic struggle.
26 July

1986: MSP and Petone are locked in a two-horse race for this year’s Jubilee Cup honours, both recording their sixth straight victories today –albeit in contrasting circumstances. MSP demolish Wests 33-10 but Petone snatches a last-second 13-12 win over Wellington. MSP and Petone will meet next Saturday in the ‘final’.

1997: MSP’s 22-9 win over Wests and Petone’s 31-24 victory over Harlequins has ensured for the second time in four years that the Jubilee Cup final will showcase one of the great rivalries in Wellington rugby. MSP score key tries, to No.8 Issac Feaunati, while Jason O’Halloran’s scores a brace for Petone.

2014: In an All Hutt Valley final, HOBM will appear in their first Jubilee Cup final since 2007 and Wainuiomata will be playing in their maiden season decider.The two clubs win their semi-finals in contrasting circumstances. Top qualifier HOBM beat Oriental-Rongotai 43-26, ending Ories' run of three consecutive finals appearances. Wainuiomata pulls clear to defeat Marist St Pat's 26-13.

27 July

1929: University throws the ball about in “dazzling fashion” to beat Poneke 24-9 and take a decisive three-point lead at the top of the table to Petone, closely followed by Athletic who themselves are “upset” 13-8 by Marist Old Brothers in this round. The Dominion reports that the 5,000 spectators present at Athletic Park “enjoyed the bright display given by the ‘Varsity fifteen’” against Poneke. University, renowned for running rugby in later years, go on to win the first ever Jubilee Cup title.

1963: University beat previous leaders Marist 20-11 in icy conditions, Ken Comber scoring a stunning individual try from his own side of halfway by ducking and weaving a way through half the Marist side. Despite the loss with two rounds to play, Marist regroups and win the Jubilee Cup.

1991: Hutt Old Boys defeat Upper Hutt 21-10 and Poneke draw 13-13 with Petone, meaning Hutt and Poneke will meet in next Sunday’s final. Hutt’s young side continues its revival after just scraping into the top 8, while Poneke must rely on the boot of Steve Hirini to save them from defeat. Hirini kicks a penalty with about five minutes to play.

1996: Poneke and Wests will square off in next week’s final after winning their respective semi-finals today in tough battles. Poneke beats Harlequins 23-13 and Wests defeats Avalon 16-8. Elsewhere, Petone beats Wellington 43-15 in their Hardham Cup semi-final, bringing up their 600th point of the second round with their last try.

2001: MSP are trailing 15-16 with barely five minutes left in tonight’s semi-final at Westpac Stadium when MSP flanker Joe Lawn latches on to an errant Petone defensive lineout and scores the winning try. Previously, Tana Umaga had seemingly done enough for Petone with his try. MSP will meet Poneke in the final, after Poneke loses long-serving lock Richard Watt to injury during their 30-21 semi-final win over Avalon.

2013: Is this the greatest playoff of all time? Ories pip home side HOBM 30-27 in an extra time Jubilee Cup semi-final thriller. It takes a 97th-minute penalty to Cup veteran Fa’atonu Fili to break the deadlock after scores are locked at 20-20 at regulation fulltime and 27-27 deep into extra time. HOBM had thought they had the game won seven minutes from fulltime with a try that put them ahead 20-15. But Ories flanker Tutasi Masoe crashed over in the corner with the last play of the game, levelling the scores up.

28 July

1974: Petone accounts for Onslow 30-6 and are on track to meet Wellington in the Jubilee Cup “Final” in a fortnight. But two leading players, prop Gareth Head and centre Jim Brown, are both ordered off the field for fighting. Onslow also loses two players, flanker Rick Kaye and second five-eighth Bruce Niven. The four are the first players that match referee Colin Guppy has sent packing in 11 years of refereeing.

2000: Petone beats Poneke 20-17 under lights at Westpac Stadium in front of 7,000 club rugby fans. Poneke first five-eighth David Holwell is left ruing missing a straightforward penalty with time almost up that would have leveled the scores and seen the Jubilee Cup shared. Petone had led 13-0, but Poneke came back to lead 17-13 before a seven-pointer gave Petone the win and first Jubilee Cup since 1993.

2012: Wainuiomata beat Northern United 25-19 in the seventh and final round of the 2012 round-robin to qualify for their maiden semi-finals series. The fourth place finish sees them book their place in the top four where they go on to play defending champions Ories (losing that next match. Wainuiomataqualifies for the top four ahead of first roundSwindale Shield champions HOBM.

29 July

1961: Probably the match of the season. Petone are leading Onslow 13-12 very late in today’s feature at Athletic Park, but two tries set up a sensational finish. First, Petone scores a try (three-point tries until 1971) from a lineout to put them ahead 16-12. However, Onslow, in one final frantic assault, cross through centre Eddie Tonks to close the gap to 16-15 in Petone’s favour. The din turns to hush as P.E. Neal lines up the conversion. But it sails wide and Petone hang on and they go on to win the Jubilee Cup.

1989: Hutt Old Boys and Petone fight out a 100-minute semi-final, with Petone taking command in the last 10 minutes of extra time to win 24-20. It is some turnaround from the first round after HOB won the Swindale Shield and Petone came eighth. Without their ace goal-kicker Steve Pokere, one of three Mormons in HOB’s side that won’t play on Sunday’s, HOB misses seven shots at goal from nine attempts. They lead 10-0 early and could have pulled clear if they had added the extras. Both sides have chances to win in the dying minutes of regulation time, before Petone score the match winner through wing Glen Curran.

2007: Petone produce the comeback of the 2007 season to secure their spot in the Jubilee Cup semi-finals, beating top qualifier Marist St. Pat's 39-34 in a thrilling round seven encounter at the PetoneRec. Long-serving wing Willie Moala scores in the right hand corner with the last act of the game to break a 34-34 deadlock and complete a blockbuster Petone win - after they had trailed 8-26 at halftime.