Tightly contested John E Kelly Memorial Cup Colts final predicted

This Saturday’s Les Mills Colts Division 1 John E Kelly Memorial Cup final promises to be as competitive as any of the eight club rugby finals being contested on the Petone Recreation Ground.

Both Old Boys University and Hutt Old Boys Marist are stacked with talented players, some of whom have already played Premier rugby this year and others who will do so in the coming seasons.

Both bring strong finals tradition in this grade, having won five of the past six titles between them.

Old Boys University have won the two meetings between these sides already this year, winning 38-14 at Kelburn Park on 12 May in the first round Paris Memorial Trophy and prevailing 19-10 on the Hutt Rec on 19 June in their championship round-robin meeting.

These two results will count for little when they meet on Petone Rec 2 at 12.00pm, and predicted rain will be a leveller.

Strong set-pieces and pounding forwards play have brought both teams this deep into the season, so expect a renewed emphasis on more of the same.

Both made fast starts in last week’s semi-finals. OBU raced to an early lead and went on to beat top qualifier Northern United 48-17. HOBM laid on three tries and went ahead 19-0, before surviving a late comeback from Marist St Pat’s and winning 22-20.

Both sides will head into the final a little under-strength through injuries, including regular OBU captain Chris Hicks and HOBM top points scorer Caleb Lashoff, who was injured in last week’s semi-final win, out.

HOBM captain Nicholas Apikotoa says that the Junior Eagles will need to hold their structure on both attack and defence against OBU. “OBU is a structured and well-rounded team, namely Taine Plumtree and Malo Tevita-Manuao."

Apikotoa says that HOBM will be backing their team unity and bond to get them through. “We have a strong brotherhood we’ve built within our team. There is no single player who will get the job done for us, we have our senior leaders that will step up and guide the brothers.”

The wider HOBM club is right behind them. “Not only do we have the support of the club, its members and families, but also the brotherhood within the Nest, “says Apikotoa. “We hope to see as many as Eagles as possible on the sideline this week."

The team also thanks coaches Mark Keating, Matt Lee and Otto Rasch and manager Cath Faaeteete for their hard work and dedication over the past few months.

Stand-in OBU captain and loosehead prop Sam Combs says his side will be looking to their set-piece, discipline and focus throughout the 80 minutes to carry them to glory, after losing last year’s final to Petone 20-36 after surrendering a 20-3 halftime lead.

“The set piece is key for our team,” adds Combs. “Securing our own ball and being able to disrupt the oppositions has paved the way to many victories this year.”

“We also pride ourselves on our defence, and have conceded less than 12 points per game on average. Some key players for us include Shamus Langton, a big ball carrying No.8 with the ability to break tackles with ease and our inside back combination of Jack Mexted, Josh Wilson and Malo Tevita-Manuao. Their direction of the forward pack is going to be the difference to ensure game changers such as Ty Poe can do the damage on the outside.”

The Eagles will be tough opposition. “HOBM are a very physical side with some decent size in the forward pack. In our previous fixture they were very good at disrupting ball at the breakdown. The also have a strong backline with combinations of speed and power.”

OBU will also be relying on strong sideline support in the final.

“The team always appreciates the support that we can get. Being a university team we often have a lot of players from outside Wellington, meaning family and friends cannot always be there. But a lot of the boy’s families are making the effort to be there this weekend from all regions of NZ. The team really appreciates that and wants to put on a good performance for them.”

OBU will also be playing for coach Con Williams, who is moving out of the region soon has had a big impact on the team, especially the forwards.

OBU also wants to put in a positive on-field performance for the OBU community following their recent round-robin match against first round winners Marist St Pat’s being called off before halftime owing to fighting. Both teams were docked 3 competition points from this abandoned match that is known in-house as “the incident”.

Going into last week’s semi-finals, HOBM have won seven from 14 matches, scoring 329 points and conceding 355. They made a slow start, winning just two first round matches. They won five of seven second round regular season games.

OBU won 12 from 14 from their regular season campaign, with a no result (‘the incident' against MSP), one loss in the first round (to MSP) and one defeat in the second round (to Norths). In these games, OBU amassed 535 points and let in 178.

HOBM’s leading try-scorers are Mitchell Stringer and Nicolas Apikotoa. OBU have used 50 players this year and their top try scorers are Ty Poe (14), 2. Shamus Langton (13) and Adam Clark (7). Only thre players to have played every game – Caleb Delany, Laurence-Jarel Lim and Malo Tevita-Manuao.

These same clubs met in the 2014 final, with OBU winning 35-8, their third consecutive title win. OBU won that day by racing to a 20-0 lead in as many minutes and leading 27-0 by halftime.

Of note, both sides had several players in the 2014 Colts finals who are now in the Eagles Premier squad. HOBM’s side included Tasi Fidow, David Filipo, Brett Manaia, Francis Tanuvasa and Jack Talapa. OBU’s included Morgan Poi, Matt Fowler, Daven Candy, Jack Green, Luke Tau'alupe (now Ories) and also Sam Chamberlain, who won the 2015 Jubilee Cup with OBU and now in Tasman.

HOBM beat Norths the following year to take the spoils.

About the John E Kelly Memorial Cup

The John E Kelly Memorial Cup was donated to the WRFU by the Wellington Football Club for play in the Under 21 Division 1 Competition in 1985. The trophy is in memory of Wellington’s late Club Captain, John E Kelly, who died of cancer. John played and administrated rugby with the Wellington Club for many years and had the privilege of playing alongside his young son.

The past 10 winners have been:

2008 Upper Hutt
2009 Upper Hutt
2010 Norths
2011 MSP
2012 OBU Green
2013 OBU Green
2014 OBU Green
2015 Hutt Old Boys Marist
2016: OBU Green
2017: Petone

Match details

What: John E Kelly Cup Colts Division 1 Final
Where: Petone Rec #2
Who:  Old Boys University v Hutt Old Boys Marist  
When: Saturday 4 August, 12.00pm.

Squads (former schools of players in brackets, subject to change):

Hutt Old Boys Marist

Forwards
Nicholas Apikotoa (St Patrick’s College Silverstream)
Jacob Faifai (Taita College)
Elisaia Fonoti (Taita College)
Puna Manaia (St Bernard’s College)
Ezra Cunningham (Heretaunga College)
Moeva Vaeau (St Patrick’s College Silverstream)
William Rua (Rongotai College)
Aisea Mafile’o (St Patrick’s Silverstream)
Jonty Gill (Hutt Valley High School)
Makenzie Simmons-Foot (Penticton Secondary School; Canada)
Mitchell Stringer (Hutt Valley High School)
Mika Alaifatu (St Bernard’s College)
Jack Matheson (St Patrick’s College Silverstream)
Daniel Fiso (St Patrick’s College Silverstream)
Rielly Edwards (Hutt International Boys’ School)
Rhylee Ioane-Fidow (Hutt Valley High School)
Teagan Harawira (St Patrick’s Silverstream)
 
Backs
Matiu Samuel (Rongotai College)
Zac Vaughan (Hutt Valley High School)
Campbell Bishop (St Bernard’s College)
Tajun Crosland-Misa (St Patrick’s College Silverstream)
Te Kore Taute (St Patrick’s College Silverstream)
Caleb Tashkoff (Hutt International Boys’ School)
Kohle Bosson (Heretaunga College)
Luese Moemai (St Patrick’s College Silverstream)
Callum Beal (Upper Hutt College)
Michael Martin (Wainuiomata High School)
Braedon Peia (Naenae College)
Vena Situlia (Taita College)
Oria Andrews (St. Peter’s School, Cambridge)
Keaton Watene-Amo (St Patrick’s College Silverstream)
 
Head Coach – Mark Keating
Resource Coach – Otto Rash
Technical Advisor/Club Captain – Matt Lee
Manager – Cath Faaeteete

Old Boys University

Forwards
Vince Kalsakau – (New Plymouth BHS)
Laurence-Jarel Lim – (Wellington College)
Sam Combs – (Lindisfarne College)
Taane Te Aho – (Hamilton BHS)
Hugo Spath – (Western Springs College)
Taine Plumtree – (Wellington College)
Caleb Delany – (Waimea College)
Dominic Herlihy – (Rathkeale College)
Antonio Vaka (St. Patricks College)
Harry Saker – (Scots College)
Tom Hoskin – (Wellington College)
Shamus Langton – (Francis Douglas Memorial College)
Henry Mexted – (Scots College)
Josh Ellis – (Auckland Grammar)
 
Backs
Jack Dyer – (Central Southland College)
Jack Mexted – (Scots College)
Josh Wilson – (Scots College)
Malo Tevita-Manuao – (Scots College)
Ty Poe – (Awatapu College)
Reece Plumtree – (Wellington College)
Callum Whitten - (Waimea College)
Adam Clark - (Auckland Grammar)
Ben Pretty - (Auckland Grammar)
Ollie Paotonu – (Wellington College)
Edward Vaeau-Mulitalo– (Kings College)
  
Head Coach – Zak Feaunati
Assistant Coaches – Forwards Daniel Mellon, Con Williams, and Backs Te Wehi Wright, Matt Fowler
Manager – Maree Chivers. Assistant Manager – Quinlin Bosson-Thompson