Poneke Upset Upper Hutt To Help To Set Up Exciting Last Round

Round 6 Review The Jubilee Cup looks set to go down to the wire next week after Poneke?s 22-12 round six win over Upper Hutt ensured four teams are still in with a chance of joining confirmed top qualifiers Northern United and second placed Petone in the playoffs. Swindale champions Upper Hutt could also still miss out to Poneke and Avalon after round seven. Avalon secured five points in their 43-30 win over Tawa to move to fifth, while Marist St. Pats can also still finish fourth, despite losing 34-12 to Norths, while Petone secured a likely home semi-final after consigning Western Suburbs to the wooden spoon with a 33-19 win.

This week?s feature game was at Fraser Park, where Avalon kept alive their hopes for a third successive playoff appearance with a deserved win over Tawa. The absence of in-form centre Finau Hopoi, a further backline reshuffle ten minutes before kick-off and the loss late in the first half of halfback Peter Sciascia with a suspected broken leg ? later confirmed as a torn ligament ? couldn?t prevent a spirited and enterprising Tawa from overhauling them.

Centre Kerry Wrigley, first five-come-left wing Stephen Cross and replacement halfback Mitchell Forbes each scored decisive tries for Avalon, while stand-in first five-eighth Mano Flutey was good going forward. In all, eleven tries were scored in an open, fast paced game, highlighted by moments of individual brilliance, notably from Tawa halfback Nigel Hunt, interspersed by periods of poor defence from both sides. But it was Avalon?s bigger, more experienced forwards coupled with Tawa?s leakier defence that were ultimately the difference.

Three tries in the opening 25 minutes saw Avalon shoot out to a 19-3 lead. Cross, who replaced Siu Katoa on the flanks during the warm-up scored first, from which Flutey converted from the sideline. Tawa first five-eighth Gene Johnston replied with a penalty, before Avalon scored their second try to right wing Noel Woods after rangy fullback Andrew turner split the defence. When Sciasica broke free from a maul and scored unopposed five minutes later a one-sided encounter was looming.

However Tawa struck back with tries in the 35th and 36th minutes, first with prop Stephen Fairbrother crashing over from a maul, then Hunt sliced through a hole to score. Hunt scored his second try soon after halftime with a fantastic solo effort seeing him sprint 45 metres to the try line. Johnston converted from in front and Tawa led 22-19.

But Avalon, led by captain and lock Jason Goble, Forbes and Wellington Lions players, No. 8 Thomas Waldrom and hooker Mahonri Schwalger who were brought on at halftime, wrestled ascendancy from Tawa and they controlled the final quarter. Further tries to Wrigley, Forbes (two) and Schwalger gave them a 43-25 lead with minutes remaining. Tawa right wing John Masaga scored a good consolation try on fulltime.

Poneke fullback Brad Cooper found Maidstone Park to his liking, kicking four first half penalties and then a penalty and the conversion of flanker Shane Cottrell?s try in the second to help his side beat an out of sorts Upper Hutt. MSP contributed to a hard-fought, close contest against Norths at Porirua Park, but succumbed to superior all round strikepower in losing four tries to two. This result gives Norths two further home games, with their last round-robin fixture against Avalon next week, followed by a home semi-final. Meanwhile, at Ian Galloway Park Wests pushed Petone close, with first five-eighth Scott Leighton scoring all 19 points for the Roosters.

Steven White

Jubilee Cup Leading points scorers (after six rounds):

Scott Leighton (Wests) 191
Brad Cooper (Poneke) 185
Sam Rasch (MSP) 166
Gene Johnston (Tawa) 101
Cory Aporo (Upper Hutt) 88
Cameron Cross (Avalon) 87
Ben Aoina (Upper Hutt) 85
Riki Flutey (Petone) 81
Rob Aloe (Norths) 66
Willie Lafaele (Tawa) 62
Steve McColl (Poneke) 51
Evan Belford (Poneke) 50
Tamati Ellison (Norths) 46
Junior Togia (Tawa) 45
Tu'u Umaga-Marshall (Petone) 44

Jubilee Cup leading try scorers (after six rounds):

Evan Belford (Poneke) 10
Junior Togia (Tawa) 9
Dan Stemp (MSP) 8
Siaosi Anamani (Norths) 8
Brad Baker (Upper Hutt) 8
Willie Moala (Petone) 7
Vila Apu?ula (Avalon) 7
Steve McColl (Poneke) 7
Thomas Waldrom (Avalon) 6
T Umaga-Marshall (Petone) 6
Chris Puketapu (Upper Hutt) 6
Cory Aporo (Upper Hutt) 6
Tristan Meo (Wests) 5
Rob Aloe (Norths) 5
Patolo Patelesio (Norths) 5

*6 other players with five tries
** 17 players with four tries