Club Rugby Semi-finals continue this weekend

Above: Tawa's Ed Chaney Cup captain Toa Madar making a break against Petone in their match several weeks ago. Tawa play Poneke in one Senior 1 semi-final tomorrow and Petone meet Hutt Old Boys Marist in the other.

There's plenty of club rugby on Saturday, with more grades into playoff action and others rapidly nearing the same stage. There is also one representative fixture as the Suburbs side takes on a Horowhenua-Kapiti selection at Porirua Park at 3.00 pm. On? Sunday, St Pat's Silverstream and Scots College meet in the First XV Premier final (previewed here tomorrow).

UPDATED Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup Semi-finals

Petone (1) v Hutt Old Boys Marist (4) and Tawa (2) v Poneke (3)

In the end, only three competition points separated the four sides that will contest the semi-finals. Petone secured top spot through their 35-0 win over Wests and Poneke's loss to Hutt Old Boys Marist, who will be the Villagers' opponents on Saturday.

Following their only loss of the round (to Poneke), Petone have forged an impressive defensive record, conceding just 19 points in three matches and holding their last two opponents scoreless. The Eagles have done likewise, romping past Norths 83-0 and then shutting out Poneke as they seek to emulate their Premier's title winning efforts; and with it likely to be heavy underfoot this could be a real war of attrition.

In the other semi-final Tawa host Poneke at Lyndhurst. Promoted back to this grade in winning the first-round Senior 2 National Mutual Cup, the Kilbirnie side then rattled off seven straight wins to start this campaign. However they have slumped to two successive defeats after suffering only one all year before that and confidence would have to be an issue. The first of those two losses was to Tawa, who won 32-5 at Lyndhurst, and the defending champions in this grade would certainly fancy their chances of at least making it back to the title game.

Both matches are 2.30 pm kick-offs to allow for the possibility of extra time.

Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup semi-finals

Hutt Old Boys Marist (1) v Avalon (4) and Old Boys University (2) v Petone (4)

HOBM comfortably qualified top with an unblemished record and will face Avalon with the benefit of having had a weeks rest with the final round bye. Avalon could have taken second, and with it a home semi-final, but slumped to a 3-10 loss to Petone and will now have to reverse the 12-19 result to the Eagles from two weeks ago to make the final. The match kicks off at 2.30 pm.

OBU hosts Petone in the second game. Like HOBM, OBU had the benefit of a week off after Norths were withdrawn from the competition, while Petone won a game they had to win in order to make it to this stage. OBU won their recent meeting 19-12 on Ian Galloway Park, and the two sides will play there again this Saturday with a 12.30 pm kick-off.

Women's Victoria Tavern Trophy semi-finals

Northern United (1) v Old Boys University (4) and Oriental-Rongotai (2) v Wainuiomata (3)

In the Women's grade Norths survived their loss to Wainuiomata two weeks ago to retain top spot for the playoffs. They will face Old Boys-University whose appearance in place of Avalon is somewhat controversial; but despite how they've made it to this stage the Lady Goats will be looking to produce what would be a massive upset. Norths will again be without internationals Sanita Levave (Black Ferns) and Helen and Brenda Collins on WRWC duty (as will OBU's Sharlene Fagalilio), but possess depth that many men's sides could only wish for. In their last meeting Norths prevailed 32-17 at Prince of Wales Park.

The second semi-final is at the Polo Ground where first-round winners Oriental-Rongotai face Wainuiomata (missing WRWC players Jackie Patea and Mac Collins). Both sides dropped only one game apiece in the second round and have enjoyed romps against the competition minnows in recent weeks. Wainuiomata will be buoyed by their win over Norths two weeks ago and will hold few fears, despite losing 36-5 when the teams last met; while Ories will be desperate to get past the women from over the hill road and getting a crack at the season double next weekend.?

Under 85 kg

Both competitions enter their penultimate round of matches ahead of the finals series.

In the Division 1 Paul Potiki Shield, leaders the MSP Blues are up against the out-of-contention OBU Bunnies on the St Pat's artificial at 1.30 pm. Second placed Poneke take on Avalon at Kilbirnie at 12.30 and need a win to secure a semi-finals place as they have the bye next weekend. Two sides that both need wins if they are to have any hopes of semi-finals qualification - Eastbourne and the Upper Hutt Rams - clash at HW Shortt at 3.00 pm, while at the same time one-loss sides the Tawa Titans and Waikanae meet at Redwood Park in a game that may determine where one semi-final is played. The bottom-placed OBU Spartans have the bye.

In the Division 2 Moody Cup? leaders HOBM travel to Wests, wary that the Roosters tipped up Stokes Valley last weekend and that this is their final round-robin match ahead of the bye next week. Elsewhere Johnsonville hosts Stokes Valley, Paremata-Plimmerton and Wainuiomata clash at Ngatitoa, and the two MSP sides, Red and Green, meet on the St Pat's artificial. Wellington has the bye.

Colts Division 2 Vic Calcinai Cup

It's also the penultimate round in the Colts Division 2 competition, and the four semi-finalists have already been found with only the match-ups to be determined. Leaders Poneke are away to the Petone second-side, while Kapiti are up against the Upper Hutt Rams seconds on the Maidstone artificial on Friday night. Wainuiomata are away to Johnsonville, while the Rams A side is at Fraser Park to face Avalon. In the other two matches Tawa hosts OBU White, while Paremata-Plimmerton heads to Otaki to play Rahui.

Reserve Grade Division 1 ?

There are also two rounds to play in the eight-team Reserve Grade Division 1 Johnsonville Centennium Cup, ahead of the semi-finals on 23 August and final on 30 August.The race to the playoffs is super-tight, with six teams still alive and the leading four teams separated by three points. This weekend's games see top play bottom, with co-leaders the Poneke Ruffnuts (on 23 points) meeting the Upper Hutt Rams Pirates (3) at Kilbirnie. The outcomes of all the other three games will create a ripple effect on the other contenders. The Upper Hutt Rams J8s (23) host the Petone Brotherhood (22) at Maidstone at 3.00 pm, the MSP Internationals (20) and the OBU Therapists (18) meet at Martin Luckie Park at 1.15 pm and the Poneke Rats (15) will be foraging for maximum points against the OBU 69ers (4) in their game at Kilbirnie at 3.00 pm.

College Premier 2 (quarter-finals), Premier 3 (semi-finals) & U15 Division 1 (semi-finals)

The quarter-final stage has been reached in Premier 2, with the top two qualifiers - Wairarapa and Tawa - both having the weekend off ahead of hosting next week's semi-finals. In the games to determine who they face the Silverstream 2nds host Hutt Valley HS, while Kapiti hosts Porirua. In two other games scheduled that will determine ranking for next year's grading Upper Hutt travels to take on the Wellington College 2nds and Paraparaumu hosts Aotea.?

In Premier 3 the semi-finals are scheduled with a week off before the finals unless weather forces a postponement. Top qualifiers Newlands are at home at 2.30pm against Wainuiomata, and Bishop Viard travel to play the St Pats Town 2nds at Evans Bay Park at 1.00 pm.

The top Under 15 Division is also at semi-finals stage. Top qualifiers Silverstream host Bishop Viard and Wellington College host St Pats Town, with both games at 11.30 am