First Round Thriller For Hardham Cup

There was plenty of drama and excitement in the first round of the Hardham Cup, with the top four teams involved in one-point thrillers to set up a closely fought competition. Western Suburbs pipped Johnsonville 27-26 at Ian Galloway Park and Oriental-Rongotai topped Upper Hutt 21-20 at Maidstone Park, with both sides sealing their wins with time up on the clock.

Wests held off a fast finishing Johnsonville, who missed a chance to win with a last gasp conversion after they had fought back from a 13-point deficit with two late tries, while Ories scrambled past Upper Hutt in the dying minutes with a late drop goal to fullback Luke Mears. Two tries to hard running Ories second five-eighth Mau Lolo had earlier helped to  set up a tense finish and secure the win over the men in maroon.

Wainuiomata launched their Hardham Cup campaign with a convincing 38-3 victory over Northern United at home at William Jones Park. Wainuiomata crossed for six unanswered tries to reverse a 5-30 first round loss, with halfback Cory Draper collecting a double.

At the Hutt Recreation Ground, Harper Lock Shield champions Poneke continued their impressive form, shutting out Hutt Old Boys Marist with committed forward play and some swift counterattacking to prevail 27-16. In heavy underfoot conditions, HOBM played well to lead 11-8 at halftime, but the Red and Blacks lifted their intensity after the break with a 19-point burst including two converted tries to seal the win.

The Club Weekly was on hand at a cool Ian Galloway Park to see arch rivals Wests and Johnsonville engage in a typically entertaining local derby, with the Roosters repeating their one-point Swindale Shield win from earlier in the season in a spirited victory.

Wests started well, having all the field possession, but could not turn it into points as basic errors and poor lineouts let them down. Johnsonville capitalised on a Wests turnover to open the scoring through centre Eddie Raka. That got Johnsonville into the match and from there they had dominance right throughout the first half, with the ever-popular ‘big Bill Cavaubati’ and Johnsonville captain and lock Nick Cooper leading the way. Johnsonville scored again midway through the half to open up a 14-0 advantage.With the first half coming to a close, the game had opened up and both back lines looked to run it. This played into Wests hands, with a try right on half time to take confidence into the second spell. Johnsonville’s lead had been cut to just four points, leading 14-10 at halftime.

Wests maintained their momentum in the second half, scoring almost immediately with a charge-down try to openside flanker Scott Fuglistaller. This gave them the lead for the first time and ascendancy was now with Wests. Johnsonville’s set pieces kept them in the game, as their forwards tried to up the tempo, but poor discipline and some accurate kicking from Wests’ first five-eighth Tony Menase kept Wests slightly in front. With the score 27-14 in favour of Wests, Johnsonville were determined to get something out of the game and finished strongly with two late tries. They had a chance to claim victory on full-time but replacement Scott Matiria missed a conversion from out wide.