New Zealand club rugby round-up 27 June

It’s tight at the top in several of the country’s leading Premier rugby competitions, as the championship weekends draw nearer.

There were several notable narrow results and some upsets thrown in as well, all setting up an exciting few weeks ahead on the rugby fields up and down New Zealand.

Starting in the deep south, the race for three of the four upcoming semi-finals places appears to be open with Star the only side to have booked their place at the playoff table thus far. Star beat the Eastern-Northern Barbarians 26-19, while Woodlands took an important 6-3 over Pirates-Old Boys in another key match.

In Dunedin Premier rugby Harbour have taken the outright lead after 16 rounds, beating Pirates 42-5, and previous joint leaders Southern losing 8-15 to third placed Taieri. With two rounds to play before the semi-finals, these three teams are assured of semi-finals places, with Dunedin and University A fighting for the fourth spot. Dunedin beat Kaikorai 34-23 and the students defeated Zingari-Richmond 57-10.

First round winners Lincoln University and Marist Albion are the two unbeaten teams after three rounds of the top section of Christchurch club rugby. Lincoln beat Sydenham 45-7 and Marist Albion beat New Brighton 34-21.Christchurch are third after beating Canterbury Canterbury University 40-21 in the other match.

Old Boys University are the only unbeaten side after four rounds of seven of the Premier Jubilee Cup in Wellington. OBU beat MSP 29-20 at the Basin Reserve, while previous joint leaders were pipped 31-30 on fulltime by Petone at home.

University in Auckland didn’t fare as well however, losing 10-20 to Pakuranga to slip to third on the Alan McEvoy Trophy standings after five rounds. Grammar TEC head the table after their 22-16 win over Marist.

It was a good day for two other student sides, with University in Waikato and Varsity and Manawatu both enjoying big wins.

University beat Te Awamatu Sports 51-7 to warm up for the semi-finals, but leaders Otorohanga lost to Hamilton Old Boys 25-30 meaning that Hamilton Old Boys will be in the box seat to clinch fourth ahead of Melville who defeated Frser Tech 34-7. Second placed Hamilton Marist defeated winless United Matamata Sports 61-20 in their match.

Varsity beat Freyberg 82-5 to all but seal their semi-finals spot with a round of regular season rugby to play next weekend. College Old Boys have qualified top for the Hankins Shield semi-finals with a week to spare, but the make-up of the other playoff contenders won’t be decided until next weekend.

In the Hawke’s Bay, Napier Pirates and Havelock North are the joint leaders of the Maddison Trophy, but with four rounds to play the playoff spots are far from decided. There were three close matches this weekend and one blowout. First round winners Taradale were held to a 29-29 draw by Central, Havelock North beat Hastings 25-22 and MAC beat Napier Technical 23-17. Napier OBM beat Tamatea 97-5 in a one-sided affair.

Across in Taranaki, New Plymouth Old Boys and Tukapa will host semi-finals in a fortnight, but their playoff opposition is yet to be decided. Nex weekend Spotswood, Inglewood and Clifton will be playing for the two remaining places up for grabs. Leaders NPOB lost 13-17 to Southern this weekend, but will still qualify top. Inglewood knocked Coastal out of contention with a 35-14 win and fifth placed Clifton kept their hopes alive with a 37-13 win over Spotswood.

Tauranga Sports maintained their lead at the top of the Baywide Premier standings with two rounds to play before the playoffs. Tauranga beat Whakatane Marist 54-22. Te Puke Sports are still second after their 41-22 win over Greerton Maris and Mt Maunganui Sports hold third spot after edging Rangataua 32-27. Fourth placed Rotoiti and fifth placed Whakarewarewa appear to be the two sides that will be fighting it out to secure the fourth semi-final berth behind the leading trio.

Karaka continue to lead the Counties Manukau McNamara Cup, beating Patumahoe 26-8. But second placed Bombay lost to Ardmore Marist 19-20 to close up the race for the second home playoff position. Pukekohe appears to have sewn up fourth place with their 36-5 win over Waiuku.

There were three super-competitive matches out of four in North Habour Premier rugby, including a 29-31 loss by the Western Pioneers to out-of-contention Northcote. This defeat by Western appears to put them, East Coast Bays and Glenfield in a three-way over the final fortnight of regular season rugby to secure the remaining two playoff berths up for grabs. Massey and North Shore could have both done enough now to lock in home semi-finals, with leaders Massey beating Glenfield 42-32 and North Shore tipping over Takapuna 45-7.

Northland – To be confirmed.

To view the results from the competitions we run, summed up above, and our current Heartland Championship partners Wairarapa-Bush, Wanganui, West Coast, Buller, East Coast and Mid Canterbury (coming shortly) please click on the map of New Zealand on our home page www.clubrugby.co.nz

For a result wrap-up of some other club rugby competitions please see below (note of the results available as at Sunday morning):

Bay of Plenty
Baywide Premier 
Opotiki 19 vs Paroa 5
Rotoiti 33 vs Waikite 5
Tauranga Sports 54 vs Whakatane Marist 22
Whakarewarewa 46 vs Te Puna 26
Te Puke Sports 41 vs Greerton Marist 22
Mount Maunganui 32 vs Rangataua 27

Central Otago
Wakatipu 18 - Arrowtown 3
Alexandra 35 - Upper Clutha 15

Counties Manukau
McNamara Cup
Pukekohe 36 - Waiuku 5
Ardmore Marist Motors 20 - Bombay Gough 19
Karaka 26 - Patumahoe 8
Manurewa 14 - Onewhero 6

Manawatu
College Old Boys 53 - Linton Army 10 
Varsity 82 - Freyberg 5 
Feilding 19 - Old Boys Marist 15 
Kia Toa 32 - Feilding Old Boys Oroua 20
Te Kawau - bye.

Otago
Taieri 15 – Southern 8
Dunedin 34 – Kaikorai 23
University A 57 – Zingari-Richmond 10
Allambra-Union 49 – Green Island 21
Harbour 42 – Pirates 5

Southland
Star 26 - Eastern-Northern Barbarians 19
Woodlands 6 - Pirates-Old Boys 3
Midlands 36 – Blues 27

Tasman
Marlbourough
Harlequins 30 Waitohi 18
Central 31 – Renwick 12.

Waikato
Melville 34 - Fraser Tech 7
Hamilton Old Boys 30 - Otorohanga 25
University 51 - Te Awamutu Sports 7
Hautapu 57 - Morrinsville Sports 12
Hamilton Marist 61 - United Matamata Sports 20