Tightly Contested Jubilee Cup On A Knife Edge

The race to the Jubilee Cup playoffs is on a knife edge, with all round five games set to have a direct influence on the fortunes of the seven sides still in the hunt for the semi-finals. The points table couldn't be any closer heading into the remaining three round-robin sets of games, with only five points separating the leading five sides and just ten points separating first placed Northern United and seventh placed Avalon, only Tawa look to be out of contention.

Last weekend Marist St. Pats caused the upset of the round when they held on to beat Norths 17-10, a result that not only helped to tighten up the field, but was also reflective of a recurring pattern this year that any team can be beaten on a good day. And with yet more forecasted wintry weather to continue to act as a further leveller, another feverishly contested set of matches is expected throughout all round five venues.

For frontrunners Norths a win against MSP last week would have had them well and truly eyeing up a home semi-final, but instead another defeat this weekend will have them fighting hard for their playoff spot over the final fortnight. That's why much interest will again focus on them this weekend when they line up against Poneke at Porirua Park.

Following a run of injuries and some indifferent results towards the end of the Swindale Shield, Poneke have hit form at the right time. With three victories in a row against Petone (17-6), Avalon (26-21) and Old Boys-University (16-7) they have crept up to second, only two points adrift of Norths. Poneke also prevailed over Norths 11-7 when these sides met in the first round, with two evenly matched forward packs dominating play. Expect nothing less in this encounter, with Poneke's pack the cornerstone of their recent revival. Hard working and adaptable to the current heavy conditions, they will more than match their Norths counterparts.

The tight points table can also be highlighted by OBU's precarious position going into the fifth round. Their loss to Poneke has them in fifth and out of the top four for the first time. Consequently, a win over Hutt Old Boys Marist in their match at the Prime Finance Basin Reserve will see them reclaim a top spot, but defeat for the students could see them drop off the pace. With third placed HOBM also eager to continue their momentum, there could be nothing between these teams. In other games, MSP will be hoping to build on their tremendous win against Norths when they tackle luckless Tawa at Lyndhurst Park, while Avalon and Petone will both see their clash at the Petone Recreation Ground as a must-win fixture.