So’oialo motivated for Evans Bay Park playoff this Saturday

This Saturday’s Jubilee Cup semi-final between 2012 champions Marist St Pats and 2013 winners Tawa could come down to goal-kicking. In a straight shootout off the kicking tee, both sides possess the best. MSP first five-eighth Fa’atonu Fili has been kicking goals at this level for over 15 years and is the King of Evans Bay Park, whilst Tawa’s James So’oialo has kicked 1140 points in his seven-year Wellington Premier club rugby career.

So’oialo missed last weekend’s seventh round showdown between the two sides with illness, won 44-38 by MSP, but is set to return to the starting XV at either first five-eighth or fullback for this playoff match.

He expressed his motivation to win on Saturday, to fulfil a dream of playing a Jubilee Cup final at Porirua Park near where he grew up and attended school at Mana College and where he played for Northern United for three seasons before heading overseas and returning to join Tawa.

So’oialo, who said he once kicked a 73 metre penalty, scored 282 points in 2010 to help Norths win the Jubilee Cup. During his time there, Norths also played in Jubilee Cup finals in 2009 and 2011. So’oialo will be playing in his fifth Jubilee Cup semi-final should Tawa win on Saturday.

He rated the two Jubilee Cup finals he’s won thus far as career highlights.

“My 2010 win with Norths was with an incredible team, with the likes of Alapati Leiua, Buxton Popoalii, Leon Ellison and TJ Perenara in the backs. Perenara was still at school at Mana College, so that was memorable to pull someone out of school and watch them slot in at club rugby level.”

After moving overseas at the end of the 2011 season, first to Castres in France and then to Connacht in Ireland and also playing seven internationals for Samoa during this time, So’oialo returned to Wellington in mid 2013 and joined Tawa.

He explained his move to Tawa was largely about linking up with his older brother Steven. “It was just a dream of mine to play with my older brothers. He didn’t ask, I just thought that I might go under his wing and I went from there.”

Being almost 10 years younger than his famous All Black older brother Rodney, James is pleased that he got to play with him once. “I did have one game with Rod. The Hurricanes had a bye and they played an internal practice match and I was brought up to play on the wing on the same team as Rod so that was awesome.”

This year Rodney has been on the coaching staff at the Wellington Axemen, helping them to reach the Jubilee Cup for the first time since 1995. Tawa have played them twice this year, winning 14-10 in the Swindale Shield and 28-27 in their Jubilee Cup match-up.

James explained the two brothers’ interaction when he was kicking a penalty in one of these matches against Wellington earlier this season.

“It was pretty funny, because I like it when people talk to me when I kick goals, it makes me concentrate more. I lined up a penalty about 50 metres out from near the sideline in front of their subs bench. Being so close to me, they were giving me plenty of advice about how to judge the wind and the importance of the kick. I looked at Rod and he was busy telling his team to be quiet. I kicked it and it went over and I just looked at Rod and winked at him!”

Johnsonville supporters were also crestfallen at the end of their Swindale Shield against Tawa this season. Trailing 12-14 at the death-knock, So’oialo calmly stepped up from halfway to kick the winning penalty.

“I didn’t even know it was time up until after I pointed to the posts to signal a penalty. It was then that the referee said to me that if you opt to kick this it’s the finish of the game.

“Our captain [TJ Fermanis] and a few of the other boys doubted it, they were like bro we have to run it, we have to run it as time’s up. I was like no, I’ve just pointed to the posts so we have to kick it! So the captain then came up to me and said bro you got this? I said yep I think I can kick it. He said okay then if you think that’s the right decision then go for it.”

The kick never looked like missing and the team celebrated their 15-14 win.

On not having home ground advantage for this Saturday’s semi-final, So’oialo said it’s not too much of an issue playing away from Lyndhurst Park.

“It doesn’t really matter that we’re not playing at Tawa, MSP’s got a good ground to play on and we’ve got good supporters behind us who will jump on the bus and travel to wherever we are playing.”

If Tawa wins this match and gets to play in the final next week at Porirua Park, it could be the last time he gets to play there.

“I’m still keen on playing representative rugby. I came back from overseas two years to be closer to my kids and see them go to school and to help settle them in. Hopefully I will go back overseas at the end of this year.”

As well as winning two Jubilee Cup finals himself thus far in 2010 and 2013, So’oialo remembers the 1998 Jubilee Cup between Tawa and the Wests Roosters.

“I remember being on the sideline as a kid wearing Tawa colours.

“My older brother Sam used to play for Tawa and he played in the final against Steve and Rod who played for Wests.”

It’s unconfirmed at this stage, but if fit, Super Rugby players Shaun Treeby (Tawa) and Jeff Toomaga-Allen (MSP) could be playing in this semi-final.

Jubilee Cup semi-finals, Saturday 25 July at 2.30 pm:

• Marist St Pat’s (2) v Tawa (3), Evans Bay Park 
• Old Boys University (1) v Oriental-Rongotai (4), Basin Reserve

Hardham Cup semi-finals, Saturday 25 July at 2.30 pm:

• Johnsonville (1) v Poneke (4), Helston Park
• Upper Hutt Rams (2) v Avalon (3), Maidstone Park