Norths Capture Second Jubilee Cup

Northern United became the first team in eight years to achieve the coveted Swindale Shield-Jubilee Cup double in the same season by beating Poneke 25-12 in the Jubilee Cup final at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night.

Norths were too strong for Poneke, becoming the first team since Marist St. Pat's in 1999 to lift Wellington rugby's two major prizes in one year. This was also their second Cup title in three years and their third title triumph since their breakthrough Shield victory in 2003.

It was a well-deserved final win for Norths to cap off a memorable 2006 for the Porirua club. With their champion All Black Jerry Collins at blindside flanker they took control in the opening 50 minutes of play with pressure in the set-pieces, particularly at scrumtime, a strong defensive effort around the fringes and much more penetration when they moved the ball. In so doing they built a 13-0 lead by halftime and a 20-0 advantage soon after the break, before Poneke had fired a shot.

Collins was in the game early, featuring in Norths' opening try in the 7th minute of play. From a midfield ruck, Norths attacked up the short side, through lock Api Naikatini, Collins and right wing Peato Lafaele. A final pass by Lafaele went to ground, which the Poneke cover defence failed to clean up, allowing Norths left wing Sinoti To'omaga to hack ahead and score the try. Lafaele converted from out wide and Norths had made a fast start.

Poneke were soon in trouble again behind their advantage line, with a well-weighted box kick from Norths first five-eighth Rob Aloe forcing the red-and-blacks to scramble into touch. From the lineout, won by Collins jumping at number four, only desperate Poneke defence kept them out, with Lafaele then kicking a long-range penalty to give his side a 10-0 lead. Lafaele was then successful with his second penalty on halftime, after Poneke first five-eighth Brad Cooper had failed to land his side's sole scoring chance of the half five minutes earlier.

Norths had one hand on the Cup seven minutes into the second spell, when they scored their second try, for a 20-point buffer. Norths were awarded a 5-metre scrum after a foray at the line from a lineout drive was just snuffed out. Using a 20-metre blindside, Norths halfback Lua Vaoloaloa fired a flat pass to Lafaele waiting on the touchline, who beat his marker and ran around to score a converted try to the right of the uprights.

In similar fashion to their semi-final win over Hutt Old Boys Marist last week, Poneke increased their effort, introducing fresh legs off the bench and exerted pressure on Norths in a dominant 10 minute period of attack inside Norths' 22. It paid off with the normally super-reliable Vaoloaloa firing a poor pass to Norths No. 8 Anare Koliavu off the base of a clearing scrum. Poneke replacement halfback-come bulldozer Takalesi Havea scooped up the loose ball that had gone to ground in the corner, and No. 8 Neil Meyer rumbled over the line to score. Cooper converted from the sideline, and at 7-20 down with 19 minutes to play it was Norths' turn to defend gamely.

Poneke then went close to scoring on the opposite touchline two minutes later. An inside pass and a swift midfield injection from giant-striding left wing Ambrose Plaister split the Norths backline open. Plaister found second five-eighth Misipalauni Moananu and replacement right wing Tupu Saena in support out wide, only for Saena to put a foot into touch with the line in front of him.

Fortune instead favoured Norths, who responded with a long-range try off a Poneke dropped ball in midfield, which effectively clinched them victory with eight minutes remaining. The Norths backs quickly toed ahead the spilt ball and centre Daley Harper regathered possession and offloaded to lock Jacob Ellison in good support to score in the corner. This made it 25-7 and there was no way back now for Poneke.

Poneke fought hard until the end, and a consolation second try to their hardest working player of the season, Meyer, was good reward. But with the sight of the Cup engraver at work on the dias after Ellison's try, their fans could only acknowledge their top performing Norths opposition.

For Poneke, this was their fifth Jubilee Cup final loss in eight years, with 2003's victory over MSP now remaining as their only Cup win out of the six they have contested since 1999.

They had been taken on and beaten at their own game up front, created too few opportunities and were forced to defend in their own half for long periods. A high error rate when they did manage to get going also hindered them. Coming back from a 20-point deficit was too much of an ask in the biggest game of the season.