Helston Park the Scene for Key Hardham Cup Clash

Wellington Premier club rugby returns to Helston Park this weekend for the first time this season, with Johnsonville hosting Wainuiomata in a game that could have big ramifications for Johnsonville's chances of promotion next season.

Poneke sent ripples through the Hardham Cup last weekend when they tipped over the previously unbeaten Johnsonville 23-13 at home at Kilbirnie Park. With five premier teams chasing four spots, any slip up by one of them against a non-premier team is enough to create pressure for the following week.

Poneke's win wasn't totally surprising in the first weekend of wet, cold rugby. They finished second behind Johnsonville and lost just 22-10 to them when they met in the just completed Senior One Harper Lock Shield, in which Johnsonville won most of their other games by a cakewalk. But Johnsonville will nevertheless be placing more emphasis than possibly previously planned to beat Wainui and get back on track.

If not the boys in blue could then find themselves involved in virtual must win matches in games to come against Oriental Rongotai, Upper Hutt and Avalon, a prospect they will not relish given last year's extremely tight Hardham Cup competition. An added incentive for Johnsonville will be reversing last year's corresponding match against Wainui, in which they were beaten 13-11 at the same venue, also in round two.

Wainui will be just as eager for victory for the same reasons after losing to Upper Hutt 18-13 in the first round and with clashes against Ories and Avalon in weeks three and four.

The other big round two clash in the Hardham Cup is the derby clash at Maidstone Park between Upper Hutt and Avalon. But it promises to be anything other than a friendly neighbourhood game, both teams will be out for victory, more so Avalon who lost 17-12 to Ories in the first round. Avalon is one up against Upper Hutt already this year, but their 25-10 win was back in Easter in round two of the Swindale Shield.

In other games, Ories will be out to continue their purple patch of midseason form when they take on Marist St Pat's at Evans Bay at 1.15 pm. Ories have knocked over both Tawa (28-24) and Avalon in the last fortnight and should be well-placed to make it three wins in three weeks.

In the other early game at Porirua Park, Northern United and Poneke do battle in the curtain raiser of the 3 pm Jubilee Cup clash between the premier sides of the two clubs.

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