Looking at the week ahead

With two regular season rounds to play in the 2016 Bucqui Jubilee Cup the fate of all eight teams in the Premier competition hangs on tenterhooks.

All eight teams remain in the hunt to make the playoffs and all eight can still harbour hopes of qualifying for a home semi-final. Just seven points separates the entire field, from new leaders Marist St Pat’s (on 16 points), to three teams in joint second (15) down to bottom placed Wellington (9).

Perhaps the only certainty is that we’re in for a blockbuster finish to the round-robin series this month.

The picture should become at least a little bit clearer when the dust settles on this coming weekend’s sixth and penultimate round.

MSP and Wainuiomata (15) clash at Evans Bay Park in a contest that should see the winner qualifier for the playoffs with a week to spare, while the loser could conceivably be leapfrogged by three teams and fall out of the semi-final zone.

Tawa (10) and Old Boys University (15) have both won their last two matches and they clash at Lyndhurst Park. If OBU win this they will probably be safely through to the semi-finals and Tawa will be most likely be relying on other results and a win the following week to see them through.

Likewise, Poneke (12) and the Upper Hutt Rams (11) meet in a big clash at Kilbirnie Park, while Wellington (9) must beat Oriental-Rongotai (15) at Hataitai Park to seal their own fate.

The Premier 2 Hardham Cup is more-clear-cut, with three teams, Hutt Old Boys Marist, Petone and Northern United, having already qualified for the playoffs on 23 July.

These three teams will be fighting it out to secure the two home semi-final berths. The rest of the field will be hoping to secure the fourth semi-final spot over the next two weekends.

This Saturday’s feature match is at Fraser Park between Avalon and Northern United, where the home side can possibly secure this fourth top four place.

Should Norths win the victor of the Johnsonville – Paremata-Plimmerton fixture at Helston Park will leapfrog Avalon, whilst the loser will be hoping for things to fall in their favour next week.

The other two matches are between unbeaten HOBM against MSP B at the Hutt Rec and third placed Petone against OBU B at the Petone Rec.

The first of this year’s championship finals are this Saturday with the women’s Division 1 and 2 deciders.

The Division 1 Victoria Tavern Trophy final is between top qualifier Wainuiomata and Oriental-Rongotai at William Jones Park.

Hutt Old Boys Marist will host Marist St Pat’s in the Division 2 final at the Hutt Recreation Ground.

The other grades are all hurtling towards exciting conclusions, with three rounds to play in the Colts, Premier Reserve and First Grade competitions before the semi-finals.

Three of this weekend’s fifth round John E Kelly Cup Division 1 Colts fixtures are on Friday night, headlined by the match between OBU Green (leaders) and MSP (third) at Te Whaea.

Poneke (second equal) host the Upper Hutt Rams (leaders) at Kilbirnie Park in the feature clash of the Ed Chaney Cup Premier Reserve competition.

Leaders the Petone Brotherhood will be hoping to make it seven from seven in the First Grade competition when they travel to the Hutt Rec to play close rivals and third place the HOBM Barbarians.

In the Paul Potiki Shield U85kg Restricted competition, leaders the Tawa Titans will hope to bounce back from their loss to Wellington last week when they take on mid-table Poneke. Wellington, with a game in hand, play Kapiti in Waikanae.

The Weltec Premiership first XV competition takes a hiatus over the next two weekends with school holidays.