Big weekend for Wellington representative teams

It’s a big weekend coming up for Wellington representative teams, with some key matches home and away.

It all starts later this evening when the Wellington Pride tackles the Counties Manukau Heat in the Women’s NPC match at ECOLight Stadium (kick-off 5.05pm), followed by the Wellington Lions against the Counties Manukau Steelers (kick-off 7.45pm).

Both sides have tough battles coming up against similarly balanced dynamic teams. The Lions will be eyeing a key Men’s NPC Premiership scalp against the Steelers, which would put them in good stead ahead of a run of more big games to come in the weeks ahead.

It’s just a short sprint to the Women’s NPC semi-finals this year, with this game for the Pride being the first match of the penultimate round of Farah Cup matches. Victory for the Pride would probably all but put them in the semi-finals with a week to spare, while a loss could see them drop out of the top four and see them needing to dispatch beat Bay of Plenty at home next week to boost their chances.

The Pride are up against a strong Heat line-up, featuring New Zealand Sevens star Portia Woodman on the right wing and try-scoring wing Renee Wickliffe on the other side of the field. Halfback Arihiana Marino is their captain and they have a big forward pack.

There are three matches at the Petone Rec tomorrow, with the Wellington U18s, Wellington Samoans and Wellington Development teams all in action.

The Wellington U18s meet a New Zealand Institute of Sport team at Petone at 1pm. This squad beat Tasman U18s last week end and has matches to come after this against the Wellington Centurions (home) on 17 September, Auckland U18 (away) on 24 September and Canterbury U18 (home) on 1 October.

Another exciting team of U18s players will take the field, albeit missing the five recently selected New Zealand Schools wider squad members, Sefo Numia, Billy Proctor (both St Pat’s Town), Connor Garden-Bachop (Scots College), Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Reece Plumtree (both Wellington College).

On the number one field at Petone Wellington Samoans meet the Hawke’s Bay Samoans at 12.30pm, followed by the Wellington Development side up against Manawatu Development at 2pm.

The Wellington Development team will be captained by Old Boys University prop Finbarr Kerr-Newell and includes a seasoned mix of Premier club players familiar to most local rugby followers. Wellington Lions squad members Galu Taufale and Isaac O’Connor partner returning James Blackwell in the loose forwards, while both Tuitama brothers, Malo and Aukuso, are in the starting backline.

This is the first of five matches for the Wellington Development squad, with games to follow on consecutive weekends against the Wellington Samoans (Petone), Hawke’s Bay Development (Napier), Canterbury Development (Petone) and Tasman Development (Porirua).

Further up the road at Fraser Park, the Wellington Samoan Women meet the Wellington Tongan Women at 10am.

In Palmerston North on Saturday, the Wellington U19s play the Manawatu U19s in the decider of the Central Region Shield competition. Both Wellington and Manawatu have beaten Hawke’s Bay and the Hurricanes Barbarians and have earned 10 points after two rounds, but Manawatu has the superior points differential giving them home ground advantage. More importantly, this fixture is to determine who attains top ranking from the Hurricanes region for the upcoming National U19 Tournament.

Also taking the field in Palmerston North are the Wellington U16A, U16 Development and Wellington U18 Girls teams. The Wellington U16A team meets Hawke’s Bay U16A and the Development team meets its Hawke’s Bay counterparts. Likewise, the Wellington U18 Girls side plays the Hawke’s Bay U18 Girls team.

The Wellington Samoan U18s are further up the road, meeting the Poverty Bay U18s in Gisborne.

The round of the RDO Shield competition is this weekend, with a couple of significant games being played.

Current leaders the Centurions Development travel to the river city to play Wanganui B at Cooks Gardens in their final match. The Centurions Development can win the RDO Shield with their bye round next week to spare if they beat Wanganui B.

Wairarapa Bush B host Wellington Maori Development in Masterton in a must win for both teams to stay in the race for a title shot should Wanganui defeat the Centurions. Horowhenua-Kapiti B has the bye.

Heading into the fourth round of RDO Cup matches, the points table is: Centurions Development 11; Wairarapa Bush B 7; Wanganui B 5; Wellington Maori Development 5; Horowhenua-Kapiti B 0.

The centurions U85kg side has this weekend off, before returning for three scheduled matches in successive weeks over their Counties Manukau (home), North Habour (away) and Auckland (home) counterparts.

Teams (as received, subject to change)

Wellington Development:

1. Ha’amea Ahio, 2. Valentine Meachen, 3. Finbarr Kerr - Newell (c), 4. Kane Le’aupepe, 5. Vern Sosefo, 6. Galu Taufale, 7. Isaac O’Connor, 8. James Blackwell, 9. Adam Deck (vc), 10. Pakai Turia, 11. Malo Tuitama, 12. Matt Goosen, 13. Aukuso Tuitama, 14. Max Pearson, 15. Randall Bishop RESERVES 16. Joe Walding Karaiana, 17. Lotu Nuku, 18. James Coburn, 19. Alex Dalzell, 20. Sam Coventry, 21. Piri Paraone, 22.Willie Tufui, 23. Salesi Rayasi

Wellington U19s:

1. Sitiveni Paongo, 2. Ben Power, 3. Alex Fidow, 4. Jarimar Schuster, 5. Folau Finau Vea, 6. Nese Solia, 7. John Tuia, 8. Josh Brown (Captain), 9. Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, 10. Sam Fox, 11. Losi Filipo, 12. Lester Maulolo, 13. Levi Harmon, 14. Willie Fine, 15. Kerrod Foaese, 16. Jimmy Hewitt, 17. Ivan Fepuleai, 18. Ben Aumua-Peseta, 19. Taisson Lealaisalanoa, 20. Paterson Carter, 21. Alex Ropeti, 22. Elijah Va'a Brooking, 23. Regan Sword

Wellington Samoans:

1. Steve Fa’atau, 2. Junior Makapelu, 3. Nu’u Lene, 4. Fala Tuala, 5. Milo Va’a, 6. Lucky Tuia, 7. Tutasi Masoe, 8. Matt Peni, 9. Ken Kapeli, 10. Fa’atonu Fili, 11. Fereti Soloa, 12. Joyner Key, 13. Ope Peleseuma, 14. Ahtun Masrum, 15, Ryan Setefano RESERVES 16. Eli Hunt,17. Poasa Poasa, 18. Daniel Filemoni, 19. James Tuia, 20. Pago Haini, 21. Tuga Mativa, 22. Josh Robertson-Weepu, 23. James So’oialo

Wellington U18s:

1.Qualen Asi, 2. Sean Atoni-Gata, 3. Ethan McQuinlan, 4. Charles Hopai, 5.Harry Saker, 6. Jordan Sului, 7. Adam Tone, 8. Willie Heather, 9. Callum Harkin, 10. Toka Sopoaga, 11. Todd Svenson, 12. Denny To’o, 13. Stone Warren-Robinson, 14. Reuben Va’a, 15. Adam Preston RESERVES 16. Fredrick Sunia, 17. Meinrad Fitismanu, 18. Eammon Carr, 19. Ezra Dunlop, 20. Jack Loader, 21. Adrian Seumanufagai, 22. Esi Komaisavai, 23. Tai Neli, 24. Reuben Va’a, 25. Malachi Unasa, 26. Luke Georgeson

Wellington Centurions Development:

1. Devon Healy-McDonald, 2. Stu Simonsen (Captain), 3. Adam Stewart, 4. Aiden Woodward, 5. James Corcaran, 6. Corey Burgess, 7. Micah Barber, 8, Saki Vaioleti, 9. Ferg Grenfell, 10. Dale Sabbagh, 11. Matt TeTerte, 12. Lawrence Lotovale, 13. Eremia Tapsell, 14. Hayden Stuthridge, 15. Henry Hocking RESERVES Robbie Wright. (Hooker), Logan Gibbons. (Prop), Luke Nixon (inside back) Josh Styche (outside back)