Club Rugby booming tries Part Five

Above: HOBM fullback Glen Walters flying in to score the match winning try against Wainuiomata that clinched the 2012 Swindale Shield.

As part of the build-up to the start of the 2017 Premier club rugby season, we’re recapping some of the memorable tries in Wellington Premier club rugby over the past 15 years or so.

There’s been approximately 10,000 tries scored in this period, so these are just the tip of the iceberg and ones that stuck out or we reported from our vantage point on halfway or through our camera lens. Part three below 2012-13

Swindale Shield Round 3 2012: JP Tocker for Marist St Pat’s (35) v Northern United (27)
A clinical team try. Down by 13-27 midway through the second half, MSP's supporters must have wondered how their side was going to take this one. MSP’s pack had dominated Norths but Norths survived on scraps and were level at halftime and then took the lead. MSP first five-eighth Fa’atonu Fili was running the show and he helped engineer a comeback and they hit the front with several minutes remaining. MSP then launched a spirited 50 metre pick and drive play that took them to 5 metres of the line and outside back JP Tocker snatched the ball from the back of the ruck and dived over to seal a popular win. MSP went on to win the Jubilee Cup, their most recent championship triumph.

Swindale Shield Round 11 2012: Glen Walters for Hutt Old Boys Marist (24) v Wainuiomata (11)
Heading into this final first round clash there was no guarantee that competition-long contenders Hutt Old Boys Marist would win their first Swindale Shield since 1997. HOBM needed to beat Wainuiomata in this match and they needed MSP to stumble. Unable to control what happened elsewhere, HOBM’s supporters braced themselves for a titanic clash against the neighbours from over the hill. So it proved, Wainuiomata led 11-9 at halftime on the back of a try to flanker Shahn Eru. HOBM Openside flanker Jason Risdon scored to put them in front, and then the match-winner came. Centre Taiso Silafai-Leaana broke the line and put fullback Glen Walters in under the bar. Then the news filtered through from across the river that Petone had beaten MSP and the Eagles could start celebrating.

Jubilee Cup Round 4 2012: Matt Proctor for Oriental-Rongotai (55) v Petone (15)
Defending Jubilee Cup champions Oriental-Rongotai really hit their straps in winning their fourth straight match to start the second round. Coming off a big win over first round winners HOBM (see above) they rolled on to the Petone Rec with outstanding openside flanker Ardie Savea in tow and fire power out wide in such players as centre Matt Proctor. Proctor scored his first try of the match in the first 40 minutes to give Ories a 31-8 lead at the turnaround. Their first try after halftime and Proctor’s second was a 70-metre gem. From a turnover, halfback Sean Hay put No. 8 Joe Maiava into a hole and he combined with Ambrose Curtis and finally Proctor.

Swindale Shield Round 5 2013: Joketani Koroi for Tawa (28) v Northern United (27)
In 2013 Tawa achieved the Swindale Shield – Jubilee Cup double for the first time. This last-gasp win for the Sammy Saili Memorial Trophy midway through the first round was a catalyst. Norths had seemingly already won this match when fullback Johnny Teleaga scorched in with a few minutes remaining. Tawa had one final assault on the Norths line, but this was repelled and Norths were awarded a defensive scrum. However, Tawa won a turnover and their own put-in. They broke openside across the posts and blindside flanker Joketani Koroi crashed over. Fullback Randall Bishop added the extras to seal victory.

Swindale Shield Round 9 2013: Afa Fa’atau for Oriental-Rongotai (50) v Northern United (19)
Oriental-Rongotai turned a 15-12 lead at halftime into a second half thrashing. Two players that stood out were flanker Ardie Savea (see above as well) and left wing Afa Fa’atau. Ten tries were scored in this match and every one of them was a beauty, all featuring brilliance and support play. The match winner and also Ories’ bonus point try was the pick of them. Ories’ forwards mauled up into the 22 and then flyhalf Fa’atonu Fili unleashed the backs. Centre Paulo Aukuso made a half-break and was tackled before popping a lovely pass up to wing Fa’atau who raced through to score.

Jubilee Cup Round 5 2013: Joe Hill for Old Boys University (31) v Tawa (28)
Right wing Joe Hill scored two tries as Old Boys University came back from 8-21 down to edge Tawa in a heart-stopper. His second try was set up by Player of the Match, first five-eighth Lima Sopoaga, when he took a quick tap penalty to create a try for Hill in the Nairnville Park mud. Sopoaga converted to tie the scores up at 28-28, before sending the winning penalty over. Tawa reversed this result in their home semi-final three weeks later.

Jubilee Cup Round 8 (semi-final) 2013: Nick Risdon for Hutt Old Boys Marist (27) v Oriental-Rongotai (30)
In perhaps the greatest playoff match of them all in Wellington club rugby, Ories won a 30-27 extra time victory in the 97th minute. Hutt Old Boys Marist thought they had won late in regulation time with this try by halfback Nick Risdon, converted from the sideline by Brandyn Laursen. Right wing James Kusel fielded a high kick on halfway and steamed up the grandstand touchline in a 40 metre run. Risdon was hot in support and he crossed for the try in the corner. Ories then drew level on fulltime with a try to flanker Tutasi Masoe.