Clubs in pre-season action in final weekend before Swindale kick-off

Above: MSP and HOBM met on the first day of the Spillane Cup tournament in Plamerston North today. Photo credit: MSP Facebook 

UPDATED: A sodden Saturday around Wellington marked the final weekend of pre-season preperations for teams staying at home, while others were in action around the North Island, ahead of the Gala Day start of the 2017 Swindale Shield at Upper Hutt next weekend.

Marist St Pat’s and Hutt Old Boys Marist are both involved in the New Zealand Marist Spillane tournament in Palmerston North this weekend.

The two Wellington clubs played each other in today’s opening match, with MSP edging their Hutt rivals 27-24.

Defending champions MSP plays Hawke’s Bay champions Napier Old Boys Marist in tomorrow’s Spillane Cup final and HOBM meets hosts Palmerston North Old Boys Marist after NOBM defeated PNOBM 30-24 in the other match.

In the Spillane Colts tournament, MSP’s Colts lost 0-17 to the Auckland Colts and the HOBM Colts defeated Palmerston North Old Boys Marist B in the other match. HOBM will meet Auckland Marist in the Moran Cup final tomorrow.

Forget Stan Walker. Jubilee Cup Champions Tawa were the biggest drawcard at the annual Cannons Creek Festival this afternoon when they clashed with locals Paremata-Plimmerton in pre-season.

Despite heavy rain and a boggy field, Tawa ran in about a dozen unanswered tries in a resounding victory. Sharn Robinson (2), Randall Bishop (2), Peniasi Tokakece (2) and Pepesana Patafilo (2) each bagged a brace in a match that featured the return of Hawke's Bay's Tolu Fahamokioa and veteran hooker Matthew Treeby.

Elijah Vaa Brooking was full of running on the wing for Tawa, but Kemara Hauiti-Parapara and Sitiveni Paongo were absent at the New Zealand U20 trial.

Paremata-Plimmerton are being co-coached this season by long time Hutt Old Boy' Marist stalwart Phil Gibb. Gibb is optimistic Parramatta-Plimmerton will be more competitive as they built depth throughout 2017. 

Down the road, Northern United held an internal camp, starting the day off with an early breakfast, followed by presentations from the coaches and administration and then an intense Zuu fitness session to end the day.

After meeting Avalon in their final pre-season hit-out on Tuesday night, Poneke hunkered down for a 12-hour training camp, with running, boxing and team bonding all on the agenda.

Members of the Wolves club were at the Tumeke Taita Summer Festival promoting junior rugby, while their Premier squad was in Palmerston North playing Te Kawau. That match proved a thriller, ending in a 31-31 draw.

The Upper Hutt Rams Premier and Premier Reserves squads reported a healthy turnout for their traditional pre-season match against the Linton Army club from Manawatu.

Wainuiomata were defeated by Manawatu’s College Old Boys in Palmerston North the final match for both teams before the respective Wellington and Manawatu competitions kick off next weekend.

Petone’s Premiers travelled up to Clive in the Hawke’s Bay to play their final build-up fixture and enjoyed a 62-5 win at Farndon Park. 

The Johnsonville Hawks had an overnight camp on Friday, followed by a trip to the Kapiti Coast to play 5-time Horowhenua-Kapiti Ramsbottom Cup champions Paraparaumu.

The Old Boys University Premiers and Premier Reserves hosted Manawatu’s Varsity club at Prince of Wales Park in their final hit-out before the start of the season. Scores weren’t kept, but OBU reported comfortable wins in both outings.

For the OBU Premiers, props Finbarr Kerr-Newell and Morgan Poi played well, as did lock Paterson Carter and openside flanker Daven Candy who scored three tries. Tomasi Palu ran the backs well from scrumhalf, with ex-Axemen Matt Goosen and Dale Sabbagh combining well in the midfield and Trent Harris playing well on debut.

OBU is hosting a junior Open Day at Boyd Wilson Park tomorrow morning.

Oriental-Rongotai kept it local in Miramar with a conditioning day, while the Wellington Axemen had a club-wide season social launch at their Hataitai Park clubrooms, with a get together for all players and families and supporters.

The first round of the Wellington Premier club rugby season is at Awakairangi and Maoribank Parks next Saturday. More news and information to come during the week.