Clash of the defending champions Tawa and OBU in second round

Wainuiomata halfback Frae Wilson gets a pass away in his team's narrow opening weekend win over Avalon. Tomorrow, they host Hutt Old Boys Marist at William Jones Park.

A juicy early season clash takes place at leafy Lyndhurst Park tomorrow, between home side and Jubilee Cup title holders Tawa and defending first round Swindale Shield champions Old Boys University.

Last year Old Boys University became the fourth Swindale Shield winner of the past four seasons and also the second consecutive incumbent Jubilee Cup holder after HOBM in 2015 to also win the following year’s Swindale Shield.

Can defending champions OBU snap the trend and become the first side since Northern United in 2010-11 to go back-to-back in the Swindale Shield? Can Tawa continue this run of Jubilee Cup winners going on to win the following year’s Swindale Shield? There’s a long way to go, but tomorrow’s clash between Tawa and OBU could ultimately go a long way to answering these questions.

The two sides are coming off contrasting first round encounters, Tawa slipping to a 13-31 loss to Marist St Pat’s and Old Boys University earning a bonus point 27-14 win over Poneke. Tawa were left rueing their old chestnut of poor discipline as well as lineout woes whilst OBU were well drilled and their lineout was polished, making these areas two likely key areas of the contest for both sides. A second bonus point win would represent a sound start to 2017 for the Goats, while Tawa’s fans would welcome a first-up win. Last year OBU edged Tawa 34-33 in the first round but Tawa defeated the Goats 38-20 in their return clash at Lyndhurst.

Look out for OBU’s NZ Schools prop Tim Farrell making his debut off the bench, while Will Mangos comes in for Joe Beech at lock and former Axemen flyhalf Dale Sabbagh runs the cutter at 10. For Tawa, halfback Kemara Hauiti-Parapara and prop Sitiveni Paongo return from the Hurricanes Zephyrs, while Tolu Fahamokioa is away with the Hurricanes Typhoons. Regular starters Tavita Logovae, Ben Lam and Hemi Fermanis are all injured, while Telea Seumanutafa has returned from his Samoa 7’s duties and will play lock.

There’s just one match in the city on Saturday, a big traditional battle at Evans Bay Park between Marist St Pat’s and Petone. While MSP banked five points against Tawa, Petone came home strongly, but not fast enough, in their 19-25 loss to Northern United.

There are two trophies on the line in this clash, with MSP putting up the Bill Brien Challenge Shield for the first time this year. This will be MSP’s eighth defence after winning it off Norths at the end of April 2016. The two teams also contest the Bill Elvy Trophy, after the 1920s Petone Wellington representative, whose son and grandson later played for Marist clubs. They only met once last year, with MSP prevailing 25-17 in a typically close battle between the clubs.

Marist St Pat’s will have their NZ Schools representative Billy Proctor making his Premier debut at centre, while the Red Mist, Isaac O’Connor, starts his first Premier match at No. 8. Evergreen halfback Peter Sciascia again comes off the bench to add punch. Petone welcome back Lester Maulolo from Hurricanes Zephyrs duty, while Losi Filipo is in Samoa trialling for their U20s side and season captain and No. 8 talisman Mateaki Kafatolu remains injured at the start of the year, as are several others such as Jared Kahu, Piri Paraone and Jarrod Adams.

Staying in the Wellington City Council’s jurisdiction, the Johnsonville Hawks are playing at home at Helston Park for the first time this year, hosting Paremata-Plimmerton in the battle of last year’s minnows.

Johnsonville and Paremata-Plimmerton are coming off opening round defeats to last year’s Jubilee Cup sides Wellington and Ories respectively, but neither were heavy losses. Both sides were more competitive than their combined Swindale Shield win tally from the past two seasons of one from 48 games suggests. That one win came in last year’s match at Ngatitoa when Blake Neve scored two tries and 17 points in a 22-8 victory over the Hawks. Paremata-Plimmerton repeated the dose in their Hardham Cup re-match, winning 22-8.

The Hawks welcome their captain Anthony Pettett at lock, back from playing for the Hurricanes Zephyrs, while Jeff Makapelu makes his first start for them at centre against the team he played for last season after previously switching from Tawa. Paremata-Plimmerton will be led by No. 8 Tane McMillan-Parata, while Neve has continued the move he made late last season from 10 to 15 and his kicking game could be key on Helston Park, which is a notoriously difficult place for goal and general kicking if the wind is blowing with its tight corners and steep bank on one side.

Up the motorway, opening weekend winners Northern United host a Poneke side hoping to find form after losing to the Goats.

Tighthead prop Rhys Reiri (out of Wairarapa College) and flanker Apirana McMillan-Parata (Paremata-Plimmerton) are set to make their first starts for Poneke, while Cole Stewart returns after an off-season playing in Ireland and former Counties Manukau B player Andrew Jones also rides the Poneke pine. Former OBU flanker Antony Fox makes his debut for Norths, in a loose forward trio led by 2010 Jubilee Cup winner Parekura Lalaga, while recent Rongotai College livewire Esi Komaisavai is set to make his Norths debut off the bench after winning the Borneo 7s last weekend with the NZ Development team.

This is also a close game historically, with little separating the teams. In recent times, the margin of victory in each of their last eight clashes has been inside 10 points. It was nine matches ago when Norths swept to a 29-3 Jubilee Cup semi-final victory over Poneke. Last year saw Norths won their only encounter 26-18 in round four.

Poneke and Norths play for the Cyril Collett Memorial Shield. Collett played for Porirua in the 1950’s, with his sons Paul and Bruce later turning out for Porirua and Poneke. 

There’s three second round Swindale Shield matches in the Hutt Valley for supporters to sink their teeth into. Wainuiomata, the Upper Hutt Rams and the Avalon Wolves host their first home games of the year.

Wainuiomata used their get out of jail free card early last week against Avalon, not for the first time and probably not the last replacement flanker Matt Jacobs standing up and kicking last minute penalty in sealing a 14-13 win.

The green and blacks will be seeking a polished performance in their first home fixture of the year when they welcome neighbours Hutt Old Boys Marist on to William Jones Park. There’s always plenty of spice in this clash, with many players being friends, neighbours, ex-school friends and relatives.

Defending Hardham Cup champions HOBM are targeting a return to the Jubilee Cup this year, the title they last won in 2014 when they beat Wainuiomata in the final. Last weekend the Eagles opened up a 20-3 lead over the Upper Hutt Rams only to be run down in the second half.

Wainuiomata will bring a wealth of experience to this contest, with the sage front row of Justin Va’a, Dion Lealofi and Henry Smith complemented by Frae Wilson and Uale Mai in the halves and with the addition of speedster Jason Love at fullback. Player/coach Dan Farani starts off the bench for the second week. HOBM’s backline will be boosted by the classy Ope Peleseuma, returning from Samoa A duties, while 200-game Polonga Pedro is a familiar name at lock.Former Hastings Boys’ High School student Aleki Vuki makes his debut at loosehead prop in place of the injured Simon Malaeulu, whom he replaced just a few minutes into their season opener last week against the Rams.

Wainuiomata have won both their clashes since losing the 2014 Jubilee Cup final. The two sides didn’t meet in the 2015 Swindale Shield owing to the vagaries of the new draw format of the expanded competition, but Wainuiomata won 18-15 (at William Jones Park) and 31-5 (at neutral Maidstone Park) in their two subsequent clashes.

The Avalon Wolves host Ories in a match that’s predicted to be one of the closest of the round. Just a hunch with this one. Not because these two sides drew 11-11 in their only clash last year either. Both have plenty to play for to ignite their seasons and this game is traditionally an open free-flowing one for the spectators to enjoy.

There’s no changes to Avalon’s starting line-up from their season opening one-point defeat to Wainuiomata, but there are a couple changes in the reserves. Jordan King, Akuila Alatini and  Solomon Tuiano return to take the bench. For Ories, former Axemen halfback Adam Deck halfback is at first five-eighth, with Alex Ropeti away at the Samoa U20 trials, and Alex Fidow lines up at blindside flanker instead of his usual position at tighthead prop.

Up the road, the Upper Hutt Rams will be keen to ram it up against another first week winner, the Wellington Axemen.

Unlike at the tail end of last season, Maidstone Park promises to be firm and hard and both sides will hope to play a positive, expansive match.

The Rams will be out to give their fans what they want at home, which is a win at home. Last year’s Jubilee Cup side had an appalling record at Maidstone Park where they misfired on several occasions. They lost 5-39 to OBU in their season opener and the only side they beat in eight home matches there in total was Paremata-Plimmerton.

Wellington accounted for the Rams 31-15 in the second round at Maidstone, after earlier beating them 40-32 in their Swindale Shield fixture at Hataitai. Wellington also won this clash at Maidstone 30-27 in 2015, so will be looking for a three-peat of wins there tomorrow.

Like all teams, the Axemen will be out to negate Upper Hutt’s energetic loose forwards. Last week’s captain Sam Gard’ner will be missing, replaced by former Tawa flanker Sam Tuala who is sure to bring speed to the breakdown. Loosehead prop Adam Stewart will lead the Axemen on to Maidstone Park. In the outside backs, the Rams welcome Max Pearson and Tafa Tafa into the fold, the pair missing their first match, while new Axemen centre Olly Sapsford impressed in the opening round.

This match at Maidstone Park is also the feature radio call on Te Upoko. Tune your dial to 1161AM or search Te Upoko online at Tunein.com.

Harper Lock Shield

Last week’s opening round Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield opener proved just as close as the Swindale Shield, with scores low and no blowouts as has been seen regularly in this grade in recent years.

Similarly, of the 14 clubs, just three were able to win bank wins in both the Swindale Shield and Harper Lock Shield competitions. These clubs were Ories, Wainuiomata and Norths
Tomorrow’s games see first round bonus point winners Wainuiomata and Hutt Old Boys Marist meet, with first round winners Poneke and Norths also meeting. All Premier Reserve matches kick off at 1pm.

Of note, all other grades start up on Saturday 8 April, a fortnight from now.