Laursen and HOBM Eagles preparing for big McBain Shield clash

Above: Brandyn Laursen running freely for HOBM in a recent match against Marist St Pat's, with prop Joe 'Apikotoa and wing Fereti Soloa in support and MSP's Vince Sakaria (headgear) and Kerrod Foaese in pursuit. 

After losing their first two matches, to the Upper Hutt Rams and to Wainuiomata, the Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles have quietly gone about their business and have now won seven in a row in this year’s Swindale Shield competition.

Last Saturday, the Eagles made a second half statement against Tawa away at Lyndhurst Park, pulling clear from 9-3 ahead to win 26-10. This coming Saturday they play Petone for the famous McBain Shield at home in the first of four consecutive matches at the Eagles’ Nest. Games to come after Petone in rounds 11, 12 and 13 are against current frontrunners Old Boys University, Northern United and Oriental-Rongotai. 

Hutt old Boys Marist five-eighth and goal-kicker Brandyn Laursen said the team is playing well at the moment after a rocky start.

“We obviously had high hopes at the start of the season against Upper Hutt and Wainui but dropping those two games was a big learning curve for us,” said Laursen. “Winning the Poneke game [17-13 in round 4] was a turning point for us because it was that game last year that we lost that tipped us upside down.”

Heading into the last four rounds the Eagles are in fourth but with a tough run home, Laursen said they are just taking it one game at a time. “Our goals were to beat the Jubilee Cup teams from last year. We’ve knocked off a few of them so hopefully we can keep that going.”

There’s definitely an extra edge at training this week for the McBain Shield match. “You can’t just treat this like another game, there’s always more to it and boys are fired up for a big one.”

Petone won last year's McBain Shield 27-23 with wing Willie Fine crossing in the corner to score at the death.

“This will be my fourth McBain and I’ve won two and lost one.”

A host of players are in good form for the Eagles at present, including Laursen, Wellington Lions halfback Sheridan Rangihuna and former Hurricanes centre Ope Peleseuma and Fereti Soloa (8 tries) in the backs and Tasi Fidow, Ben Power, Joe ‘Apikotoa and James O’Reilly in the forwards.

Hooker O’Reilly is back from Bay of Plenty, training with the Hurricanes as cover for the concussed Dane Coles.

“This year we have had to rely more on the experienced the guys because we had a lot of older players hang up their boots last season, so it’s a good opportunity for me and others like Ope and James to step up into that leadership role.”

Veteran lock Polonga Pedro is back though, but is currently sidelined with a neck injury. “His experience is valuable, but hopefully he’s not too far from returning. He wants to keep playing and notch the 250 game milestone before he hangs up his boots. I think he’s on about 240 now.”

Laursen, who joined the HOBM Eagles Premiers a year out from leaving school at Kapiti College in 2011, set the Wellington club rugby points scoring record books alight in 2013.

His 286 points for the season was a new Wellington club rugby single season record, beating then Northern United first five-eighth James So’oialo’s 282 points set in 2010 and surpassing his father Craig Laursen who scored 267 points for Avalon in 1993.

In one game against Rimutaka Brandyn scored 52 points as part of a 127-0 win over Rimutaka, causing the scoreboard to malfunction.

“Obviously 2013 was a big points scoring season for me, and overtaking the old man was pretty cool.”

Did he know about the record at the time? “Not really, but the closer I got to it the more people started talking about it and I became aware of it then.”

In 2014 he moved across Cook Straight to play in Marlborough and for the Harlequins club, scoring another 242 points that season. “We didn’t quite win the championship but I got the competition's club rugby Best & Fairest award that year.”

In his absence that year, HOBM won the Jubilee Cup. “I have won myself a Swindale and a Hardham, and now I want the big one, I want the Jubilee Cup. That is the main goal this year.”

Brandyn was playing elsewhere on the day of HOBM’s 14-11 final win over Wainuiomata. “I was playing in a Tasman Makos trial match at the time and I got a phone call straight afterwards telling me the good news.”

As well as playing in Tasman and playing representative rugby for the Marlborough Red Devils and Makos Development sides, Laursen has also played a season in Scotland for Dundee in 2014/15 and he played for Horowhenua-Kapiti in the Heartland Championship in 2015.

A recently qualified builder, Laursen flats with four other HOBM players, fullback Matt Poole, flanker Matt Sleith, wing Blake McGregor and Premier Reserves flanker Ben Taui.

The HOBM Premier reserves are unbeaten after nine rounds this year and with eight wins and a draw are topping the Harper Lock Shield table.

If Laursen can nail his goal kicks this Saturday, the McBain Shield could be heading back across the river to Eagles country.