Old Boys University win first round titles, Petone seals eighth place

Above: Petone fullback Willie Fine crosses today for the try that put his side in the lead against the Upper Hutt Rams. Petone pulled away late to win 43-32 to seal the eighth and final place that was up for grabs for the Jubilee Cup, starting next weekend.

Old Boys University teams won Wellington club rugby’s top two division men’s first round titles today, while Petone sealed the eighth and final spot up for grabs in the championship round starting next weekend.

OBU teams annexed the 2017 Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield and Premier Swindale Shield trophies within two hours of each other at Nairnville Park this afternoon.

Just needing to beat Avalon Wolves teams, OBU’s Premier Reserves won 61-21 to clinch the Harper Lock Shield. In the main game that followed, OBU’s top side defeated Avalon 43-10 to make sure of retaining the Swindale Shield for another 12 months at least.

There were seven different try scorers for OBU in their seven tries to two win. OBU led 19-5 at halftime.

At the Polo Ground, the Petone Colts completed a perfect first round campaign when they beat the Ories Colts 32-28. They were presented with the Paris Memorial Trophy afterwards.

At the Petone Recreation Ground, Petone’s top side sailed to a come-from-behind 43-32 win over the Upper Hutt Rams to take the eighth spot for the upcoming Jubilee Cup ahead of Poneke.

Poneke beat Paremata-Plimmerton 50-13 in their last round clash at Kilbirnie Park, left wing Nick Robertson scoring a hat-trick in the eight tries to one victory, while fullback Michael Sage scored one try to finish the Swindale Shield as the top try scorer with 12 tries. Poneke led 24-6 at halftime.

But Poneke’s win was all in vain given Petone’s win. At one stage, the Rams were up 24-7, on the back of four tries including a double to left wing Petara Rikiriki, and really threatening a boilover. Petone scored on the stroke of halftime to make it 24-12 at the turn. The Rams pulled ahead to 27-12 with a rare dropped goal early in the second half.

Petone then took the game to the Rams with centre Lester Maulolo scoring two tries in as many minutes to cut the gap to 27-24. The Rams scored again through energetic hooker Josh Houston-Tupou, to carry their lead out to 32-24. But Petone closed out the contest with three more tries, including one more to Maulolo, an intercept try that brought the house down, and another that Maulolo had a hand in with a skipout pass. Three of Petone’s tries also came directly from their dominant scrum. The Rams were left to rue a yellow card during this period and more inconsistencies in their play; if they could maintain their high-velocity game for longer they would be a Jubilee Cup contender, not heading to the Hardham Cup.

At the Polo Ground Oriental-Rongotai and Johnsonville met for the Ash Pointon Cup, a game which carried extra special significance today after the death of Ash Pointon on Monday following illness. Pointon played over a combined 250 Premier games for Ories and Johnsonville in the 1980s and 1990s. A moment’s silence was observed at this game and others today in his memory.

Ories got up to finish second in the standings in overcoming Johnsonville 34-19. The game was a slow boil for much of the first half, save for a thunderous hit by the Hawks Jeff Makepelu on his Ories opposite Aukuso Tuitama. Ories were the first to cross the line with Andrew Ellis profiting after space was found down the right, but were otherwise content to punish Johnsonville through Adam Deck penalties. Johnsonville managed to get on the board just on halftime when diminutive winger Jacob Walmsely scampered over. A fifth Deck penalty pushed the lead to 15, but when the Hawks scored twice to narrow the margin a whiff of an upset was in the air. However indiscretions cost Johnsonville losing two men to the bin, and Ories closed the match out with a pair of tries to replacement forward Luca Rees. It would be hard to go past Ories loosie Tukia Purcell as Man of the Match, a constant menace at the breakdown and around the park.

Hutt Old Boys Marist, Northern United and Wainuiomata finished the Swindale Shield in a three-way tie for third on 47 points.

At the Hutt Rec, HOBM galloped to a 33-0 lead over Northern United at halftime, with tries to prop Joe ‘Apikatoa, flanker Tasi Fidow, halfback Sheridan Rangihuna, centre Ope Peleseauma and left wing Hollywood Moemai – but they then had to withstand a spirited fightback by the visitors. Norths must have had turbo juice in their halftime huddle, as they hit back with five tries of their own. But they ran out of time and the Eagles supporters were breathing a sigh of relief as the fulltime whistle was sounded.

Wainuiomata lost their last round game this afternoon for the Chris Stirling Cup to Tawa at Lyndhurst Park.

Wainuiomata opened the try scoring with a try to centre Isaiah Mamea, but Tawa came back with a try to Best and Fairest leader and lock Hemi Fermanis and to flyhalf James So’oialo to take a 17-5 lead. Tawa centre Pepesana Patafilo scored again from a So’oialo kick and So’oialo converted to give Tawa a 24-5 lead into halftime. The second half was a tough affair, Wainuiomata scoring the only points of the second half with a converted try to Mamea, his second try.

At Hataitai Park, Marist St Pat’s warmed up for the upcoming Jubilee Cup and celebrated their Past Players and Suporters day and reunion of their 1971-80 teams with a 50-3 win over the Wellington Axemen. Jordy Walsh scored two tries in the eight tries to nil victory, while left wing Mike Buckley crossed for his 10th try of the season. MSP led 21-3 at halftime.

Harper Lock Shield

Old Boys University were clear winners of the first round Premier Reserve competition, winning their 12th match in 13 games against Avalon today, 61-21. OBU finished the first round with a record of 589 points for and 193 against.

Northern United got up to finish second ahead of HOBM with a 24-10 win in the early game on the Hutt Recreation Ground. At Lyndhurst Park, Tawa beat Wainuiomata 50-8 to seal a fourth place Premier Reserve first round finish.

The Upper Hutt Rams’ second XV cemented fifth with a 23-12 win in the early game at the Petone Rec. The Rams were ahead 8-5 at the end of a tight first half. Petone scored the first try of the second half, but back-to-back tries put the Rams ahead 18-12 midway through the spell. A long period of scrappy play ensured before the Rams crossed again near the end to make sure of their victory.

Tackling was optional in the early game at the Polo Ground, as Ories and Johnsonville combined for 15 tries and 94 points, with then Magpies prevailing 58-36.

Marist St Pat’s finished sixth with a 89-0 win over Wellington and Poneke seventh after beating Pareamata-Plimmerton 29-10.

Colts

Petone ended the first round with a perfect record of seven bonus point wins, beating Ories 32-28 at the Polo Ground. 

Despite the defeat, Ories finished the first round in second behind Petone.

In other Colts Division One games this afternoon, Tawa finished third after beating Norths 45-16, MSP fourth after beating the Upper Hutt Rams Colts 33-19 and OBU Green fifth after beating Poneke 31-21.

Paremata-Plimmerton won the first round Colts Division 2 JRD Cup, beating Johnsonville 31-15 today, ahead of HOBM in second who pipped Wainuiomata 17-15.

College

There were four matches played today in the second round of the WelTec Premiership competition.

Scots College enjoyed a 88-3 win over Hutt Valley High School, Kapiti College edged Tawa College 22-16, Rongotai College defeated Wairarapa College 39-7 and St Pat’s Town bounced back from Wednesday’s defeat to Wellington College by beating Porirua College 39-22.

The round is completed this coming Wednesday with St Pat’s Silverstream hosting Wellington College in their annual mid-week Traditional.