Club finals, college and representative rugby round-up

The Wellington Axemen celebrate winning the U85kg Diviison 1 Paul Potiki Memorial Shield today at home at Hataitai Park. 

There was plenty of club, college and representative rugby played around Wellington and by Wellington teams today. See below for a round-up of much of the action.

Club Rugby

The Wellington Axemen held off a fast-finishing Avalon Wolves side to win this afternoon’s U85kg Division 1 Paul Potiki Memorial Shield title at home at Hataitai Park.

The Axemen won 20-17 but their supporters had to endure a tense last several minutes of play after the tenacious Wolves had cut into a 10-point deficit by scoring a late converted try.

Inside back Brett Hodgetts sliced clean through and then converted his own try to set up a blockbuster finish. But the Axemen, led by their loose forward trio Alex Slade, Phil Wakefield and Angus Whiteman, were able to finish the match at the other end of the park and hold on to win their first U85kg Division 1 title since 2009.

Earlier, Wellington had flown to what proved to be a decisive 15-0 lead by midway through the first half with the wind in their favour. Captain and second five-eighth Anaru Grant had collected an Avalon dropped ball and handed centre Ratu Karamaena the game’s opening try. Flyhalf Matt Day then linked up with flying fullback Devon Booth off an attacking scrum for their second try. Day landed a monster penalty and it was all Axemen at this point.

The Wolves came back into the game, but several unforced errors stifled their momentum. They were finally rewarded with their first points late in the half to turn with the breeze 3-15 down. This could have been more but big hearted Wolves defence saved what seemed like a third Axemen try after two minutes of pick and drives at the line by the forwards.

Early in the second half, the Wolves put a kick out on the full, presenting the Axemen with another attacking opportunity and chance to extend their lead. Openside flanker Wakefield obliged by storming through a ruck to score in the corner to make it 20-3.

However, the Wolves maintained their composure and started to turn the possession and territory tables on the Axemen. Captain and prop Artie Flux led the way while lock Mike Francis was playing well. Fullback Site Timu sliced through to make it 20-10.

The pressure went back on Avalon when their left wing Alex Newton was sinbinned on the far-side corner and then their starting first five-eighth Manu Oliver left the field injured.

But the Wolves hit back again to score their second try with several minutes remaining and set up a grandstand finish.

In the second division U85kg Tony O’Brien Shield, the Upper Hutt Rams beat Marist St Pat’s Red 25-11 to bag the club’s third final win of the year.

The U85kg Rams side came home in the second half with a wet sail, after scores were locked up at 6-6 at halftime and then MSP took an 11-6 lead early in the second spell, courtesy of an intercept try.

The Rams replied with their first try to level it back up, at 11-11, before they crossed for their second with about 15 minutes to play, another intercept try putting them ahead 18-11.

The Rams then crossed again three minutes later to seal the win, holding on for the remainder of the match.

In the two First Grade Finals today, the Petone Brotherhood beat the HOBM Barbarians in the Division 1 Johnsonville Centennium Cup and the Johnsonville Cripples overcame the Avalon Wolves 32-17 in the final of the Paul Donoghue Memorial Cup. Both wins were achieved away from home.

The Upper Hutt Rams J8s and the Upper Hutt Rams Thirsty Rams finished the Reserve Grade season tied on 30 points after today’s matches, but the J8s take the title as they beat the Thirsty Rams earlier in the round-robin.

Representative Rugby

The Wellington Under-19s dispatched Hawke's Bay Under-19s 31-6 at Jerry Collins Stadium. 

Despite not putting out a complete performance, their task of recording a win was accomplished, largely thanks to rampant hooker Pasi Uluilakepa and first five-eighth Esi Komaisavai.

Uluilakepa opened the scoring with a try from a quick penalty five minutes into the game before captain Naera Tipoki shrugged off a several defenders to put the home team up 14-3.

Hawke's Bay were able to spend a good amount of time in Wellington territory but the finishing touch wasn't quite there for the junior Magpies, with a few errors in crucial moments.

That said, Wellington weren't particularly tidy themselves. Their lineout showed room for improvement and their handling was sloppy in favourable conditions.

It took a while for the scoring to get going in the second spell but prop Ben Aumua Peseta provided Wellington's third try of the day with a close-range effort.

Influential in the build-up was the elusive Komaisavai who proved on several occasions throughout the match how much of an asset he may be at the Jock Hobbs Memorial Tournament.

Replacement hooker George Jacobs found his way over the chalk shortly after to give Wellington an unassailable 25-point lead.

In the match that followed on Jerry Collins Stadium the Manawatu Development side ran out 31-7 winners over the Wellington Samoans.

At Helston Park, the Wellington Maori defeated the Wellington Centurions 28-21.

The Wellington Samoans Women’s side met the Hawke’s Bay Tuis in Napier and the Wellington Pride played the Manawatu Cyclones in their final Women’s NPC warm-up fixture.

College Rugby

Wellington champions St Patrick’s College, Silverstream will tackle Super 8 winners Hastings Boys’ High School after each side convincingly dispatched their semi-final opponents.

After a fortnight break, Hastings destroyed Wellington College 78-0 with wing Kini Naholo bagging six tries. The margin of defeat for Wellington is the largest they have ever suffered in 150 years of existence.

At the Hutt Rec things were a little closer, but Silverstream were comfortable winners shooting clear in the second-half.

Things looked ominous from the outset for Palmerston North when Silverstream second-five Kienan Higgins pushed through some flimsy defence and created a try for wing Scott Svenson in the corner.

However Palmerston North regrouped quickly and enjoyed concerted attack inside the Silverstream 22. Persistent pick and goes resulted in openside Mackenzie Tansley muscling over underneath the sticks.

Palmerston North fumbled the restart and centre Albert Polu crossed the chalk supporting another break from Higgins.

Some of SIlverstream’s play was careless and selfish and an errant pass by Higgins was picked off by wing Ruben Love who sprinted 40-metres to propel Palmerston North ahead.

Silverstream went to the oranges with a 19-17 advantage after a set move from a scrum saw a huge hole open in the Palmerston North defense and wing Chris Auma sprint 50-metres.

The combination of Polu and Aumua wrecked further havoc early in the second-spell when both scored tries to make it 33-17. Aumua in full flight over the course of 40-metres was an impressive sight.

To their credit, Palmerston North didn’t completely wilt like the did in the traditional exchange in June which they lost 71-0.Stewart Cruden sneaked over from close range to make it 33-22 and made a break which went unconverted following poor hands.

Silverstream finished with a flourish by scoring three tries in the last ten minutes.

First-five Harrison Boyle kicked wide and long for Todd Svenson to purse. A perfect high bounce sat up for the fullback who beat the last man to cross.

Prop Luke Chisholm then literally fell over the line after multiple phases before playing a hand in the try off the match.

From the kick-off Chisholm charged like a rhino passing to reserve halfback Wayon Tuhoro-Robinson who distributed to Polu in a length of the field movement.

Elsewhere local Girls runners-up Aotea College narrowly went down 17-20 to Manukura in Palmerston North. Silverstream will now face Hastings Boys in a mouth-watering Hurricanes Boys final in Palmerston North next Saturday, while also up there Porirua College will take on Feilding High (who beat Wairarapa College 43-18) in the Boys Coed final, and St Mary's College will be up against Manukura for the Girls title.

In the remaining College Sport finals deferred from last weekend Silverstream were far too good for St Pats Town in the Under 80kg final winning 39-0, Wellington College produced a clinical performance to beat Town 36-7 in the Under 65kg final, while compounding a bad day out for the Kilbirnie school their second U65 side also lost their final, being shut out 18-0 by Paraparaumu. In the only non-weight final the Hutt International 2nd XV took the Premier 5 title, beating the Porirua College 2nd XV 29-12.