Plenty at stake in penultimate round matches

It’s the penultimate round of the Swindale and Harper Lock Shields and just where those two trophies will end up remains up for grabs. Elsewhere in the Premier midtable there’s a clutch of teams still battling to make the top-seven cut with the critical match there being the clash at Kilbirnie Park between Poneke and Petone. The Colts first-round competitions come to a close with one already decided and the other still very much alive, the Women’s continues in that direction and the 85’s first round reaches the halfway stage. Finally it’s the first round of competition matches across all the boys College grades after the girls got underway on Wednesday night.

It’s also Old Timers’ Day for the Avalon Wolves, the last one in their current clubrooms before they make the move across into the new Sportsville building.

Premier Swindale Shield

The big game of the round is at Jerry Collins Stadium where second-placed Norths (45 points) host leaders Old Boys-University (48) in what isn’t quite a virtual final, but the winner will leave with one hand on the trophy and go into the last round at the head of the ladder at least (the only way that OBU can claim the Swindale this week is to win and for HOBM to lose as well). However, with MSP and Petone to face respectively in next week’s final round nothing is certain, though if Norths lose tomorrow and OBU get a bonus point they will be eliminated from the running.

Norths skipper Parekura Lalaga will lead the side in his 100th Premier match, with their team having the inclusion again of the trio of Jackson Garden-Bachop, Leni Apisai, and Du’plessis Kirifi, with their midfield pairing being the youthful duo of Kienan Higgins and Denny To’o. While much has been made about the Goats injury list, they do get several players back tomorrow with Jonathan Fuimaono, Sam Coventry, and former Norths junior Tai Neli all back in their starting side, while Will Mangos remains with the team.

The pair will also play for their interclub Ken Douglas Trophy, inaugurated last year. Douglas is a familiar name to many through his work as a trade unionist and Porirua City councilor, but less well known is his rugby history. He played for Wellington College OB, and was later instrumental in the amalgamation of Porirua and Titahi Bay that created Norths, and to complete matters holds an honorary degree from Victoria University. OBU hold this after winning 30-7 last year.

Hutt Old Boys Marist (44) are the only other side that has a realistic chance of grabbing the Swindale and appear likely to get the maximum five competition points when they host bottom-side Johnsonville (1) at the Hutt Rec. That would be something that will keep them in the hunt at the very least no matter the events in Porirua, but obviously a Norths win would be the preferred outcome for the Eagles. Fresh off his two-try performance in debut Albert Polu remains in midfield where he’ll be joined by Chase Tiatia. Simon Malaealu makes his first start of the year as he continues his remarkable recovery from health issues, while there’s further relief on the availability front with Jared Woodward in club colours for the first time this season.

Johnsonville at least got their first competition point in scoring five tries in their loss to Upper Hutt, and their focus for the next two weeks will likely be getting some form and confidence ahead of the Hardham Cup. As of time of writing we didn’t have their side for tomorrow.

Across in the eastern suburbs Marist St Pat’s (40) sit in what amounts to no-man’s land. They really can’t win the Swindale without a series of other events happening, but are safe to contest the Jubilee Cup for the 42nd consecutive season. They’ll be going for the clean sweep over their neighbouring clubs when they take on Oriental-Rongotai (27) at Evans Bay, having beaten Poneke last weekend and Wellington earlier in the campaign. It’ll be a desperate Magpies side, who simply need to win and have other results go their way if they are to avoid dropping into Hardham Cup for the first time since 2007.

To try and accomplish that Ories have brought back Serge Hollis, John Tuia, Adam Deck, and Andrew Ellis, and will again look to the competitions top try-scorer Luca Rees to get them over the line. MSP hand the reins at first-five to Grayson Whitman for his first Premier start while their only other changes from the side the won the Battle of Kilbirnie over Poneke are the returns of James Tuia and Anthony Pettett to their starting side.

On the other side of Evans Bay Parade Poneke (34) and Petone (37) clash on Kilbirnie Park. After consecutive losses to Pare-Plim and MSP Poneke find themselves in the seventh spot on the table, but also have the knowledge that a win here will secure them a return to the Jubilee Cup and will be keen to get back in the winner’s circle by delivering that. Petone have leapfrogged them on the table after pitching shutouts over lowly Johnsonville and Wellington, and while the Villagers only need a point for Jubilee qualification their focus will undoubtedly be on ensuring they carry momentum into that stage of the season.

The home team is bolstered by the addition of Hurricanes lock Isaia Walker-Leawere who replaces the injured Galu Taufale with Cole Stewart switching to the blindside flank. Jimmy-Lee Hongara starts at halfback with Nick Robertson moving into fullback. Petone will likewise have a Hurricane in their ranks with James Blackwell while Caelym Box makes his Premier start and there is the inclusion of Josh Roberston-Weepu on their bench having chosen to join uncle Piri over his former club. Jarrod Adams will again captain the side in his 50th match.

The two teams will also once again contest their FJ Tilyard Memorial Shield, like the clubs themselves one of the longest-standing interclub trophies in the province. One of four brothers who achieved representative honours Fred Tilyard played on four Poneke title-winning teams in the post-WWI era and an All Black in 1923, and later served as a club administrator for 20 years. It’s held by Poneke after their 23-19 win last season.

Up the road Tawa (37) return to Lyndhurst Park with the Upper Hutt Rams (25) making the journey over the Haywards. Like Petone, Tawa only need a point to make the Jubilee Cup but will also want to carry form and confidence into that. Conversely the Rams’ hopes of Jubilee action are on life-support, a situation not helped by the WRFU seemingly docking them two competition points for the illness-related default of their Colts team two weekends ago and nothing less than a win here will help them and even then they’ll be keeping an eye on the game at Kilbirnie Park.

Telea Seumanutafa, Sio Fidow, and Elijah Va’a-Brooking all return to Tawa’s starting XV with the latter playing his blazer game, and James So’oialo will look to see if he can narrow the gap to HOBM’s Glen Walters on the point-scorers chart. The Rams have the very notable inclusion of Blues flanker Murphy Taramai who’ll suit up in Rams colours for the first time since the 2015 Hardham Cup Final while both Josh Houston-Tupou and Kono Feaunati both start this week.

There are two trophies in play there tomorrow. One is their interclub Mexted Motors Cup (held by Tawa after their 37-12 at the same stage last year); with the other the Bill Brien Challenge Trophy that Tawa will defend for the second time since taking it from OBU on Anzac Day.

Also needing a series of events to get back to the Jubilee Cup are Wainuiomata (25), who can only help their own cause tomorrow when they host Wellington (12) at William Jones. They’ll contest their interclub Bill Jones Cup – named for the same man that the ground is – with Wainuiomata having Peter Umaga-Jensen available to him after his Hurricanes debut and he’ll line up at centre alongside Isaiah Mamea. The Axemen will want to atone for last weekend’s drubbing at the hands of Petone, and get loose forwards Liam Privett and Mikey Smith back but will be without midfielder Olly Sapsford.

The final match of the day pits two sides that are already set to meet again in the Hardham Cup with Avalon (16) and Paremata-Plimmerton (16) meeting at Fraser Park. While they both went down to front running sides gave good account of themselves after they recorded notable wins the weekend, and will be targeting this one to not just improve their own win-loss record, but get a bit of an edge ahead of their next meeting. No fewer than six Avalon players – Laman Ah Wong, Poata Tuisamoa, Jesse Oloapu, Jordan King, Dylan Reece, and Ale Peni – will be presented with blazers following the match.

Of those Peni, Reece, and Tuisamoa start tomorrow and while there’s a welcome return for openside Logan Blake there’s no Daley Ena, Akuila Alatini, or Sefo Aumua in their side. Pare-Plim are largely unchanged though they’re without Richard Judd with former Tawa halfback Ben Stephens to make his first start and Dre Melvin named to return to first-five.

All Premier matches are at the normal 2.45pm kickoff

Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield

Leaders MSP (53) and Norths (51) remain on course for a final-round showdown next weekend, but first both need to deal with their opposition tomorrow. The difference between the two is that if MSP beats Ories in the early game at Evans Bay, then Norths must beat OBU at the same time at Porirua Park to keep the title alive.

In the other games there’s another top-five clash at Kilbirnie when Poneke hosts Petone while further north the Upper Hutt Rams visit Tawa at Lyndhurst. The remaining three games are in the Hutt Valley between the bottom six sides; HOBM host Johnsonville at the Hutt Rec, Avalon and Pare-Plim clash at Fraser Park, and there’s 12th against 13th when Wainuiomata and Wellington meet at William Jones.

All seven matches are at 1pm.

Women’s Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy

The feature clash of the round in the Women’s competition is at the Polo Ground where Oriental-Rongotai meets Marist St Pat’s. Ories got back to winning ways but not before having to work to subdue a stubborn Pare-Plim, the same side MSP lost at the death to in their last outing two weeks ago having had the bye last week.

Norths assumed the competition lead with their romp over Poneke combined with Pare-Plim’s loss, and should remain there when they face Avalon at Fraser Park though there’s a question mark over that after the Wolves were unable to field a team last weekend. Old Boys-University will look to close the gap to the top-five when they host Hutt Old Boys Marist at Nairnville, while Petone host Poneke at the Rec.

Paremata-Plimmerton has the bye this round.

All four matches kick-off at 11.30am

Les Mills Colts

Any of three teams could lift the Division 1 Paris Memorial Trophy tomorrow, but the title is Marist St Pats’ (27) to lose. Their nearest pursuers – Norths and Old Boys-University Green – are both one point behind on 26 and clash tonight at 7.30pm at the Ascot Park artificial in Porirua. The outcome of that will be that the winner will assume the competition lead, but then all that MSP would need to do is get a bonus-point win against Hutt Old Boys Marist tomorrow on the St Patrick’s College turf to claim the title outright. Elsewhere the relegation fight is on with at least one side to drop down to Division 2 for the balance of the season when Petone and Ories meet at the Petone Rec and Tawa hosts the Upper Hutt Rams at Redwood Park.

The Division 2 title has already been decided with Paremata-Plimmerton retaining the JRD Cup after beating OBU Black last weekend and will round off the first part of the season when they face Avalon at Fraser Park tonight. OBU Black and Johnsonville also play tonight at Te Whaea (both games at 7.30pm), while tomorrow Poneke take on winless OBU White, and Wainuiomata and Wellington meet at Mary Crowther.

Unless stated, all games are at 1pm tomorrow.

Under 85kg Restricted

Tomorrow is a chance for the leaders in the lightweight grade to get a break on the field. The highlight game is probably the one at Helston Park where Johnsonville and Upper Hutt clash at 1pm, while at the same time Avalon take on Western Suburbs at Fraser Park. Eastbourne is at home by the sea at HW Shortt against the Axemen at 2.45. The second late kickoff has MSP facing Tawa on the St Pats College turf with the fifth game of the schedule at 1pm between the OBU Bunnies and Paraparaumu. Winless HOBM have this weekend’s bye.

College

We took a look at the 1st XV Premiership – which gets underway tomorrow – yesterday. To recap the first round of matches have Silverstream at St Bernard’s at 1pm, while at 2.30pm are the remaining games with Wairarapa College hosting Rongotai, Wellington College at home against HIBS, St Pat’s Town up the coast against Kapiti, and Porirua visit Scots.

In Premier 2 the contests are (home teams first) Silverstream 2nds vs Wellington College 2nds (11am), Paraparaumu vs St Pats Town 2nds (1pm), Tawa vs Hutt Valley HS, Aotea vs Taita, and Upper Hutt vs Onslow (all at 2.30pm).