Petone and Poneke impress in their bonus point Gala Day wins

The first day of the 2009 Wellington club rugby season was sizzling and so was the rugby, as Petone and Poneke both impressed with bonus point wins on the opening round Gala Day held at Porirua and Trentham Memorial Parks.

Both grabbed decisive wins as temperatures soared at both grounds, Petone laying down their title credentials with an 86-9 win over Avalon at Porirua and Poneke ousting super club Northern United 34-19 at Trentham.

Petone made no?contest of it against Avalon to retain the Morgan Family Trophy, pulling ahead from a 36-9 halftime lead to eventually score 13 tries including four to new recruit Fraser Middleton. Former Canterbury Colt and left wing Middleton scored a first half hat trick and one more after the interval, and was joined on the scoreboard by Australian halfback Curtis McLean (2), centre Greg Walker (2),? No. 8 Tiso Saolele, fullback Lewis Marshall, and replacement backs Sam O'Leary and Cam Incledon.

Poneke hit the ground running against Norths, the traditionally slow season starters combining a touch of magic and a little luck for a well-deserved bonus point win over Norths. In a fast paced, seesawing season opener, Poneke held their composure to pull clear of Norths late in the second half with two outstanding tries to new players Daniel Ramsay and Charlie Ngatai.

In other games, there were first-up wins to Marist St. Pat's, Hutt Old Boys Marist, Upper Hutt and Oriental-Rongotai.

Defending champions Marist St Pat's reversed their first round loss last year at the hands of Old Boys-University at Trentham to start their 2009 campaign with a 27-12 win over them and also?win the Jack Lamason Memorial Cup. Marist St Pat's scored two early tries to first five-eighth Anthony Bradshaw and centre Chris Slade and led 13-0 after 20 minutes. Hooker Rocky Leofo added a third try in the second half and Slade converted all three tries and also kicked two penalties to help secure a comfortable first-up victory.

Also at Trentham, Hutt Old Boys Marist fullback James Kusel kicked a match winning penalty to see his side edge past the Wests Roosters 24-21 after scores had been all locked up late in the contest. In a thriller, both teams had scored two tries and kicked one conversion and three penalties apiece before Kusel's late strike for the Eagles made the difference.

In other games at Porirua, Oriental-Rongotai defeated Wainuiomata 26-8 and Upper Hutt overcame Tawa 31-18 to win the Mexted Motors Cup.

The Club Weekly puttered out to Trentham to watch Ramsay and Ngatai break open the game for Poneke against Norths, the pair scoring back-to-back tries early in the fourth quarter of play to break open a frenetic contest that had seen play ebb and flow right from the opening whistle.

The first of these tries to Ramsay was spectacular as it was decisive for the replacement lock who had only recently touched down at Wellington airport from playing in the Hong Kong 10s tournament along with several other Wellington Premier players.

With his team leading just 22-19, Ramsay soared high into the blue sky to collect a defensive Norths clearing kick? and then set sail on a clear 30 metre run to the try line to score the bonus point and extend Poneke's advantage to ten points with 15 minutes remaining.

New Zealand Secondary Schools centre Ngatai then sealed the win by crossing out wide less than five minutes later, after a swift counterattack and break by left wing Ambrose Plaister from another ill-directed Norths kick.

Norths then threw everything at Poneke over the final 10 minutes in a desperate attempt to get back in the game but were met by equally defiant defence, which had been another feature of Poneke's performance all game and ensured that Norths came out of round one with no competition points to show for their efforts.

Norths had started strongly through their powerful forwards that were led by Highlanders prop Anthony Perenise, ball winning lock Chris Middleton and No. 8 Nathan Iro, graduating from their Senior One side in 2008.

But Poneke weathered the storm, their forwards combining well with their big and fast outside backs and sending fullback Ben Huntley away for the first try to make it 7-0.

Norths hit back through veteran right wing Peato Lafaele who couldn't convert his own try from the touchline from a concerted build-up inside Poneke's 22.

Norths then went ahead 12-7 through centre Alipati Leiua, who breezed through to score a classy try off a well weighted short pass from first five-eighth Fa'asalele Va'alepu, only moments after Leiua had almost scored from a turnover and 70-metre breakout deep into Poneke territory that was gallantly saved by a scrambling clearing kick by pint-sized halfback Tom Hiratsuka.

Leiua's good work was undone by a Norths dropped ball and a runway try covering half the length of the field to Plaister, who dotted down in the corner to make it 12-12.

Poneke first five-eighth Adrian Grey then retook the lead to Poneke with a 40-metre penalty in the 35^th minute, followed by Poneke's third try right on halftime to prop Misiluni Moananu after more excellent lead-up work by Poneke's outside backs to bring play in close to the tryline. Misiluni's twin brother Misipalauni, now playing blindside flanker from his accustomed second five-eighth role, had a crack before halfback Hiratsuka fed Misiluni a pass to see him crash over under the posts. Grey converted to make it 22-12 at halftime.

Norths now had to score first after the break, and they did so through replacement loosie Tui Meavao off a 5-metre scrum, following a surge up field by outstanding openside flanker Dean Brundson from an overthrown Poneke lineout.

Norths first five-eighth Va'alepu converted to make it a three-point ball game, setting up a tense period of play before Ramsay and then Ngatai clinched the win for Poneke with their tries.

Meanwhile, in the Senior One Harper Lock Shield there were bonus point wins for defending champions Johnsonville, Marist St Pat's , Oriental-Rongotai and Northern United and in the Senior Two Harper Lock Shield five first round results out of six were by bonus point margins.

The Fleurs Trophy Premier Women's Trophy Gala Day held at Wainuiomata also produced a day of clear-cut winning margins, led by Stokes Valley's 102-0 victory over Waikanae, Old Boys-University's 58-0 win over Wainuiomata and Northern United's 65-3 toppling of Oriental-Rongotai.