Petone and MSP in sixth round clash of the heavyweights

For the third consecutive weekend, Petone will be the centre of attention in Wellington Premier rugby when they take on Marist St. Pat's at Evans Bay Park on Saturday as part of this week's sixth round of the Swindale Shield.

Such is the tight nature at the top of the points table after five rounds, with five teams bunched together and separated by just four points, depending on whether they win or lose against MSP, Petone will either end this weekend as the clear leaders or be swallowed up by the chasing pack.

Victory for Petone would put them in the box seat, having already played and beaten two of these three other leading teams in Poneke and Hutt Old Boys Marist, as well as sixth placed Northern United who are an obvious threat to all. But defeat for Petone could see them overtaken at the end of this weekend by not only MSP, but also Poneke, Oriental-Rongotai and HOBM who all play teams from the lower half of the log and could all conceivably win with bonus points and push Petone from first to fifth.

As well as being MSP's Old Timers' day, this is another big clash on the calendar for both teams. Petone and MSP have contested many epic matches down the years. In recent times, MSP have won four of their past five encounters including successive Jubilee Cup semi-finals in 2007 (24-23) and 2008 (18-5) - both at Evans Bay Park.

Petone's last win over MSP at Evans Bay Park was in round five of the 2007 Swindale Shield, prevailing 22-8, while their 39-34 home win over MSP in the last regular season Jubilee Cup round later in 2007 was one of the highlights of that round-robin series, the Villagers coming back from an 18-point deficit in a rousing turnaround.

For MSP, No.8 Alex Tulou scored tries in each of his last two starts against Petone, while first five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili has proved a leading protagonist at pivot and with his boot in all these recent fixtures.

The two teams will also be playing for the Bill Elvy Cup, after the late Bill Elvy who was originally from Canterbury but played for Petone soon after his arrival in Wellington. He was a Wellington representative in the late 1920s and made the North Island and New Zealand XV teams (1929). Bill's son Norm played for both the Marist and St Pat's clubs and his grandson Martin played for MSP.

It's also Old Timers' Day at the Polo Ground, Kilbirnie Park and Maidstone Park, where Ories play Avalon, Poneke play the Wests Roosters and Upper Hutt host Wainuiomata respectively.

In the round's other two matches, HOBM travel to the Basin Reserve to play Old Boys- University and Norths venture down the road to meet Tawa at Lyndhurst Park.

While much of the focus is on the top half of the competition, it's also?an important?weekend for the three bottom teams, Wainuiomata, Old Boys-University and Avalon. Despite having one win from five games, Wainuiomata can possibly elevate themselves into the top eight this weekend if they overcome Upper Hutt and lift the Peter Jones/Dave Ritchie Cup and other results go as anticipated. The 2007 Hardham Cup champions and 2008 Premier Two finalists will be eager to bury their big defeat to MSP last week and bounce back against Upper Hutt and then Norths who they famously upset two years ago.

But for OBU and Avalon, the need to win this weekend is probably imperative or they can start planning their Hardham Cup campaign over the next five weeks. Of this pair, OBU probably has the best chance to join the winner's circle for the first time in 2009 against a team that they have had success against in the past.

The students can also point to a recent time in their history when they have been in this situation before and then sensationally turned it around. The year was 2006 and OBU completed one of the more remarkable transformations. In less than half a season, the previously struggling OBU went from wooden spooners to Jubilee Cup contenders after emerging from nowhere mid-season to finish third in the Swindale Shield.

Losing their first three games to then defending champions Upper Hutt and top four sides Petone and MSP, no one could have predicted their turnaround. Out of nowhere they thrashed Wests 52-12 which also a broke a 15-game losing streak going back to the 2004 Jubilee Cup. This was followed by a 17-24 loss to then undefeated HOBM at the Basin in a match that they were unlucky not to draw, before storming home with a draw and five straight wins including a 27-21 victory over eventual first round champions Norths in round nine.

They very nearly made the 2006 Jubilee Cup playoffs, losing to Petone 23-16 at home at the Basin in the last round in what was a virtual quarterfinal match, before going on to finish third in the 2007 Swindale Shield and fourth last year.

The OBU Premiers are in rebuilding mode this year, having lost a number of key players during the off-season and some others making their way back from injury. Some of these departed players include lock Sam Green (taking a year off rugby), Seminar Manu (Southland), promising prop Reece O'Leary (Hawke's Bay), James Oliver (Manawatu), Tomasi Palu (Norths) and Michael Hobbs, Jimmy Gopperth, Shannon Paku and David Palu (professional rugby commitments). Others who have been unavailable include TJ Ioane (New Zealand U20 commitments), Moeahu Flavell and Wilbur Davies (New Zealand? Universities), Daryl Gore (London), and Joe Hill, James Hansen and Matt Gordon (all injured).

It's a long list, and they will need to be at their best to come away with the Wood Cup against HOBM who are coming off a tough 0-15 defeat to Petone for the McBain Shield a fortnight ago followed by a 45-7 win over Avalon last week.

At Kilbirnie Park, Poneke and Wests will be playing for the Cederwall Trophy, which is determined by the performance of all three Premier, Senior Two and Senior Three teams that will meet in round six.

The Cederwall Trophy is in honour of the Cederwall sporting family of dad Don (Harry) and three sons Brian, Grant and Don (deceased), all Wellington representative or Wellington B players as well as Wellington cricket representatives, who played their rugby for Poneke and Athletic from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. Grant is the current assistant coach of Poneke and spent part of last season coaching Wests.

It's also Old Timers' Day up the road at Hataitai Park where the once mighty Wellington Axemen host Avalon in National Mutual Cup Senior Two action at 3pm.

Also in Senior Two, top of the table Tawa meet third placed Norths at Lyndhurst Park at 1.15pm, which is the curtain raiser to the Premier game between the two clubs, while high flying HOBM meet OBU at Nairnville Park.

In the Senior One Harper Lock Shield, front running MSP will have the chance to extend their eight-point lead over the rest of the field if they can defeat sixth placed Petone at home at Evans Bay Park at 1.15pm, also the curtain raiser to the ensuing Premier game.?? The Premier precursor at the Polo Ground should also be a cracker, with second placed Ories hosting third placed Rimutaka in what will be a hugely important clash for the Hardham Cup fortunes of both teams.

At Helston Park at 3pm, Johnsonville play Norths for the Barlow Trophy.

In the Fleurs Trophy first round women's grade, Johnsonville will temporarily move ahead of Norths if they beat Ories at the Polo Ground at 11.30am on account of joint leaders Norths having their bye this week.

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