Finals weekend previews

Above: The main prize, the Jubilee Cup (left) and the accolade for the Player of the Final, the Jim Brown Serving Dish - both up for grabs this Sunday at the Hutt Recreation Ground from 2.30pm.

Jubilee Cup final preview: Oriental-Rongotai v Marist St Pat's

The defending champions versus the 13-time winners. The explosiveness of Oriental-Rongotai against the experience of Marist St Pat's. Sunday's Jubilee Cup final between these two proud eastern suburbs rivals to decide Wellington's club rugby supremacy looks set to be a cracker.

Nothing could seperate these sides just a fortnight ago when they finished all square at 9-9 after 80 minutes of tough round-robin rugby. Neither will give an inch in this final rematch between Ories who won't relinquish their crown lightly after beating Norths 40-18 in last year's final and MSP who last won back-to-back in 2008 and 2009.

In black and white hoops, Ories are coming off a 45-17 semi-final win at home over Wainuiomata, blasting past the fourth placed qualifiers with a three-try burst just before halftime. Wearing their distinctive scarlet strip, MSP enter the final having outlasted Northern United 33-6 at Evans Bay Park in the other semi-final. Leading 15-6 deep into the contest, MSP pulled clear of last year's beaten finalists in the closing 10 minutes.

Ories and MSP have similar season records. With eight wins and seven bonus points from 11 games, MSP finished second behind Hutt Old Boys Marist in the first round Swindale Shield. With eight wins and four bonus points, Ories finished fourth. In the Jubilee Cup round-robin, both won five, drew one and lost two of their matches.

For Ories, over half their side that featured in last year's match-day 22 for the final will be returning. Players to look out for include dynamic openside flanker Ardie Savea, New Zealand U20 backs Matt Proctor and Ambrose Curtis, and key forwards, skipper Donal McNamara, Hurricanes lock Mark Reddish, former MSP No. 8 Joe Maiava, Pau and Kelipi Halafihi and Hurricanes hooker Motu Matu'u. Key players up front for MSP include props, four-time Jubilee Cup winner Kas Lealamanua and Hurricane Jeff Toomaga-Allen, former Hurricanes lock Bernie Upton, former Tongan lock Lua Lokatui and 2011 Best and Fairest winner Liu Taituave at hooker. In the backs, halfback Peter Sciascia and first five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili will be?leading protagonists.

Past Jubilee Cup finals have generally been tight.?Ten of the past 15 finals since 1997 have been decided by a winning margin of six points or fewer, and with rain forecast and the possibility of a wet final this could be the case again on Sunday. Individual heroism has often won finals, recent examples being Earl Va'a's late penalty in 2005 that clinched the title for Petone, Chris Slade's seven from seven goalkicking for MSP in 2009 and Buxton Popoalii's two tries for Norths in 2010. Other prominent players to feature in recent Jubilee Cup finals include then young guns Tamati Ellison in 2006 and TJ Perenara in 2010 (both for Norths).

Head to head this season, MSP won their first round Swindale Shield encounter 32-10 on their Old Timers' Day ahead of their draw in round six of the Jubilee Cup. Overall, Ories have won four of their past six clashes going back to the start of 2010. Including last week's semi-final, Ories go into the final having scored 255 points in the Jubilee Cup and conceded 76 and MSP have scored 219 and conceded 89. Ories flanker Ardie Savea has scored five second round tries, while wing Johny Gbenda Charles has scored four for MSP. MSP first five-eighth and goal kicker Fili has scored 89 points in the Jubilee Cup and 165 overall this season.

Hardham Cup final preview: Poneke v Old Boys University

Poneke and Old Boys-University both have points to prove when they meet in this year's Hardham Cup final at the Petone Recreation Ground on Saturday. Both will be especially eager to claim the Premier 2 Hardham Cup after earlier missing out on the chance to play for Wellington club rugby's major prize, the Jubilee Cup.

Poneke want to capture the Hardham Cup as a consolation prize after having a disappointing first round and finishing outside of the top eight for the Jubilee Cup for the first time since the 1990s. After beating Jubilee Cup finalists MSP 19-15 in their season opener, OBU slipped to ninth in the first round, missing out to Petone by a whisker for a place in the Jubilee Cup round. OBU also lost to Tawa 20-25 in last year's Hardham Cup final after playing through the second round unbeaten.

OBU are playing in their third Premier 2 final in four years after comfortably beating the Wests Roosters 42-8 at Westpac Stadium in 2010. Both Poneke and OBU arrive at the Petone Rec having won contrasting semi-finals. After being kept in check by Marist St Pat's B in the first half, Poneke pulled clear in the second to win 50-0. OBU came back from an 8-14 deficit late in the contest to beat the Wests Roosters 15-14.

Clearly the best two teams throughout round-robin play, Poneke and OBU won all their matches against the other Hardham Cup opposition. Unbeaten Poneke were the most impressive of the two, scoring 284 points and 49 tries and conceding 51 points and just five tries in their seven matches. OBU, whose sole defeat in the Hardham Cup round was to Poneke 18-24, scored 279 points and 48 tries and conceded 59 points and 10 tries. Both sides qualified first and second for the knockout rounds with two weeks to spare. Poneke's top try scorer in the Hardham Cup is fullback Michael Sage with seven, while OBU wing Te Wehi Wright has scored eight including four in one game against Northern United B.

Head-to-head this season, OBU won their first round Swindale Shield clash 22-20 after Poneke had got off to a flyer and skipped out to a 20-5 lead at halftime. A turning point in that match came late in the first half when Poneke and Hurricanes midfielder Charlie Ngatai re-injured an ankle in the act of scoring another try. OBU held on, Poneke lost their best attacker at that point and OBU managed to claw their way back into the match. Roles were reversed three weeks ago when Poneke kept their noses ahead throughout and won 24-18.

Overall, Poneke have won four of their last five contests with Ngatai scoring seven tries in three games against the students. However, his inclusion in this fixture is in doubt due to him sustained an injury playing for the Wellington XV against Manawatu on Wednesday.

Poneke will also be without openside flanker Galu Taufale (injured in last week's semi-final) and first five-eighth Cameron Clement (returned to Wales), but will still field several big-game players such as the Moananu brothers, Hurricanes prop Reg Goodes, Lions lock Joe Latta and long-serving halfback Brad Faulkner. OBU can call upon former Southland Ranfurly Shield winner Seminar Manu at first five-eighth, former NZ age grade wing Joe Hill and go forward up front in such players as lock/No. 8 Thomas Fleming, NZ Universities prop Con Williams and possibly American Eagle and now Manawatu prop Eric Fry.

Meanwhile, Rimutaka's Hardham Cup side hosts Johnsonville at Maoribank Park on Saturday at 2.30pm to decide which of the two plays in the 2013 Swindale Shield. In the round-robin Rimutaka finished fifth and Johnsonville sixth, while Rimutaka edged out Johnsonville 16-15 when they met in poor conditions a month ago at Helston Park.

Victoria Tavern Trophy final: Wainuiomata versus Northern United

In two curtain-raisers side by side on the Petone Rec, the Junior Wellington Axemen and Old Boys University meet in the John E Kelly Memorial Colts Division 1 final, starting at 12.15pm, and Wainuiomata and Norths clash in the Victoria Tavern Premier Women's final on the main ground from 12.30pm.In last week's Premier Women's semi-finals, Wainuiomata beat Eketahuna 30-8 and Norths defeated Old Boys University 29-15.

Going into the final, Wainuiomata and Norths have similar points for and against records in the second round. Including last week's semi-finals, Wainuiomata's points differential in 11 Victoria Tavern Trophy games is 176 and Norths' is 168.

In two previous matches this year, Norths defeated Wainuiomata 24-20 at William Jones Park in week two of the second round and Wainuiomata upstaged Norths 24-10 at Porirua Park a fortnight ago. Previously, Wainuiomata defaulted to Norths in their scheduled first round Fleurs Trophy match.

Norths won five from five in winning the first round Fleurs Trophy while Wainuiomata won two, drew one and lost two in finishing fourth.Last year Norths lost in the final to Ekatahuna 12-8 after edging Wainuiomata 25-22 in their semi-final.?

Premier 1 First XV final: Wellington College v St Pat's Silverstream

Top qualifiers Wellington College are expected to be tested by St Pat's Silverstream today in a replay of last year's Premier 1 final won by Wellington College 20-18.

This season's Wellington Premier 1 competition has been hotly contested. Both these teams are coming off tough semi-finals wins last week, Wellington College holding off St Pat's Town 18-12 and second placed qualifiers Silverstream coming from behind to pip Scots College 23-20.

Wellington College also contested the annual Quadrangular tournament last week in Christchurch and were held to a 31-31 draw by Nelson College in the final. Heading into today's final they have won 16, drawn one and lost twice in 19 matches all season. Both losses by a combined margin of six points were to Christchurch Boys' High School and Hastings' Boys High School. They have scored 605 points and conceded 168 and, not including their three pre-season Williment Trophy matches, have scored 43 tries and conceded eight. Wellington College won their two games against Silverstream 29-3 and 24-11. They are going for three wins against Silverstream in the same season for the third time in history after achieving this feat previously in 2002 and 2009.

Silverstream's season record is won 12 and lost six in 18 matches. After a shaky start to the Premier 1 competition that saw them lose 26-28 to St Bernard's and then Wellington College 11-24 in successive weeks, they have not lost in Wellington since round three. In Wellington games they have scored 34 tries and conceded 14.

Silverstream won the last final at the Hutt Rec between the two schools 8-6 in 2000, former MSP and current HOBM senior player Mike Kingsbeer kicking the winning penalty. Of note, England No. 8 Thomas Waldrom played for Silverstream and Neemia Tialata, cousin of current Wellington College star lock Nelson Asofa-Solomona, for Wellington College.

Senior 1 and Senior 2

The ninth and final regular season rounds of the Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup and the Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial competitions are this Saturday.

In the Ed Chaney Cup only leaders the Wellington Axemen (on 32 points) are assured of their semi-final spot and second placed Tawa, whom they meet at Lyndurst Park at 2.30pm in this week's feature clash, could yet miss out on the semi-finals altogether.Heading into the last round, Seven points separate second placed Tawa (24) and seventh placed OBU (17), so win, lose or draw, semi-final positions won't be decided until all results are in later in the afternoon.

Pareamata-Plimmerton (22) can book their place on their own accord and also hope for a home semi-final should Tawa lose if they beat Avalon (19) at Fraser Park at 2.30pm.

Poneke (21) will qualify for the following week if they beat bottom placed Ories at the Polo Ground at 12.30pm, with or without a bonus point. Petone (20) and OBU (17) will be relying on other results going their way should they defeat Upper Hutt at Maidstone Park at 12.30pm and HOBM at the Hutt Rec at 12.30 respectively.

The four semi-finalists have already been found in the HD Morgan Memorial competition but OBU's 30-24 win over HOBM in last week's top of the table clash has added spice to the order of finishing and home semi-final hosting rights.On form, leaders HOBM (35 points) should grab one home semi-final spot by beating sixth placed Poneke (15) at Kilbirnie Park at 12.30pm.

OBU (34) will secure the other - providing they overcome fourth placed Petone (27) at the Petone Rec 3 at 12.30pm. But should Petone beat OBU and/or HOBM go down to Poneke then MSP (32) will clinch a home Senior 2 semi-final at Evans Bay Park if they beat bottom placed the Wests Roosters as expected at home at 2.30pm.

In the two other Senior 2 matches this week, Ories and Norths will want to finish their regular seasons on highs when they meet at the Polo Ground at 12.30pm, as will Avalon and Stokes Valley when they play at Fraser Park at 12.30pm.

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