Jubilee Cup and Hardham Cup semi-finals previews

Jubilee Cup

Tawa (1) v Old Boys University (4)

It’s been a long time between drinks for top qualifiers Tawa and fourth placed finisher Old Boys University since either were involved in Jubilee Cup playoffs rugby.?

For OBU it’s been 11 years since they last made the semi-finals, for Tawa its even longer - 1998 being the last time they have featured in the Premier playoff series. On both these occasions, OBU and Tawa won their semi-finals and progressed through to the final before being beaten by Marist St. Pat’s and the Wests Roosters respectively. On Saturday one of these teams will get the chance to play for the title the following Sunday against either HOBM or Ories.

Both these clubs have come a long way in a short space of time, having met just two years ago in the Hardham Cup final, which Tawa won 25-20. Following that success, Tawa went on to finish sixth in last year’s Jubilee Cup while OBU finished outside the top eight again and were beaten finalists once more in the Hardham Cup, missing out to Poneke 17-20 . Tawa have been the dominant Premier side in 2013, winning nine, drawing one and losing one of their matches in the first round, while OBU finished seventh but comfortably qualified for the Jubilee Cup round.

Tawa’s strength this year has been the power of their forward pack, complemented by a set of skilful, hard running backs. While lacking any star players, such as the like as Ories will field in their semi-final, Tawa’s engine room has been powerful all year and is built around such players as the Koroi brothers, prop Taniela and lock/flanker Joketani, Wellington Lions lock Pati Gualoafa and prop Tolu Fahamokioa. Halfback Steven So’oialo and utility back Junior Togia are both playmakers, while they have speed and power out wide and have recently welcomed back Highlander and Lion Shaun Treeby to their midfield.

OBU have added steel to their forwards this year, with such players as prop Jonathon Fuimaono, lock Dan Mellon and flanker Adam Hill likely to be key players to negate their Tawa opposites. In the backs, wings Te Wehi Wright and Joe Hill are real excitement machines, while midfielder Luke Harvey played for Tawa in 2012. Whoever runs their backline at first five-eighth, be it Highlander and Lion Lima Sopoaga or former North Otago flyhalf Hamish Buick, they will also be key for them.

Like OBU’s home ground, Lyndhurst Park is one of the true suburban grounds, where fans can get up close to the action and hear every bone jarring tackle and cheer on their team from close range. Tawa’s record at Lyndhurst Park this year is a formidable one, having won eight and drawn two of their matches there this year. The draw, 29-29 was against MSP on the day they were crowned Swindale Shield champions, while they beat HOBM 23-9 there just last weekend to win the Andy Leslie Trophy for being top qualifiers for the semi-finals.

Head-to-head, these two teams have fought out two crackers already this year. Both games were at OBU’s home ground at Nairnville Park. In the first, Tawa won 22-19, after OBU thought they had won after scoring a runaway try with about five minutes to play only for Tawa to rumble over at the end. In the return match three weeks ago, Tawa opened up a 20-6 lead before OBU came back to snatch a 31-28 victory with Sopoaga kicking 16 points. ?

Hutt Old Boys Marist (2) v Oriental-Rongotai (3)

Look out for an explosive Jubilee Cup semi-final at the Hutt Recreation Ground between home team Hutt Old Boys Marist and visitors and third placed qualifier Oriental-Rongotai. The battle of the birds between the HOBM Eagles and the Ories Magpies has a mouthwatering appeal to it, with both expected to play all-action rugby as they have done all season. No matter what the overhead conditions, one thing’s for certain, the underfoot and on-field conditions will be excellent and conducive for this. Both teams base their games around positive rugby and continuity in their attack, so this could be a cracker.

For fans, added to the allure of this semi-final is the inclusion of several star players turning out for their respective clubs. For HOBM, new All Black lock Jeremy Thrush has been named to play,? while up and coming midfielder Ope Peleaseuma will be at centre and also hopefully? be available for next week’s final should the Eagles qualify before he heads to Taranaki to join his new ITM Cup teammates. At full strength, Ories have a dizzying array of stars to call on. Hurricane Mark Reddish will be at lock, while their likely backline containing Hurricane Matt Proctor and All Blacks Ma’a Nonu and Julian Savea will be hard to contain.

HOBM head into this home playoff having lost their previous two matches after winning five on the trot and until recently they were the competition leaders. Their two recent losses have been to Poneke, 16-32, and to top qualifier Tawa, 9-20. With seven wins and four losses, the Eagles finished fourth in the first round Swindale Shield. In nine games at home this year they have won eight and lost one, scoring 266 points and conceding 161 including an 127-0 victory over Rimutaka.For Ories, knockout rugby started last week when their 12-18 defeat to Wainuiomata at home a fortnight ago meant they headed into their last round at Nairnville Park needing to beat already confirmed semi-finalists Old Boys University. They won 26-10. Ories come into this playoff having won four, lost two and drawn one (27-27 to MSP). Five of their seven matches in the Jubilee Cup round-robin were decided by margins of within seven points. Previously in the Swindale Shield roundm, they won eight, lost two and drew one to finish second.

Head-to-head, HOBM have won both their clashes this year, prevailing 30-25 at the start of the season at the Polo Ground and again 28-16 when they met at the Hutt Rec just three weeks ago. Last year they shared two wins apiece, while they have shared four wins each from their last eight encounters overall. As well as any possible star players lining up in this game, key players for the Eagles include the Risdon brothers, halfback Nick and flanker Jason, 200-game lock Polonga Pedro and first five-eighth Brandyn Laursen who has scored 274 points to date.

Laursen’s opposite, Ories pivot Fa’atonu Fili will relish firm conditions on the Hutt Rec, while loose forwards Joe Maiava and Pau Halafihi and Tutasi Masoe are all valuable players.

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Hardham Cup

Northern United (1) v Wests Roosters (4)

There’s nothing unusual in Porirua Park hosting one of this weekend’s semi-finals. In the past decade home team Northern United have played six rugby playoff matches there, winning four of them. Similarly, this is Norths’ 11th straight semi-final appearance overall. However, this one will have a different feel to it. What sets this apart from the others is that this one is a Hardham Cup semi-final.

Indeed, Norths will be hoping to end their season on a high next Sunday with victory in the Hardham Cup. First they need to get past the Wests Roosters in this major semi-final between themselves and fourth placed qualifiers Wests. In what’s become a super-competitive Wellington club rugby competition, Norths fell behind off the pace in the first round Swindale Shield, finishing ninth and missing the Jubilee Cup round.

The reasons for this were the loss of several of their regular and experienced players, progressively over the past two seasons and also several injuries. They also lost two of their best players, Tomasi Palu (Tonga) and Api Naikatini (Fiji) to international duty mid-season for several weeks. Nevertheless, they enter the semi-finals with the best attacking and best defensive records from the recent round-robin, winning each of their games by an average score of 38-12. They won six of seven matches, their only defeat being 14-26 to Upper Hutt a month ago.

While a clutch of their well known players won’t be playing on Saturday such as TJ Perenara and Naikatini (both injured) and Faifili Levave (away) others such as recently returned Hurricanes prop John Schwalger and Hurricanes centre Alaptai Leiua could take the field. Other key players for Norths include outstanding openside flanker Dean Brunsdon, hard working flanker/hooker Aiden Cains, up and coming first five-eighth Jackson Garden-Bachop and attacking fullback Johnny Teleaga.

The Wests Roosters need to play well to beat Norths and make the final next Sunday, given they just scraped into the semi-finals and retained their Premier status for next year. They’re coming off a nine tries to three 70-17 last round victory over the Rimutaka Rams that ensured their place at the playoffs table and that will give them confidence heading into this fixture. The Roosters have won three and lost four of their round-robin fixtures with an average score of 26-27. In the Swindale Shield they finished 11th with two wins and nine defeats.

Head-to-head, Norths have beaten Wests twice this season. Their first round clash was high-scoring, with Norths winning 97-48 and three players from both sides scoring hat-tricks. Their return fixture saw Norths win 52-3. Garden-Bachop (163 points overall this season) scored a combined 42 points against Wests in these two matches. Faialaga Afamasaga, who made his debut at the start of the Hardham Cup round, is the Roosters’ top scorer with 61 points.

Upper Hutt (2) v Wellington (3)

Can the Wellington Axemen’s successful season continue on Saturday with victory in their Hardham Cup semi-final against Upper Hutt at Maidstone Park? A win over Upper Hutt would propel them into the final and give them a chance for Hardham Cup success for 2013. It’s been done before, in 2006, when then Senior 1 club Wainuiomata made the Hardham Cup semi-finals and then defeated Ories 19-18 in their knockout clash before missing out to Upper Hutt in the final. A year ago Wellington were plotting their course to winning the Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup, so they’ve come a long way fast. With so much history to call on, their supporters will be hopeful of a win.

Just last week the Axemen beat this same Upper Hutt team 21-19 at Hataitai Park and thus ended Upper Hutt’s nine game winning streak that stretched back to mid-May when they won their last three Swindale Shield matches in a row and then their first six of the Hardham Cup round-robin. In beating Upper Hutt, Wellington first five-eighth Hilton Mexted slotted a late penalty. This came minutes after Upper Hutt had declined to kick a penalty that would have given them a buffer that meant the Axemen needed to score a try.

After winning nine games and losing two and finishing second behind Johnsonville in the first round Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield, Wellington have won six and lost one in the Hardham Cup round-robin. Their sole loss was a 10-41 defeat to Norths a fortnight ago. The Axemen are a well-drilled side and play with lots of patience and commitment. They’re strong up front, with hooker and captain Tala Kitekeiaho and prop Tevita Falekakala both strong players. No. 8 Vaea Fifita is athletic around the field and is a key lineout jumper so is another player to watch. They’re also strong defensively in the backs, with former Ories Jubilee Cup winning midfielder Athun Masun offering plenty.

Star halfback Kayne Hammington didn’t play last week against Wellington in the final round-robin game due to injury, and his likely continued absence in the semi-final will be a blow. Hammington was the spark in Upper Hutt’s decisive 26-14 win over top qualifiers Norths a month ago. Another player to impress that day was blindside flanker Murphy Taramai. Like Fifita for Wellington he’s big and skillful and impressive with ball in hand. Upper Hutt are also missing other first-line players to injury such as front rowers Anaru Rangi and Apa Heemi, but key players that are playing include vastly experienced first five-eighth Ben Aoina and midfielder Joyner Key.

Upper Hutt come into the final having won six and lost one. They’ve got a better attacking record than Wellington - 218 points for versus 173 - but their defensive record is about the same - 118 points against versus the 114 points that Wellington has let in. Previously in the first round Swindale Shield, Upper Hutt were beset by injuries and never got going until it was too late. They lost their first three matches and were always on the back foot. They recovered to win five matches overall, the same number of wins of top eight teams MSP and OBU, but finished 10th.

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