In-Form Petone And Upper Hutt Set For Big Round Three Clash

Round 3 Preview It will be a clash of the form sides at Maidstone Park in Jubilee Cup round three action, as Swindale Shield champions Upper Hutt host hot-to-trot Petone in a possible dress rehearsal for the playoffs. Both these sides have that winning feeling at the moment, and whoever wins this game will head into the final six weeks of the competition as firm favourites to lift the Cup. Upper Hutt have lost only one game out of 13 all season, their only blemish against Marist St. Pats three weeks ago, while Petone have won their last seven games.

With both outfits stacked with attacking talent this match promises to a tight affair. Expect a tense encounter up front, as both teams know that if they give the other space to operate they will be hard to stop. Upper Hutt will also have the added incentive to win back the Rose and Crown Cup, after Petone ended MSP?s brief tenure of it last week by outscoring them three tries to nil and winning 28-18. Upper Hutt again displayed their steely determination in round two, heading off a big Western Suburbs challenge 18-5, scoring two tries in the final ten minutes.

Another exciting game looms at Kilbirnie Park, where Northern United will be looking for a repeat of the 20-18 scoreline in last year?s final against Poneke. Despite Norths beating Poneke 29-13 in the Swindale round, and also winning this corresponding clash in 2004 6-3 in the mud at the same venue, Poneke come off a large win over Avalon last week. If the red-and-blacks can contain Norths in broken play then an upset is certainly on.

In other games, Avalon will be desperate to topple MSP at Fraser Park to keep in touch for a semi-final berth. Avalon have a consistent Jubilee Cup record in recent seasons and will be hard to beat at home. Western Suburbs and Tawa square off at Ian Galloway Park and whoever loses this game will have only a slim chance of making the top four. Wests come off two tight opening losses against big guns Norths (14-16) and Upper Hutt, and if they can click on attack they could be too strong for Tawa.