Swindale Shield to pick up a gear over next five rounds

Hard hitting: look for a lift in intensity this weekend from several teams jostling for top eight positions, including ninth placed Norths who play eleventh placed Wellington and fourth placed Ories who meet sixth placed Hutt Old Boys Marist.

The halfway mark has been passed in the Swindale Shield and the jostling for Jubilee Cup places will pick up a gear over the next five rounds. The first half of the competition has shown that there are no easy games this year, and with several matches in the last three rounds being decided in the final moments its proving to be enthralling action.

It's also the first of the Wellington Rugby Referee Association's interchange weekends, so a number of matches will be controlled by visiting referees.

Premier Swindale Shield

After 68 minutes last Saturday it seemed likely that Hutt Old Boys Marist's return to the Hutt Rec would result in their fourth loss of the season putting their Jubilee cup aspirations in jeopardy, as they trailed the Upper Hutt Rams 17-40. 12 minutes later they had pulled off a comeback not seen for some time when a burst of three converted tries was followed by a Glen Walters penalty on full-time to win 41-40. Now sitting sixth on 16 points they welcome Oriental-Rongotai (18 points) to the Nest, looking to keep the momentum going. Ories got themselves back on track with a win over Norths and won't yet have written-off their chances of claiming the Shield.

The two sides play for the Bondy Memorial Cup, in honour of the Ories patron and former player, Club Captain, Chairman, President and Life Member Don Bond who died just weeks before the Magpies 2011 Jubilee Cup triumph. That cup is held by the Eagles following their 30-25 win in last years Swindale, with the last meeting between these sides being the scintillating extra-time Jubilee Cup semi-final last season.

Competition leaders Tawa (29) were another who left it late with a try in the dying moments to beat a typically stubborn Johnsonville at home on their Old Timers' day. This week they make their first road-trip of substance this year when they head over the Haywards to Maidstone and take on the Upper Hutt Rams (20) on the latter's Old Timers' Day. Tawa will hope to have points-scoring machine James So'oialo back, while the Rams must be bewildered by what transpired in at the Hutt Rec after having the game seemingly well in hand. If they have any aspirations of claiming the Swindale Shield a bounce-back win against the leaders is a must. This game has the interclub Mexted Motors Cup at stake.

Old Boys-University (15) were the third side to record a narrow late win last Saturday in a see-saw match against MSP, after having lost to Norths in similar circumstances in the previous round. The Goats head to Helston to take on a Johnsonville (9) side that is proving very tough to beat, with only Tawa having conceded fewer points so far this season than they have. The hosts will fancy their chances of a second win on the year to get back into Jubilee contention having all-but beaten the competition leaders, while OBU will want to keep some breathing room between themselves and the teams below them on the ladder.

Wainuiomata (15) were the only side last week that withstood a late rally, holding out Wellington at home after the Axemen closed within four points with two tries in the last 10 minutes. The win did see them climb into the top eight for the first time since the opening round, and they remain at William Jones this week for their Old Timers' Day with Poneke (5) the visitors. Poneke find themselves in the unfamiliar position of sitting bottom after losing the Tilyard Shield match against Petone and are now practically in must-win territory if they are to make the Jubilee Cup. The two sides play for the Hakaraia Trophy, held by Poneke after their 25-17 win last season.

Wellington's luckless season continued when they went down narrowly to Wainuiomata despite a furious fightback that did however see them net two bonus points. The Axemen (6) host Norths at home at Hataitai Park in a rematch of last year's Hardham Cup final and will know that they are verging on must-win territory. After two last-minute wins Norths (13) couldn't pull off another against Ories and find themselves outside the top-eight as well, and may need a win to stay in touch themselves.

After beating Poneke at Kilbirnie Park last weekend, Petone (16) will make the same trip again this Saturday, this time to face Marist St Pats (23). The Villagers made no race of their game last week, jumping out to a 20-3 halftime lead and cruising from there, while MSP dropped their first game of the season against OBU and will want to put their campaign and Swindale hopes back on track in front of the faithful on the clubs Old Timers Day. The sides contest the Bill Elvy Memorial Trophy, held by Petone after winning 37-24 last year. ??

All Premier games revert to 3.00 pm kick-offs this week.

Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield

Last week we took a brief look at the recent history of points needed to qualify for the Jubilee Cup. With only half as many teams being promoted from Senior 1 to contest the Hardham Cup, the thresholds to qualify are that much higher.

Over the past four years the sides being promoted have typically had eight or more wins from their 11 games, with more than 32 competition points amassed. However there have been some exceptions; in 2011 Petone (8 wins) was tied on 38 points with Norths (8) and Poneke (7), but missed out as they had lost to both those sides. MSP also had 8 wins but were one point short, while Rimutaka had only 7 wins and a draw but collected nine bonus points to be one point ahead of this pack. ?

An additional complication is that a club's ‘B' team cannot be promoted if their Premier side is in the Hardham after failing to qualify for the Jubilee Cup, a situation that denied firstly OBU (who were second) and then Poneke (fifth) in 2012, meaning sixth-placed Wainuiomata played instead.

Leaders Avalon (29 points) have no such concerns, having accounted for winless Wainuiomata last week, and the Scott Waldrom-coached side seem a lock to be the first team to secure their Hardham Cup place. This week they host Norths (17) at Fraser Park, with the visitors mid-table and within reach of the top-four, but qualification may ultimately depend on the fate of their Premiers. ?

The other 3.00 pm kickoff is winless Wests (-4) at home in the Cage against OBU (16) with the Omar Cup at stake between the two clubs. The Roosters are the holders, having notched an upset win in last year's Swindale Shield 39-22; but have no chance of qualifying. OBU sit seventh and need a run of wins if they are to make a return to the Hardham Cup.

In the four early games HOBM (15) face Oriental-Rongotai (12), second-placed MSP (22) play Petone (14), the Upper Hutt Rams (19) take on Tawa (21), and winless Wainuiomata (0) squares off against Paremata-Plimmerton (21).

Women's Fleurs Trophy

The headline game is at the Polo Ground where unbeaten sides Oriental-Rongotai and Avalon meet in a match that will go a long way towards determining the fate of the first round trophy. Ories come in on the back of putting up a century over newcomers Tawa, while Avalon had to come from behind and then hold out a late challenge against Wainuiomata. With both sides having a bevy of talented players this could be a cracker.

Norths sit third and are still in contention to retain their title, and they head to Kilbirnie to take on winless MSP-Poneke. Tawa also make the trip into the city to face Old Boys-University at Prince of Wales Park, while Stokes Valley - with their own try and points scoring machine in Geneva Webber - head to Mary Crowther Park to take on Wainuiomata.

Senior 2 National Mutual Cup

The five scheduled Senior 2 National Mutual Cup games are all early kickoffs. With the top two sides promoted to contest the Senior 1 second round Ed Chaney Cup - subject to the same eligibility rules as promotion to the Hardham Cup - there is much to play for for the sides in contention.

The feature game is at Fraser Park, with 1 v 2 when unbeaten table-toppers Poneke visit Avalon, with the hosts looking to repeat last week's efforts when they knocked off previously unbeaten Wellington. The now-third Axemen host Norths, and in the other matches the winless Upper Hutt Rams take on HOBM, Johnsonville hosts Stokes Valley, and MSP faces Petone. OBU have the weekend off after Wests withdrawal.

Other grades

In the Colts Division 1 Paris Memorial Trophy the action starts Friday night at 7.35 pm with unbeaten OBU Green facing Poneke on the Te Whaea artificial. Saturday's action has Wellington against Petone at Te Whaea at 1pm, winless sides HOBM and Ories meet at the Hutt Rec at 1.15pm, and MSP take on Norths - who are also two from two - on the St Pats artificial at 1.30pm

It's all late afternoon games in the Under 85kg Division 1 JC Bowl. The MSP Reds meet Eastbourne at Martin Luckie, Stokes Valley are at home at Delaney Park against the OBU Spartans, the Upper Hutt Rams face Poneke at Maidstone and Wellington and the Tawa Titans clash at Te Whaea, all at 3pm. The remaining fixture is on the St Pats artificial at 3.30pm with the MSP Blues facing the OBU Bunnies.

There is also a full schedule of lower division Colts and Under 85kg games, as well as Reserve and Presidents grade matches. It is also the start of the Regional-wide Under 12 and Under 13 junior competitions this weekend. ??