Tawa hold off Upper Hutt Rams to remain unbeaten

Above: It was close at Helston Park on Saturday, where OBU pulled away to beat Johnsonville.

Updated: Tawa held off the challenge of the Upper Hutt Rams on the latter's Old Timers' Day to win 29-20 and maintain their grip on the top of the Swindale Shield standings.

In earning their sixth bonus point in seven matches, defending champions Tawa have maintained their six-point lead at the top of the standings to Marist St Pat's who held off Petone in the second half to win 39-29 and take home the Bill Elvy Memorial Cup on their Old Timers' Day.

Oriental-Rongotai has leapfrogged the Upper Hutt Rams into third place behind the leading duo after beating Hutt Old Boys Marist 17-15 in their seventh round match for the Bondy Memorial Cup.

These three wins and victories to Old Boys University, Northern United and Wainuiomata over teams all ranked below them on the points table going into today's round has created a mid-table logjam, with six contenders from fourth place to ninth place separated by just three competition points. Something will have to give over the next month of first round rugby.

Old Boys University pulled clear to beat a gritty Johnsonville 25-6 at Helston Park, becoming the first team this season to deny the Hawks any competition points from a match.

Northern United repelled a fourth quarter comeback from the Wellington Axemen to win 29-20 at Hataitai Park, the second half defensive of the Bulldogs a telling factor against the well-organised Axemen.

Wainuiomata celebrated their Old Timers' Day and won the Hakaraia Trophy off Poneke with a hard-fought 27-15 win over Poneke.

There's a month of Swindale Shield rugby to come and a maximum of 20 competition points up for grabs, but losses to Johnsonville, Wellington and Poneke have made their hopes of making the second round Jubilee Cup much tougher.

Similarly, Tawa and Marist St Pat's are on a collision course to decide the first round Swindale Shield honours when they meet in round 11.

Affter conceding the first try to the Upper Hutt Rams at Maidstone Park, Tawa replied through wing George Tilsley to hit the lead for the first time in the match at 10-7.

Tawa then breezed in for their second and third tries and led 22-7 at halftime. The Rams narrowed the gap but Tawa finished off with their fourth try midway through the second half. The final three Tawa tries all came through the forwards, with well-performing prop Tolu Fahamokioa, flanker Joketani Koroi and hooker Lotu Nuku all crossing.

At Kilbirnie Park, MSP's fast-paced, positive style immediately bore fruit against Petone, first five-eighth Fa'atonu making a clean break and setting up a try to left wing Ryan Setefano, his fifth of the season.

Fili then broke through from halfway and found bustling Hurricanes centre Cardiff Vaega and we went in under the bar to make it 14-0.

Petone struck back with a penalty and then a beautiful try themselves, going wide from a set piece, second five-eighth Nick Grigg and fullback Sam McNicol ?feeding left wing Keanu Moran. The conversion was nailed from the sideline, closing the gap to 14-10.

But MSP then scored twice more in quick succession, taking what transpired to be a match winning 26-10 lead into halftime. NZ U20 No. 8 Matt Peni ran hard from a scrum, Fili broke the line again and blindside Nemani Waaka crossed in the corner. Another clean break followed and second five-eighth Isaiah Petelo crossed for their bonus point try.

Petone brought on Jared Kahu to the playmaker role early in the second half and his introduction created a try to Tamati Samuels to make it 26-17.

But once more MSP scored again, adding a penalty and a second try to Vaega. Petone hit back with twin tries to Kahu but ran out of time. Riki Flutey missed this match with a rib injury, but it's clear that with the Kahu-Flutey duo on the field and operating in tandem the Villagers could be lethal.

At the same time as Fili was cutting merry capers at Kilbirnie Park, Peni's NZ U20 teammate Jackson Garden-Bachop was helping orchestrate Nothern United's match winning 20-3 halftime lead against Wellington.

Playing at centre, Garden-Bachop scored two first half tries, following their first try to right wing Perry Hayman. He then added three second half penalties for a personal haul of 24 points. With the freedom of the midfield, Garden-Bachop is in good form.

Norths pulled ahead to 23-3 early in the second half, but, with the wind, Wellington replied with a try to right wing Tony Smith. Norths kicked another penalty to extend their lead to 26-10. Wellington crossed again, through left wing Jaco de Waal and had their tails up at 20-26 behind. Norths again kicked a penalty, extending the lead to 29-20.

The Axemen launched a furious final 10-minute assault on the Bulldogs line in front of their clubrooms. But staunch defence held them out and Norths emerged with an important four Swindale Shield points.

At William Jones Park, Wainuiomata first five-eighth John Monu scored the first of two tries as Wainuiomata went ahead of Poneke 7-0. Mobile lock Shahn Eru crossed for his fifth try of the season and right wing Tyler Tane kicked points to give the home side a 20-0 lead late in the first half.

Poneke scored their first try right on halftime, to close the deficit to 20-5 at that turn.

Monu scored his second try and Tane continued to kick the goals and the green and blacks eventually won 27-15, consigning Poneke to their sixth loss so far this season.

Across the hill at the Hutt Recreation Ground, HOBM lock James Wall scored his first try in the corner to put the home side ahead 5-0.

But Ories replied with a try to right wing Andy Ellis and a conversion and penalty to first five-eighth James Proctor, and they led 10-5. HOBM added a penalty late in the first spell and Ories held a 10-8 lead at halftime.

Ories left wing Tuga Mativa then scored the decisive try of the match, running 60 metres to put Ories ahead 17-8.

HOBM lock Wall scored his second try late and Ories took the winning points.

At Helston Park, home side Johnsonville held Old Boys University to 6-3 at halftime.

There's good cud on the Helston Park bank though, and after a quick halftime chew the Billy Goats were away. They scored three tries, through versatile lock Ian Kennedy, halfback Matt O'Connor and prop Jonathan Fuimano.

In the Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield, Avalon maintained their grip on the top of the standings with a 47-10 win over Norths. With a 12-point gap to fifth placed OBU, Avalon are probably safely through to the second round Hardham Cup now.

MSP, Tawa and Paremata-Plimmerton all earned their fifth wins in seven Senior 1 rounds today.

MSP edged out Petone 18-13 in the Kilbirnie Park curtain-raiser, Tawa beat the Upper Hutt Rams 25-11 in the early match at Maidstone Park and Paremate-Plimmerton beat Wainuiomata 20-10 in the opening fixture at Maidstone Park.

In the other two Senior 1 matches today, HOBM beat Ories 29-8 in the early game at the Eagles' Nest and OBU accounted for the Wests Roosters 60-7.

In the Senior 2 National Mutual Cup, the Wellington Axemen and HOBM were the two big winners of seventh round matches. The Axemen beat Norths 74-12 and HOBM breezed past the Upper Hutt Rams 61-5.

Poneke remain unbeaten after beating Avalon 29-12, Johnsonville pipped Stokes Valley 15-13 and Petone defeated MSP 25-17. OBU had the bye.

High scoring was the order of the day in fourth round Fleurs Trophy women's matches, with an average score across the four games of 77-3.

Ories earned their fourth straight win by beating Avalon 61-0, OBU defeated Tawa 72-12, Wainuoiomata overcame Stokes Valley 59-0 and Norths accounted for Poneke 118-0.

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