Tawa and MSP to play off for Swindale Shield after eventful tenth round

Above: The Kennedy brothers both had big games today for OBU in their 18-16 win over Tawa. Here Ross soars high in a lineout.

The 2014 Swindale Shield winner has to be decided and the final four places for the upcoming coveted Jubilee Cup round have still got to be found in what's shaping as a massive final round set of Swindale Shield matches next Saturday.

The upshot after Another electric set of the matches under bleak skies today is that defending champions Tawa and Marist St Pat's will square for the first round silverware in a ‘virtual' final next weekend, while just these two sides and Wainuiomata and Petone are already assured of joining them in the Jubilee Cup round.

Five teams will be gunning for four spots up for grabs in next weekend's Super Saturday set of matches.

In the Premier Women's Fleurs Trophy, Oriental-Rongotai have taken out the first round competition on the last day of matches today. Just needing a win, they were pushed all the way but came away with a ?22-15 win over Wainuiomata.

In the Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield, Avalon bounced back from last week's defeat to beat MSP 27-11 and win the first round with a week to spare.

Despite the loss, MSP can finish no lower than fourth and they are through to the Hardham Cup round. But up to a further five teams will be chasing two spots available for the Hardham Cup round, depending on results in both this grade and the Premier one next week.

This after defending champions Tawa lost their second successive close match, missing out to a hungry Old Boys University 16-18 on the latter's Old Timers' Day at the Basin Reserve.

Tawa looked to have knuckled down to take the win playing into the teeth of an angry northerly in the second half, and got themselves ahead 16-10 with the clock counting down.

But replacement OBU first five-eighth Greg Mullany scored in the corner to close it up to a point and then he kicked the winning penalty at the death.

Meanwhile, over the hill at Hataitai Park, MSP broke out in the second half to beat the Wellington Axemen 32-5, scoring one try just before the break and then three quick tries after it, after trailing 5-3 late in the first half.

Tawa ‘s loss and MSP's bonus point win puts Tawa on 40 competition points heading into next week and MSP on 39.

Further back in third and fourth respectively are Wainuiomata and Petone who both clawed to important victories today. Wainuiomata edged out HOBM 16-13 in another thriller to move to 32 points, while Petone defeated Ories 23-12 to get to 31.

?Wainuiomata held off a late rally from home side the HOBM Eagles to win after fullback Josh Robertson-Weepu had broken a deadlock with a penalty to put them in front. Full match report of this match below

Petone extended a 9-5 advantage early in the second half with a try to tyro lock Ta'millo Va'a after a penalty and quickly taken tap. ?Va'a's try made it 16-5 to Petone and they held on into the strong wind throughout the second half to keep Ories out.

The Upper Hutt Rams enjoyed the most comfortable win of the afternoon, defeating already confirmed Hardham Cup bound Johnsonville 41-10 at home at Maidstone Park.

Left wing Max Pearson scored two of six tries for the Rams and returning first five-eighth Liam Berry scored 16 points.? The Rams led 20-5 playing into the wind in the first half and pulled clear in the second turn.

Needing to win to keep their Jubilee Cup hopes alive, ninth placed Northern United scored their first try of the match after only a couple of minutes and led 7-0 early.

Hardham Cup bound Poneke came roaring back to trail 10-17 just before halftime, before Norths scored their fourth and led 24-20 at the break.? The bonus point in the bank, North just needed to win the match as well. But Poneke scored an intercept try to put themselves ahead 27-24. Norths levelled at 27-27, but Poneke pulled ahead again at 30-27. But Norths scored the winning try towards the end.

The Upper Rams (on 30 points), OBU (28), Ories (27), HOBM (27) and Norths (25) will all be fighting for places five through eight in the Jubilee Cup round.

With Avalon and MSP safely through to the second round Hardham Cup from the current Senior 1 competition, several teams are still in the hunt.

Other Senior 1 results today saw Paremata-Plimmerton defeat Norths 35-7 for the Ivan Hargreaves Trophy,? OBU edge Tawa 9-3, HOBM beat Strugglers Wainuiomata 31-18, the Upper Hutt Rams account for the Wests Roosters and Ories and Petone draw 15-15.

In the race to claim the Senior 2 first round title, frontrunners Poneke and Wellington are locked up on 38 points. Poneke beat Stokes Valley 67-5 and Wellington beat OBU 14-0.

Avalon are third on 36 points after defeating 37-12 and HOBM are fourth on 33 after winning by default over Norths. In the other match, mid-table Johnsonville beat the lower positioned Upper Hutt Rams 39-11.

In three Fleurs Trophy results today, Ories beat Wainiomata 22-15 to win the first round, Avalon overcame OBU 26-10 and Poneke beat Tawa 26-15. Norths, who finished second, beat Stokes Valley by default.

There was a major upset in the first round of Premier 1 First XV matches today, with Hutt International Boys' School slaying defending champions Wellington College 6-5.

In other Premier 1 results, Scots College scored three unanswered second half converted tries to beat St Pat's Town 28-10, Scots College eased past Naenae College 36-0 and St Bernard's pipped Rongotai College 10-8.

Wainuiomata scrape past HOBM

In trying conditions at the Hutt Rec, Wainuiomata snuck home against local rival Hutt Old Boys Marist, winning 16-13.

Playing into the wind in the first half, Hutt Old Boys Marist had numerous opportunities to score in the opening ten minutes, but couldn't nudge over the line.

With 20 minutes gone on the clock, Wainuiomata struck first with a break from John Monu leading to a try in the corner to Greg Lealofi. Tyler Tane couldn't add the extras.

However, Tane nailed a penalty out wide to put the visitors ahead 8-0 with 10 minutes until halftime. The score would stay that way for the rest of the half.

The first half was pretty scrappy with plenty of handling errors from both sides.

Hutt Old Boys Marist started strongly in the second half, dominating possession and winning the penalty count. They were rewarded by 2 sucessful penalties from halfback Sheridan Rangihuna.

The majority of the Hutt Rec crowd were supporting Wainuiomata, so it was unusual to hear a deafening silence around the ground as the Eagles clawed their way back into the match.

Wainuiomata stuck to a pretty basic gameplan in that they would let the forwards rumble up.

This gameplan was ditched when the ball was fed to former Hawkes Bay rep and Wainuiomata second five Marvin Karawana, who looked lively every time the ball went his way.

He broke the line on four occasions; the first almost led to a try but was disallowed so Wainuiomata were awarded a scrum with 20minutes to play.

Popular No. 8 Ben Tupuola proved to be hard to stop, as he crashed over to score Wainuiomata's second and final try. The crowd were on their feet at the Rec.

Former St Patricks College Silverstream star Josh Robertson - Weepu missed the conversion when he took over the duties from Tyler Tane.

Hutt Old Boys Marist hit back with a superb grubber kick from Parataiso Silafai - Leaana leading to a try for fullback Tomasio Alosio.

Rangihuna added the conversion and the game was locked up 13 all with ten minutes to go.

But HOBM commited a cardinal sin after scoring in that they conceded a kickable penalty for hands in the ruck.

Josh Robertson-Weepu guided the ball through the uprights and Wainuiomata hit the lead with five minutes to go.

Wainuiomata held the ball for long periods of play, grinding the clock down but a near fatal blunder almost occurred right on fulltime for the visitors.

With the siren sounding, reserve halfback Uale Mai kicked the ball towards the touchline.

In a case of bad luck, the ball went back in field and the ball was received by flanker Jason Risdon.

He almost scored but the ball was held up. This was the story of the day for Wainuiomata whose defence was simply outstanding. The game was won by the visitors and loud cheers broke out around the Hutt Rec from the large contingent of travelling fans.

Hutt Old Boys Marist had chances to score, but couldn't make the most of their opportunities.

Robertson-Weepu will go down a hero in Wainuiomata tonight as his kick proved to be the difference in an otherwise even contest.