Wellington club rugby team profile: HOBM Senior 2 Barbarians

The second round Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup, which started last weekend, is traditionally one of the closest of them all in the championship half of the Wellington club rugby season.

This year there are nine clubs vying for the HD Morgan Memorial Cup, in a nine-week round robin series leading into the semi-finals and final later in August.

Included in the mix is the HOBM Barbarians side that finished fourth behind winners Poneke in the just completed first round National Mutual Cup after making the final of Senior 3 last year and subsequently winning promotion as Petone couldn't go up with a team already in the Senior 2 grade. The Barbarians have won their first two matches in the second round, beating defending Senior 2 champions OBU 15-11 and then Petone 15-13 on Saturday.

Just as importantly as results on the field are the team's bonds off it. This specifically Polynesian side is an important fabric of the HOBM club.

Club: Hutt Old Boys Marist

Team name: Senior 2 ‘Barbarians'

Home ground: Hutt Rec / Rasta's garage in Naenae

Competition currently playing: Senior 2 - HD Morgan Memorial Cup

Biggest Rivals: Petone are our biggest rivals, there's been some close matches between us and them in recent seasons.?

Magic Moments: This year the boys played in their first ever Marist Spillane Tournament - we ended up winning division 3 (The Brennan Cup) by beating Wanganui Marist 83-10. This was an outstanding effort especially when we had no pre-season training - and just had two days worth of touch rugby to hone our skills. Also a mention to our historical first game in senior 2 rugby - where they blitzed a well-drilled Avalon Premier reserves team 43-22.

Team rituals and traditions include: Touch Rugby; Music; Laughter; Food; Mocking sessions

The team's experienced players include:

Alex: The Captain - leads the way on both offence and defence.

Taua "FFS" Sione: 42 years old and showing the young guns how it's done. Formerly with MSP. ?

The "Rasta": Saw the light and signed a contract with the Barbarians in 2012. He has improved his record to two swear words per game.

Salima "Chief" Seupule: 38 years old and still running it straight - for 80 minutes. Satitoa Malosi.

Sa: 41 years old and playing with his nephews - awesome effort and putting the village of Saanapu on the map.

Kalani "Mealamu" Mose: 36 years old. The ORIGINAL Barbarian (baba's were in the reserve grade last century lol). One last hurrah for this warrior. If he gets on the field this weekend it would be his 400^th cap lol Tuanai Malosi

Luti "Ranger" Lologa: This 30 year old use to play in the backs. Now that hes developed a solid midsection - the call was made to move to the front row. He obliged. Tuanai Power.

The team's personalities include:

Tumua "Assistant Ref" Mano: One of the props who likes to assist the ref during the ref's time in need

Eddie "The Silent One" Bell: doesn't say a word - at all. At lineout time he winks to the locks.

Puiai "Muliaina" Lemalu: Was a flanker then ended up playing centre. Looks like Mills Muliaina - plays like Mills Muliaina

Mika "Perenara" Seupule: From DJ / Touch judge / Kit Man to first choice halfback - proof that not all players need protein shakes. Satitoa Malosi

Shawn Maiava: From lock to wing to flanker. Man of many talents - on and off the field. Tuanai Power J

Sete "Tuilagi" Siaki: Made numerous attempts to look and play like Alesana Tuilagi - but so far has reached Norm Berryman's level

Mila "Strapper" Poutoa: Our number 1 utility player who can cover all positions. Made the team on the back of 20 years of Otago Premier rugby - also here to supply the strapping tape so our players that aren't injured can look cool and write their partner's names on their wrists LMAO

Team Doctor: - Nata "Nurse Betty" Seupule. Excellent in providing comfort to those that fall down and kill time just to get that extra break.

English Teacher: Telea "Tupac" Moeono - has a background in hip hop music but has made the step up to waterboy and part time assistant ref.

The last word: This team originated in the Reserve grade, later promoted to fill in the senior 3 grade and now sit happily in the Senior 2 competition. Its uniqueness comes in the form of its makeup. 100 percent of the players are of Samoan descent. But we don't see it like that - we see it as a bunch of boys who love the game of rugby.

Boys who congregate on Monday/Wednesday nights to play a game of touch rugby. No weights sessions / no recovery sessions / no scrum sessions. You'd think this spells a recipe for disaster. It's had the opposite effect. ?2012/2013 this team made the senior 3 final. ?In 2014 we finished fourth in the National Mutual Cup. We hope to carry on this fine form as this year could be the last for the group. But then again we've been saying that the last few years lol. We hope people see the positive aspects of what we bring to the rugby field. We've proven that you don't always need to be super fit and be excellent at bear crawls etc.

Sometimes, just sometimes - all you need is heart.

O atu ia ma le manuia

?

About the HD Morgan Memorial Cup

Presented in memorial of Mr H. D. Morgan, who was a member of the Johnsonville Club and became a member of the Management Committee of the WRFU in 1926 and served on it until 1962. He was subsequently elected a Life Member. He died in 1967 and the trophy was first presented in his honour to the winner of the Senior 3 division in 1969 (Porirua).

Recent winners:

• 2010 Marist St Pat's
• 2011 Wellington
• 2012 Hutt Old Boys Marist (their current Senior 1 team)
  
• 2013 Old Boys University