Carnage At The Cage As Norths Lift Swindale Shield In Style

Congratulations to Northern United, winners of the 2007 Swindale Shield. Norths wrote another chapter in its rapidly expanding book of achievements, beating Wests Roosters 72-0 in the last round and registering back-to-back Swindale Shield titles and three in five years.

They did it in style, running in eleven tries at a sun-drenched Ian Galloway Park in a near flawless performance of attacking rugby.

Poneke also came out to play in the last round, trouncing Upper Hutt 69-7 at Kilbirnie Park on captain Misipalauni Moananu's 150th premier game. Needing to beat Upper Hutt and hope for a Norths loss, they also scored eleven tries, including four to fullback Tupu Saena and two to No. 8 Neil Meyer.

The trend of high scoring continued at the other venues, the magnificent conditions providing for 406 points scored across all six games.

At the Hutt Recreation ground, Marist St. Pat's beat Hutt Old Boys Marist 32-29 for the Father Cleary Shield, sealing a dramatic win with a try on fulltime after twice coming from behind. HOBM led 19-10 at halftime and again 29-27 late in the match, before replacement MSP wing Jope Naubo grabbed the late victory. HOBM first five-eighth Jon Bentley became the first player to pass 100 points for the season during this fixture.

The round's upset came at the Polo Ground where Oriental-Rongotai came storming back to topple Tawa 28-24, after Tawa led 24-0 at halftime. But Ories saved their best till last in scoring four converted tries. Fullback Fa'avae Tuma'ai was the hero, scoring two tries including the match winner, running off the shoulder of centre Paulo Aukuso.

Old Boys-University beat Avalon 54-24 in a high-energy clash at Fraser Park, left wing Sheldon he's a Goodin scoring twice and first five-eighth Jimmy Gopperth kicking seven of eight conversions as the students clinched third place in the standings.

At the Petone Recreation Ground, the home side beat a spirited Wainuiomata 39-27 after earlier sailing to a 20-3 lead after 20 minutes. But the competition minnows came back well, despite a hat trick to exciting Petone right wing Greg Walker.

Ian Galloway Park was the place to be in the last round, where Norths unofficially registered their highest Premier margin of victory since their inception in 1990. The 72-0 score line was also the widest winning margin in Wellington premier rugby for at least five seasons, surpassing the 80-10 defeat MSP inflicted on the Wellington club in the 2002 Swindale Shield.

The result didn't altogether reflect on a poor showing from Wests - the Roosters on their Old Timers' Day played with plenty of adventure on attack and spirit on defence. The less than full strength Wests side still often looked like a Jubilee bound side. Rather, Norths, with two current Hurricanes players in openside Serge Lilo and prop Anthony Perenise and up to several players on the fringe of Vodafone Wellington Lions selection simply ran rampant inside the Roosters' cage.

The game was won early, their forwards taking control and establishing early domination and laying a solid platform for the tryfest to follow.

The signs of carnage were evident in their first two tries, both scored by left wing Francis Seumanutafa in near-identical fashion, after going wide off attacking scrums in the opposite corner. Both involved slick passing across Wests' posts, giving room for Seumanautafa to score his 10^th and 11^th tries of the season.

More attacking play followed, ahead of a penalty to fullback Peato Lafaele and their next try scored in the same corner as the first two, Perenise driven over the line off a lineout drive. Lafaele converted this try and it was 20-0 after half an hour.

Few teams would have had an answer for Norths' next try before halftime, scored by Lilo, but brazenly set up by prop Jacob Ellison. From 40 metres out, Ellison tapped and kicked ahead a free kick penalty, two Norths players converged to regather including Perenise, who in turn found Lilo on his shoulder in support to score.

Next it was Perenise's turn to score the game's most popular try and his second. Quick recycling in a mid-field ruck allowed young halfback Fale Utopu to go left to Perenise standing in the centres, and like a laden war chariot he charged 30 metres to score unopposed. This also made it 34-0 and from then on it was a procession for Norths.

With the Shield safely retained, they cut loose from there, scoring a further five tries, all from rampaging attack and with a supreme confidence of a champion team. Tries to backs Lafaele, centre Daley Harper and wing Sinoti To'omaga were followed by two tries to Faifili?Levave and one to replacement flanker Dean Brunsden.

Players to standout for Norths were Perenise and Levave in the pack and first five-eighth Rob Aloe and To'omaga in the backs. Perenise has ramped up his mobility along with his strong scrummaging game, Levave was punishing on attack and solid in defence. Aloe, although given an armchair ride at pivot, directed play well and To'omaga is one of Wellington's more energetic wingers.

Attention now turns to the second round starting next week, with the Jubilee Cup and Hardham Cup competitions both set to be thrillers this year.