Upper Hutt Rams hoping to maintain winning habit this weekend

Above: Max Pearson (left) and Mitchell Markov are both playing well for the Upper Hutt Rams this season.

What’s in the water bottles at the Upper Hutt Rams?

Not for the first time this season, and perhaps not for the last, the Upper Hutt Rams came back from the brink last Saturday to win their Premier bucqui Jubilee Cup match.

They were behind 7-24 late in the first half against Oriental-Rongotai , but instead of folding (Ories won this match 50-25 in the first round), they rallied and blitzed Ories with three tries, turning the game around faster than the radio show could go around the grounds for the next score update.

The Rams continued to dominate in the second half and they eventually won 46-29.

What’s the secret to this win and other similar comebacks this year?

Speaking on behalf of the team, captain and halfback Hayden Schrijvers tried to pinpoint it.

“I’m not sure to be honest, in the second halves we just get really hot and play an up tempo game and it seems to stick. I think it’s a case of us collectively thinking that if we’re going to lose we’re not going to die wondering.”

White line fever takes hold. “We get one try and then all of a sudden everyone just wakes up and we just start throwing it around a bit and we start playing better rugby. Everyone knows now we can get into that mode and beat anyone.”

They beat Petone 34-26 in the last round of the Swindale Shield and then took down Old Boys University 20-18 in their Jubilee Cup opener doing the same thing.

It’s certainly not home ground advantage that they’re relying on.

“We’ve won all these games away, which is weird. We’ve only beaten Paremata-Plimmerton at home at Maidstone Park so we travel really well.”

Their win last Saturday at the Polo Ground over previously unbeaten Ories has helped set up a blockbuster finish to the round-round season, with all eight teams in the Jubilee Cup still in semi-finals contention and separated by just eight points.

“People were expecting us to lose to Ories on Saturday afternoon and also for Wainuiomata to beat Tawa, knocking a couple of us out of contention,” said Schrijvers, “but this situation has made it great for everyone supporting the competition.”

This includes the Rams’ loyal group of travelling supporters. “They’re all Upper Hutt families who have had people involved in the club in the past and who have all grown up and gone off but they’ve stayed and support us every week.”

Plus there’s the support of recent former players supporting them, such as Murphy Taramai (now at North Harbour) and Jordan Simpson-Hefft (England), in regular contact from afar.

The coaches Adam Campbell, Paul Assur and Ben Aoina are working well with the group. “Ben was playing fulltime two years ago but then took last year off. He’s been working really well with the backs.” He’s still playing too, having worn the 10 jersey a fortnight ago against the Wellington Axemen.”

Some individual players are playing well.

Captain Hayden Schrijvers and Max Pearson were both part of the New Zealand Sevens Development squad last summer.

Pearson moved from wing to centre against Ories and was Player of the Match. “Max moved there to fill in for injured centre Dan Aunese and he had a blinder, he relished getting his hands on the ball more.”

The loose forward combination of flankers Mitchell Markov and Daniel Schrijvers and No. 8 Josh Hunt is a strength of the side.

“Our loose forward trio would be up there with the best in Wellington, I’d say Poneke’s is one of the best too.”

Markov is quietly spoken off the field, but on it he’s come alive with a series of dynamic performances this year.

Now in his second season in the Rams, Daniel has come on strongly this season and works tirelessly all match. He had a terrific outing last week against Ories.

Hayden himself is also a former openside flanker, which certainly helps when games open up.The Wellington Sevens captain has also filled in this year further out in the backline. 

This weekend the Upper Hutt Rams play Marist St Pat’s at Evans Bay Park, who are led by their openside flanker Isaac O’Connor.

“I’ve gotten to know Isaac through sevens, he’s a tough adversary. He’s terrific in the air, as are Dan and Mitchell, so that battle will be one to watch this Saturday.”

If the Rams beat MSP on Saturday it will break a 23-match losing streak in Premier rugby.

Upper Hutt’s last Swindale Shield or Jubilee Cup win over MSP was in May 2002 when they won 29-19 at Maidstone Park.

MSP won 29-17 in the first round this year, after beating them 45-32 in their one clash last year and 36-21 and 56-20 in their two encounters in 2014.