Pandemonium At Porirua As OBU Grab A Share Of The Swindale Lead

Two time defending champions Northern United are no longer the sleeping giants of the Swindale Shield. Norths awoke from their relative slow start to 2008 in ominous fashion by inflicting a 95-0 drubbing on the Wests Roosters In the sixth round set of matches played on Saturday

In what is the highest Premier score for at least several seasons, Norths demolished a hapless Wests side fifteen tries to nil at home at Poriua Park. Norths scored six tries in the first half to lead 38-0 at the break, before turning the Roosters into headless chickens in the second half. A third of their try scoring was a family affair, lock Telea Seumanutafa scoring a hat trick and his brother and former lock turned winger Francis bagging a double.

It wasn't the biggest score of the day in Premier rugby either, that honour went to the Johnsonville Women's team who cracked the big one in beating Waikanae 130-0 in the Fleurs Trophy Women's Grade competition.

But it nevertheless overshadowed an otherwise absorbing set of matches on Saturday that were for the most part played in fine but extremely cold and windy conditions, and which have resulted in Old Boys-University getting up to grab a share of the lead alongside HOBM who suffered their first defeat of the season to Marist St. Pat's.

Previous pacesetters HOBM secured a bonus point from their gritty 5-12 loss to MSP at Evans Bay Park, but are now joined at the top of the table by OBU who scored six tries in their comfortable 38-3 win over Avalon at the Basin Reserve.

OBU produced a clinical performance to shut out the struggling Avalon, cruising to a 26-3 lead by halftime and then adding two more tries after the interval whilst trucking into the gusty southerly.

In other much closer results, Poneke beat Upper Hutt 14-10 at Maidstone Park, Oriental-Rongotai overcame Tawa 13-9 at Lyndhurst Park and Petone edged out Wainuiomata 11-3 at William Jones Park

It was an excellent result for Poneke's fans who last weekend saw their team overran by the free running Petone backs on their 125^th anniversary. The commitment shown by Poneke's forwards against Petone had been somewhat greater than the 30-point defeat suggested and they were rewarded with an important win against Upper Hutt this week.

Upper Hutt scored two quick tries midway through the first half to right winger Sam Williamson to establish a 10-3 lead, before Poneke clawed ahead and then held on to the end. Debutant first five-eighth James Pointon kicked two further penalties and No. 8 Chris Brightwell scored the decisive try that sees their path to the Jubilee Cup become a lot easier.

Another notable result was Ories' hard fought win over Tawa, their third win in succession which is the most consecutive wins for them in the Swindale Shield since 2003 when they finished second and won four in a row between rounds four and seven.

In fact it is the most wins for Ories in any Swindale Shield since 2003, the Miramar side having consistently underperformed in recent seasons. But under coach and former Petone, Wests and Wellington prop Phil Proctor their forward pack in particular is finally starting to show signs of being a cohesive unit and they are now a real chance of making the Jubilee Cup again this year.

Like Poneke, Ories came from behind to win after Tawa halfback Damien Madsen kicked three penalties to put his side ahead 9-0 at halftime. But Ories overtook them in the second half when lock Mark Reddish scored the game's only try and first five-eighth James Proctor converted and then added two penalties.

Tawa now find themselves under the gun in the impending scramble for the top eight and must now turn their attention to what's up the road, namely Norths and a round seven match up with them in Porirua next week.

Petone were unable to turn on the razzle-dazzle of last week, labouring to their win against a plucky Wainuiomata side celebrating their Green and Black Day. Once again, only one try was scored all game and that came to Petone fullback and former Wainui player Lewis Marshall.

Wainui had the use of the strong wind in the first half, but could only manage a 49-metre penalty to second five-eighth Michael Leala'ava, a whopping strike.?But Petone struggled to wrestle ascendancy in the second spell and were thankful just to hold on to victory.

It was a similar battle of attrition at Evans Bay Park in this week's feature game between MSP and HOBM for both the Father Cleary Shield and Bill Brien Challenge Cup.

Big defence was the order of the day from both teams, with both battling each other to a standstill in eighty minutes of committed and intense rugby. In the end it was four Fa'atonu Fili penalties that won the day for MSP against the visitors and Jubilee Cup champions.

In chilling conditions with the southerly whipping across the field all game, both teams also struggled for any accuracy and cohesion on attack. Especially HOBM, who were left counting the cost of several missed opportunities as they suffered their first defeat of the season and their first since MSP beat them 17-16 at this same venue in July last year.

HOBM scored the game's only try to hulking tighthead prop Simon Malaevulu who barged over from close range in the 35^th minute, but HOBM probably should have found the tryline earlier after seemingly stretching MSP's defences far and wide on at least three occasions.

In a treacherous day for the lineout throwers and jumpers and in heavy underfoot conditions, the Eagles struggled for continuity, made mistakes and were thwarted by MSP's defence at crucial times. Their backs counterattacked well and their loosies engaged in an epic struggle with their MSP counterparts who included Victor Vito at No. 8 but were unable to capitalise.

MSP took their chances through Fili, who kicked two from three penalties in the first half and added two more in the second 40 minutes of play.

Despite a rather messy performance from both sides, both are travelling well for another top season in 2008. Neither were at full strength. MSP were missing Alex Tulou and Ged Robinson in their pack and left-winger Jope Naubo who scored a hat trick against the Eagles last season. HOBM were without blindside Ash Parker and first choice backs Micheal Pehi and Mike Kingsbeer and their second five-eighth Jarrod Eastergard was making his premier run-on debut.

HOBM Blindside Phil de Witt left the field injured midway through the first half and was replaced by last year's star No. 8 Leo Auva'a, coming back into the fold after a short stint playing club rugby in South Korea. The Korean national coach is currently in Wellington and being mentored by HOBM's coaches Adam Campbell and Phil Gibb.

Meanwhile in other grades, Petone's U19 side captured the first round James Gilbert Memorial Trophy in style by thrashing Stokes Valley 98-0, and it was a good day all-round for Norths, with their Senior One team beating Stokes Valley 51-12, their Senior Two side defeating the Wests Roosters 25-17 and their Women's team overcoming Petone 24-17 in a top of the table clash.

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