OBU And Norths to Square Off In Battle Of The Basin In Eighth Round

It's the battle of the Basin Reserve this Saturday where home team Old Boys-University will take the Swindale Shield spotlight for the second week in succession in an almighty top-of the-table clash with joint leaders Northern United.

While neither team will win the first round title on Saturday, to the victor will go the tag of competition favourites with just three rounds remaining after this. For Norths, the lure of a Swindale Shield three-peat, last achieved by Marist St Pat's in 1994,1995 and 1996 will be strong motivation to subdue the students, while OBU supporters will be hoping this is their year after two back-to-back third placed finishes in 2006 and 2007.

Not withstanding their horror 2005 year when their young side failed to win a game and finished dead last in the Swindale Shield, OBU have been consistent in recent times and also finished fifth in the last two Jubilee Cups.They suddenly turned a corner exactly midway through the 2006 Shield round, coming from nowhere to grab third by winning their last five games on the trot.

This included a 27-21 victory over Norths at the Basin Reserve - the last time these sides met at this venue. They almost beat them again in the 2006 Jubilee Cup out in Porirua, ahead 20-13 at halftime before Norths came back to win 23-20. It was a similar story in last year's Jubilee Cup round in an entertaining match at Nairnville Park when Norths fought back from a 17-3 deficit just before the break to draw 22-22. However in their earlier encounter last year Norths smashed and bashed their way to a ten-try 63-12 win.

While this match will be top billing this week, round eight is shaping up as a significant round for the 2008 fortunes of several of the other teams, both those still in contention for the Swindale Shield and those hoping to make the top eight and Jubilee Cup later in the season. At the top end of the table, Marist St. Pat's are travelling well, having knocked over Hutt Old Boys Marist and Petone in consecutive weeks and could find themselves sharing the lead with either OBU or Norths after this round if they defeat the Wests Roosters with a bonus point at Evans Bay Park.

It could get interesting at the Polo Ground where Hutt Old Boys Marist will want to re-establish their title credentials after consecutive losses against an Oriental-Rongotai side who will probably see their first Jubilee Cup berth in five years as safe if they can topple HOBM. Poneke will be targeting a win over bottom placed Avalon at Kilbirnie Park to continue their trend upwards after a slow start, while Upper Hutt play Petone at Maidstone Park and tenth placed Tawa and ninth placed Wainuiomata will have everything to play for at Lyndhurst Park.

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