Upper Hutt draw with Norths; wins for Poneke, HOBM and Petone in sixth round thriller

The battle for semi-final spots in the 2010 Jubilee Cup will intriguingly go down to the last round after a dramatic day of sixth round matches, that saw Upper Hutt hold on to draw with title favourites Northern United and decisive wins for Poneke, Hutt Old Boys Marist and Petone.

Upper Hutt's 23-23 draw with Norths, Poneke's 45-28 win over Old Boys-University, HOBM's 25-16 win over MSP and Petone's 36-22 victory over Oriental-Rongotai have set up a mouth watering final round next week in which three teams will be chasing the two home semi-final spots and a further two teams will be playing for the one remaining playoff berth still up for grabs.

The winner of next week's top of the table clash between current leaders Poneke (on 23 points) and second placed HOBM (21) will qualify top for the first home semi-final and win the Andy Leslie Trophy, while the loser will be leapfrogged into the second qualifying position by Norths if third placed Norths (19) comfortably beats wooden spoon-bound OBU (4).

Fourth placed Petone (16) will reach the last four in their 125th anniversary season if they overcome Upper Hutt (9) but fifth placed and defending champions MSP (14) will have to defeat Ories (9) and rely on Upper Hutt beating Petone to make the playoffs.

Only seventh equal Ories and Upper Hutt and OBU are out of playoff contention in the Jubilee Cup.

In the Hardham Cup, the Wests Roosters and Wainuiomata each won their round six matches with bonus points to grab the two home semi-final places, while four teams are still in the hunt for the other two spots. The Wests Roosters beat Tawa 27-8 and Wainuiomata overcame Norths B 44-7.

The promotion-relegation battle between Avalon and Johnsonville will go down to the final week after Avalon beat Johnsonville 10-3 at Helston Park. In the last round, Avalon plays MSP B at Fraser Park and Johnsonville meets Wainuiomata at Helston Park.

In the other Hardham Cup game of the round, HOBM B won the clash of the B sides, beating MSP B 32-9.

Tawa, HOBM B, Norths B, Johnsonville and Avalon can all still join Wests and Wainuiomata in the semi-finals next week if they win and other results fall in their favour.

Jubilee Cup around the grounds

At Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt were desperately unlucky not to have scored themselves a major scalp in Swindale Shield champions Norths - who had put 82 points on them in the first round.

It took a late penalty to fullback Buxton Popoalii to seal the tied 23-23 result for Norths, Popoalii's twilight kick at goal possibly proving the difference between them earning a home semi-final next week.

Upper Hutt had held the lead throughout much of the match after No. 8 Chris Gorrie finished off their first try and fullback Jason Woodward added the conversion and a penalty to give them a 10-3 lead. Norths came back with a converted try to replacement winger Cameron Craig after a break by centre AJ Va'aleepu to put the scores at 10-10 late in the first half.
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However Upper Hutt streaked ahead again with a further penalty to Woodward and another converted try to lock James Wall and they led 20-10 at halftime. Typically, Norths came back again and Popoalii scored another seven-pointer off a bust by halfback David Palu, and he also added a penalty. Woodward's third penalty was Upper Hutt's only points of the half and they led 23-20 with time fast ticking down. However Popoalii, on for injured points scoring machine James So'oilao, calmly kicked the points at the end to even up the ledger.

History was made in Wellington Premier club rugby in the game between Poneke and Old Boys-University, when Poneke agreed to concede home ground advantage at a muddy and beaten up Kilbirnie Park and play their game at the all-new artificial turf at Newtown's Te Whaea.

For the neutral fan, the game was a success with plenty of end-to-end action and eight tries run in and 73 points scored. After an even opening 40 minutes in which both teams got used to the conditions, the ‘home' team Poneke came out on top to win comfortably in the end. From a 10-10 deadlock midway through the first half, Poneke edged ahead to lead 20-16 at the break and added another 25 points in the second spell to secure their fifth win and remain on track to qualify top for the playoffs.

At the Hutt Recreation Ground, both sides were probably wishing they could have played on the main field that is in great shape after its redevelopment to be used as a RWC training base next year after another titanic struggle in heavy, difficult underfoot conditions.

In a tight second half, HOBM broke the tension when in-form loosehead prop Simon Malaeulu crashed over with 15 minutes to play to put the home side ahead 22-16. First five-eighth Dan Snee's conversion just sailed wide, but MSP still needed to score a converted try to win. Instead HOBM kept them at bay and closed the game off at the right end of the field. Snee had the last say with a penalty at the end to give his side a nine-point win and deny MSP what could be a crucial bonus point heading into next week's matches.

Earlier, and not for the first time this season, Hutt Old Boys Marist's Time brothers had combined to score the Eagles' first two tries. Second five-eighth Alexis Time finished off a concerted build-up and Snee converted to put them in front 7-0. MSP came back to 7-7 with a converted try to Apoua Stewart after a jinking run inside the 22 by his Vodafone Wellington Lions teammate Fa'atonu Fili. Snee and Fili traded penalties and the score was locked up at 10-10 at halftime.

After the break HOBM No. 8 Matt Time scored a decisive try off a lineout in the corner and Snee converted from the sideline to push the Eagles out to 17-10. MSP fought back and won two penalties for Fili to kick to close it up to 17-16, ahead of Malaeulu's try and Snee's penalty at the end.

At the Petone Recreation Ground, Ories' first semi-final hopes for eight seasons went down with the numerous line breaks and chances they created in the first half but couldn't convert.

Ories' exciting backs threw everything at Petone throughout much of the first half and set up several clear try scoring opportunities. But instead it was Petone who capitalised on their few excursions into their visitors' 22 to score the only two tries of an entertaining first half and then added two more in quick succession after the break to lead 22-3.

In an entertaining game in good conditions, Ories came back in the second half to score three tries, including two that were set up by rising star Julian Savea from the right wing, but Petone scored two more tries themselves to keep their noses in front and hold on for a timely and important bonus point victory.

Petone struck first in the opening minutes, when let wing Fautua Otto skipped through the twin tackles out wide of Savea and fullback Hayden Whelan to score in the corner after a nice backline move inside the 22.

Ories came back into the game playing free-wheeling attractive rugby, and very nearly scored tries after separate breaks by left wing Ambrose Curtis (twice), Savea and midfielders Johnny Sola and Paulo Aukoso, plus a ruled forward pass on halfway to flanker Joe Maiava with the line open and backs in support.

But instead it was Petone who found the tryline for a second time five minutes from halftime, when halfback Jared Kahu broke from a shortside ruck up the grandstand touchline and was bundled into touch near the corner. Petone's well-drilled pack sniffed an opportunity close to the line and kept the heat on Ories for a sustained period before blindside Api Sione was pushed over for a try. Fullback Ben Aiona's conversion made it 12-0.

Ories were finally rewarded for their endeavour when first five-eighth James Proctor kicked a penalty on halftime and they turned trailing 3-12 and needing to score first after the break.

However Petone ran in decisive third and fourth tries in the opening few minutes of the second half and raced to a match-clinching 22-3 lead. First Willie Moala broke from general play from his side of halfway and linked up with Otto who was held up over the line, forcing a 5-metre scrum and a subsequent try to one of the forwards. Second, Otto gratefully intercepted a backflip razzle-dazzle pass by Savea and sprinted 50 metres to score Petone's bonus point try.

Ories struck back with an intercept try off a Jared Kahu pass to replacement first five-eighth Trevor Marama, who also converted to close the gap to 22-10.

Once more Petone worked themselves into try-scoring position and once more came away with a try, their third through the forward. Aoina converted from out wide to extend the lead to 29-10.

Needing to atone for earlier mistakes, Savea set up two consecutive tries with broken field runs for replacement backs Afa Fa'atau and Robert Millar in the right hand corner, the second an exciting effort when he fielded a Petone clearing kick on the grandstand touchline and threaded his way around and through Petone's chasing line, drew the last defender and put Millar in for a try. This second try was converted by Marama, which closed the gap up to 29-22 with several minutes to play.

The pattern continued though, with Petone once more pulling away and the livewire Moala fittingly scoring their sixth and final try with another runaway score to push the final score out to 36-22.

Hardham Cup around the grounds

Early dominance eventually turned to despair for Johnsonville's supporters at Helston Park after Avalon did what their team couldn't do throughout the first half and well into the second and score a try.

Avalon's converted try put them ahead 10-3, and then in a tense battle they held off numerous desperate attacks at the death to hold on for their win that may yet put them back in the Swindale Shield next year at Johnsonville's expense.

Earlier, Johnsonville had launched concerted attacks on Avalon's line and created several clear chances, but each one was missed through a combination of handling and passing errors and desperate Avalon defence. All Johnsonville could show for their efforts was a penalty and a 3-0 lead at halftime.

Hardham Cup frontrunners the Wests Roosters and Wainuiomata did the business in their home clashes in home clashes at their respective headquarters at Ian Galloway and William Jones Parks.

Wests scored first half tries to centre Maka Ioane and fullback Chris Brown to lead Tawa 13-0 at halftime. Tawa came back with a penalty and unconverted try to prop David Fa'atafa, but Wests scored their third try to second five-eighth Ahtuni Masum and held a 20-8 lead midway through the second half. The Roosters then added their fourth and bonus point try to ensure they will qualify first for the semi-finals.

Wainuiomata halfback Frae Wilson scored a try and kicked the conversion and two penalties to see his side ease to a 13-0 halftime lead against Norths B. It was all Wainuiomata after the break as they pulled clear with 31 second half points to win comfortably and also ensure they will be hosting a home semi-final. Lock-turned blindside flanker Shahn Eru scored two second half tries.

In the round's early game, played in bright sunshine at the Hutt Recreation Ground, HOBM B steamrolled MSP B with a four-try, 26-point burst of unanswered scoring throughout the middle of the game to also take a comfortable victory.

In an even opening 30 minutes, MSP's goalkicking loosehead prop Poasa Poasa kicked three penalties to HOBM first five-eighth Glen Walters' one and MSP led 9-3.

But two well-educated kicks into the lefthand corner and two MSP mistakes in clearing their line led directly to HOBM coming up with two quickfire tries and taking a 15-9 lead. The first saw a MSP fumble on their own defensive lineout ball, a turnover and a slick try near the posts to their second five-eighth. The second saw MSP fail to find touch with a clearing kick and HOBM pour through on attack and their centre scored further out.

Then, with halftime fast approaching, HOBM came up a decisive third try to halfback Sam Fowler after he scooped up a loose ball from the back of a MSP defensive scrum and scrambled to the tryline. Walters' conversion put the home side ahead 22-9 at the turnaround.

HOBM clinched the match several minutes into the second half with a beautiful long-range try off the top of a lineout. From the set-piece from their own side of halfway, the Hutt backs spun it wide and ran their outsides in for the try. Walters added the two points and at 29-9 there was no coming back for MSP.

The visitors tried though, but HOBM's defence held and more than one raid was held up over the line and a couple more were bundled into touch. Walters extended HOBM's lead with five minutes to play with a penalty in front, before MSP crossed at the end for a consolation try only to see it disallowed for fisticuffs at the previous ruck.

Women's semi-final

the Northern United Women's team will head into next week's Victoria Tavern Premier final against an as yet unknown foe as favourites after brushing aside the challenge thrown down before them from Wainuiomata, with a 14-try 84-0 semi-final win. Quite a turnaround from the earlier result in the round of 24-5.

Norths dominated throughout all facets of the game. The backline sparkled on attack and was solid on defence, the forwards, without so many key starters, stamped their authority on the game, setting the platform for the backline to shine. Right from the first whistle, Norths were clinical on attack, aggressive on defence, and appeared focused on their goal. They scored within the first five minutes, and the second and third came in quick succession and ran away with it from there.

Standout players for the backs were Wellington Pride player Sia Seumanufagai who had a solid game on defence and attack, and Wellington development player Sammy McIntosh, whose decisive play at first five-eighth was second to none. In the forwards, the standouts were hard-tackling flanker Vanessa Masoe-Patelesio and prop Tia Sa, with her continuous robust runs and smashing tackles. In the second half, impact substitute Tiana Collins made huge inroads, almost running at will through the Wainuiomata defensive line, and combining well with her sister, powerhouse No. 8 Helen Collins.

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