Jubilee and Hardham Cup finals previews

Jubilee Cup final preview: Northern United v Poneke

A gladiatorial final between is predicted in this year's Jubilee Cup final between Northern United and Poneke. The last time these teams met in a Jubilee Cup final was in 2006 and Norths were comfortable 25-12 winners. But don't expect anything like this winning margin in the 2010 re-run. This year's final is between two teams packed with punch and power and recent Jubilee Cup final pedigree and both know what it takes to win.

One or both of these clubs have been involved in nine of the past 11 finals - but between them have only won four times. For 2004, 2006 and 2008 (shared with MSP) champions Norths this will be their sixth final in the last seven years, while for 2003 winners Poneke it will be the their 6^th since 1999 and their first since 2006.

?A boon for this year's final is the prospect of Vodafone Wellington players that play against Otago on Saturday night maybe being made available for the final. Poneke could call upon up to four players (Dane Coles, Daniel Ramsay, Ruki Tipuna and Charlie Ngatai) and Norths have five Lions players on the plane back from Dunedin ahead of the match (Faifili Levave, Api Naikatini, Alapati Leuia, John Schwalger and Jacob Ellison).

The tactical play of the inside backs and goalkicking has been a common theme in Jubilee Cup final winning performances. Fans will remember David Holwell leading Poneke to victory in 2003, Tamati Ellison for Norths in 2004, Earl Va'a for Petone in 2005, Nick Risdon for HOBM in 2007 and Chris Slade for MSP last year with his seven penalties. Both teams have these areas well stocked. Poneke's Sam Rasch and Norths' David Palu have been here before for other clubs, while in James So'oilao Norths have a points scoring machine. So'oialo has scored more points than the opposition on 16 occasions this season with a record tally of 273. In the past 10 finals at Westpac Stadium the average winning score has been 20-15 and eight of these have been decided by a winning margin of six points or fewer so this could the key area of the game.

?Both will relish playing on Westpac Stadium, a big open ground in great condition. Poneke are noted mudlarks, having won their last two matches including their 13-6 semi-final victory over Petone in diabolical conditions at home, but like to play expansive rugby as much as anybody. They were the second best attacking side in the round-robin behind Norths. Noted for their dry running rugby - having scored 119 tries and 795 points to date this year - Norths have also shown that they can score and win in the wet. In five wet weather matches this season North's have won 4 games and scored 18 tries. Their only loss in the rain this season was to Poneke, 15-17 in round two.

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Hardham Cup final preview: Avalon v Wainuiomata

Can Avalon keep on rolling and go all the way in this year's Hardham Cup? It's been some turnaround over the past month for the battling Hutt Valley club who were sitting on one solitary competition point and in dead last just four weeks ago. At that stage just mere survival was their focus and after upsetting top qualifier and previously unbeaten Wests Roosters last weekend at an inhospitable cage location, the hallowed turf of Westpac Stadium might be all they need to inspire them to achieving one of the great club rugby turnarounds.

No strangers to competing with the top clubs in Wellington since their formation in 1980, Avalon were Jubilee Cup semi-finalists in 2003 and 2004 and finished fourth in the Swindale Shield as recently as 2006. But losing a core of loyal, experienced players all relatively quickly led to their relegation from the Premier ranks at the end of 2008 and a possible long stint as a Harper Lock Shield team. Victory over Johnsonville three weeks ago at Helston Park put paid to those notions and they now find themselves not only back in the Swindale Shield next year but with a chance at title glory as well.

The last side to shoot to the Hardham Cup final after playing Senior 1 rugby for the first half of the season was their opponent in today's final, Wainuiomata, who like Avalon, qualified from the Harper Lock Shield before emerging from the pack to reach the semi-finals seven weeks later. Like Avalon, they won their playoff that year by a point, beating Ories 19-18 in a thriller, before succumbing to Upper Hutt in the final. Since then they have been regular visitors to Westpac Stadium on finals day and this will be their fourth season finale in the last five years.

Naturally disappointed not to make the Jubilee Cup round, the 2007 Hardham Cup champions will be primed to capture their second win. The team's laced with talent too. Look out for Wilson's son Frae Junior to direct play, with a core group of dynamic forwards such as Wilson's 2009 New Zealand U20 teamamte and lock Shahn Eru (10 tries this year), blindside Daniel Olive who has been involved since 2006, openside Greg Leolofi and veteran Samoan international prop Justin Va'a who won a Swindale Shield with Upper Hutt in 2005 and sat on the bench last week for the Vodafone Wellington Lions. Their backs can dash and include Jason Love, Michael Williams and the Mamea brothers, Isiah and Tau - the latter named this week in the Wellington Development side.