MSP and Upper Hutt qualify for Jubilee Cup in epic finish to first round

Marist St. Pat’s and Upper Hutt emerged from a thrilling final round of Swindale Shield matches to grab the last two places for the Jubilee Cup round, the pair qualifying for the Jubilee Cup with contrasting last round wins.

Heading into the final afternoon of Swindale Shield matches, MSP, Upper Hutt and Old Boys-University were battling it out between them for the two spots still available. Upper Hutt just needed to beat the Wests Roosters at home at Maidstone Park to make it, which would then leave MSP and OBU in a straight shoot out for the last spot in their clash at the Hawkins Basin Reserve.

As it happened, Upper Hutt blasted past the Wests Roosters 69-9 in an emphatic performance and had the game in the bag late in the first half, ratcheting up the tension amongst MSP and OBU supporters on the Basin Reserve sideline. For their game was anything but one-sided.

In the end MSP won 27-21, but not before being down 15-14 at halftime and still in arrears at 18-17 behind with just over 20 minutes left on the referee’s clock. But with OBU failing to provide a scoreboard or a clock at the ground, the game could have been anyone's to the casual observer such was the run of play.

In a tense match throughout, that reached its crescendo late in the second half, it was a scything break up the middle of the park into the 22 by MSP first five-eighth Trent Vatselias that set up the game breaking try. Vatselias looked liked like he might go all the way but was ankle tapped and brought to ground. But MSP recycled quickly and moved the ball left to fullback Ryan Setafano who scored probably the most important of the 26 tries that his team had scored all season up to that point.

Vatselias’ conversion was charged down but MSP had regained the lead for the first time since midway through the first half and now led 22-18 with about 15 minutes to play.

OBU swarmed back on to attack and their first five-eighth Mike Newell answered with a penalty to close the margin back up to a solitary point.

However, MSP scrum power and added passion up front - led by their inspirational skipper and lock Nick Passi - was beginning to tell and they were able to exert pressue on OBU inside their territory and force a mistake. The error came with the ball being passed back inside the 22 to Newell who kicked into touch on the full. This gave MSP a lineout in prime position from which to launch a raid from. Winning the set-piece, the forwards set up a well-controlled rolling maul from which hooker Liu Taituave broke freeoff and he darted through to score the match winning try.

Vatselias’ conversion was again partially charged but at 27-21 ahead, MSP just had to hold on. They did so and fulltime was blown with OBU desperately trying to break out from their own territory.

Earlier, both teams had missed opportunities to grab an advantage. OBU were left rueing? Newell conversion and penalty misses from handy positions that would have put the students ahead 20-14 at halftime, while MSP missed a certain try in the right-hand corner from a swift move off the top of a lineout on the other side of the field when wing Jope Naubo stepped into touch.

Chances that were taken included two first half tries to Hurricanes lock Bryn Evans after the students had split MSP up the middle of the field, and one try to MSP left wing Hamish Baird following and excellent stab kick into the corner that forced a 5-metre scrum by second five-eighth Joe Wright.

Baird’s try saw MSP move ahead 11-3, before OBU struck back with a brace of tries to Evans.

As well as securing their Jubilee Cup spot, MSP also won the Jack Lamason Memorial Trophy after the legendary former Wellington rugby player and cricketer of yesteryear. It was thus fitting in that respect that this game was played on the Basin Reserve.

Upper Hutt’s crushing win over the hapless Wests Roosters, who finished near the foot of the table, was highlighted by a 29-point haul to first five-eighth Jason Woodward. Woodward kicked nine out of nine conversions, two penalties and scored a try to finish the first round as the competition’s leading points scorer with 172.

Eight different try scorers scored Upper Hutt’s tries, with right wing Jared Churchwood grabbing a double. It was close early on, but Upper Hutt pulled cleared with two tries to lock Raymond Sio and halfback Kayne Hammington to take a 24-9 lead into halftime.

It was one-way traffic in the second 40 minutes as Upper Hutt scored again through No. 8 Campbell Beckett and then the floodgates opened from there and they were able to put 60 points on the Roosters.

The wins to Upper Hutt over the Roosters and MSP over OBU were part of a thrilling set of last round Swindale Shield matches for 2011. With all Jubilee and Hardham Cup places already decided amongst the other eight teams there was just pride and finishing order to play for, but the competition was still tight.

In a notable result, Petone got up to draw 32-32 with Northen United at the Petone Recreation Ground, the first Swindale Shield game that Norths have failed to win in two seasons.

Petone were left lamenting not actually winning this game after being up 26-3 at halftime and having the champions Norths outfit seemingly on the canvas for the first time since round two of last year’s Jubilee Cup when they were pipped by Poneke.

When Petone centre Micheal Lealava’a crashed through to score his fifth try of the season and Petone’s fourth of the afternoon the Villagers were rightly sensing victory. This try followed ones by fullback Tomasi Alosio, evergreen prop Thomas Tupuiavao and wing Willie Moala who intercepted a pass and sprinted 50 metres to score.

But the Norths machine stirred into life in the second half and mounted a spirited comeback. Tries to fullback Inoke Rasabele and No. 8 Mana Faraimo pushed them closer to 29-15 behind. Norths kept coming at them and added three more tries to prop Henry Smith and halfback Tomasi Palu (2). Norths had a chance to win the match at the end but replacement fullback James So’oialo’s late sideline conversion missed and the scores were all locked up at the end.

Across the hill in Wainuiomata, the home side also scored a try right at the end against Hutt Old Boys Marist and halfback Frae Wilson, now at first five-eighth, had a chance to slot the match winning conversion. But he missed and visitors HOBM held on for a 24-23 win on Wainuiomata’s Old Timers’ Day.

HOBM had established a 12-3 lead at halftime and then pulled further ahead in the second half. Tries to centre Parataiso Silafai-Leaanaa and fullback Steve Honey were answered by a lone penalty to Wilson.

After the break HOBM No. 8 Thomas Benson scored a converted try to extend his side’s lead to 19-3. But Wainuiomata launched a comeback, scoring tries to fullback Lindsay Koia and centre Feterika Sage, and closed the gap to just 19-15.

HOBM captain and halfback Nick Risdon then took a quick tap penalty and set up a try to try-scoring replacement prop Simon Malaeulu and the Eagles pushed ahead again to 24-15.

However, Wainuiomata set up a grandstand finish for their home supporters when flying left wing Jason Love scored in the corner at the end and Wilson had a chance to convert and win the match.

The win for HOBM pushed them up to a third placed finish in the Swindale Shield, behind champions Norths and second placed Ories, while Wainuiomata were ultimately leapfrogged by both Upper Hutt and MSP and finished eighth.

However the club was celebrating the success of its second XV Senior 2 side who beat HOBM 22-3 in the curtain-raiser to win the National Mutual Cup competition.

Heading into the final round, Wainuiomata had to beat HOBM to make sure of their title win, with HOBM, Avalon and Upper Hutt all in the hunt for this trophy heading into the final round.

In the end, Avalon crushed Johnsonville to get up to claim second place ahead of third placed HOBM and fourth placed Upper Hutt who accounted for the Wests Roosters 44-3.

This means that winners Wainuiomata and Avalon join the bottom eight finishers from the Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield in the 10-team second round Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup starting this weekend.

Avalon’s Premier team pushed Tawa’s close in their Swindale Shield clash at Lyndhurst Park, before Tawa eventually prevailed and won 27-23. With both these teams already Hardham Cup bound, neither wanted to yield to the other in this match.

Avalon took an early 8-6, before Tawa scored two quick tries, to right wing George Tilsley, returning from injury, and blindside flanker James Tangtamaiti extended this by halftime.

Avalon then came back with points of their own and they led 27-23 and were possibly heading for their second win of the year, before Tilsley scorched up the earth and sprinted away to create a length of the field match winning try to lock Filisione Kolomatangi.

Back in town, an injury hit Oriental-Rongotai got up to win their Jim Grbich Memorial Shield and Bill Brien Challenge Cup match against Poneke 28-8.

Ories established a 13-5 lead at halftime on the back of tries to wings Afa Fa’atau and Ambrose Curtis against one to Poneke captain and No. 8 Misipalauni Moananu.

The halftime score remained intact until Ories speedster Curtis scored his second the game’s decisive try against the run of play. With Poneke pressing Ories’ line, Ories broke out from a 5-metre scrum and Curtis raced away to score to out them in front 18-8.

Trevor Marama put Ories further ahead with a penalty, before replacement flanker Joe Maiava scored a late seven pointer to seal his side’s seventh win of the round.

In the Harper Lock Shield, Hutt Old Boys Marist wrapped up the Senior 1 spoils a week ago, but the real action in the last round was that of determining the final four spots to join the Roosters, Avalon, Tawa and OBU in the Hardham Cup.

Those four teams are: HOBM, Rimutaka, Norths and Poneke.

In a close competition, several teams were still vying for those spots and there was always going to be an unlucky team at the end of the round. That team was Petone, who lost to Norths just 22-16 but slipped from second to third equal on 38 points alongside both Norths and Poneke.

Poneke pipped Ories 20-18 in their game, and had previously defeated both Petone and Norths so they went up, as did Norths who beat Petone in the last round.

The big winners from the last round of Harper Lock Shield matches were thus Rimutaka, who came storming up to finish outright second and claim the other spot, courtesy of their crushing 80-12 win over last year’s Premier club Johnsonville.

HOBM won the grade by eight points in the end, edging past ninth placed Paremata-Plimmerton 29-26.

In a bottom of the table clash, Tawa beat Stokes Valley, who failed to win a first round game and finished the Harper Lock Shield on -2 points after previously being docked five points for a default.

Elsewhere, in another interclub trophy clash, the Wellington Axemen beat Poneke 24-12 in the National Mutual Cup to claim the Spud Lindsay Memorial Trophy.

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