Representative Rugby continues this Saturday

Above: Jackson Garden-Bachop (with ball) and Andrew Wells (on his left shoulder)? both made their Wellington Lions ITM Cup debuts last night against BoP and both return to the Wellington U20s squad tomorrow for their match against the Manawatu Maori.

Wellington Representative fixtures on Saturday 14 September at a glance:

• Wellington U20s V Manawatu Maori in Feilding at 2.30 pm
  

• Wellington U18s v Manawatu U18s at Otaki Domain at 12,30 pm (pre-season, followed by HOBM Academy v Horowhenua Kapiti U20)

• Wellington U18 Centurions v Taranaki U18 in New Plymouth at TBC

• Wellington U16As v Combined Schools at Ngatitoa Domain at 12.00 pm

• Wellington Maori v Canterbury Maori at Christchurch at 1.00 pm

• Wellington Maori Development? v Wanganui B at Fraser Park at 2.00 pm

• Wellington Pride v Manawatu at the Petone Rec at 1.00 pm

• Wellington Whirlwind U13 Girls v Manawatu U13 Girls (12.00 pm) and WSSRU Schoolgirls XV v Manawatu Schoolgirls (12.30 pm) also at the Petone Rec.

• Wellington Samoans U18s v Wairarapa Bush U18 in Masterton at 1.00 pm

• Also: Wairarapa Bush v Horowhenua Kapiti at Masterton at 2.30 pm

In one representative competition fixture in Wellington this week, the Wellington Pride play the first of three home Women’s NPC games at the Petone Recreation Ground when they host the Manawatu Cyclones in round two of the competition.

With eight players on debut in their Women’s NPC opener in Dunedin last week, the Pride pushed the Otago Spirit all the way before missing out 17-21. In contrast, Manawatu flew to a 49-12 win over competition newcomers Taranaki with the wind behind them in the second half to win well in the opening round of matches.

With a core group of experienced players on board, led up front by former Black Fern and captain Muteremoana Aiatu, lock Jackie Patea flanker Aimee Sutorius? and in the backs through Mary-Ann Collins and Katarina Simpkins, the Pride are hunting their first win of the competition against the Cyclones - who themselves will be fielding up to four former Pride players.

In home matches to come after this at Petone, the Pride host Taranaki on 28 September and Counties Manukau on 5 October.

As part of other girls and female games at the Petone Rec on Saturday? the new Rugbygirl Wellington Whirlwind, comprising 30 girls aged 10-13 up against their Manawatu counterparts in their return fixture after they met for the first time in Palmerston North last week.? Additionally, the? WSSRU XV play the Manawatu Schoolgirls.

Elsewhere, the Wellington U20s and Wellington U18s are both playing away, while the Wellington Development XV has a week off.

The Wellington U20s were scheduled to play Tasman U20 but are now up against Manawatu Maori at Feilding, while the U18s meet Manawatu in the middle at Otaki in a non-competition match and the U18 Centurions play the Taranaki U18s at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth.

The Hurricanes region U20s and U18s competitions commence next weekend, 21 September, so both sides are after looking to fine tune their combinations and systems ahead of a busy month ahead.

The U18s will meet their Manawatu counterparts again in three weeks after matches coming up against Hawke’s Bay in Napier and then Taranaki at Porirua Park.

After this weekend the Wellington U20s play Manawatu and Taranaki away in successive weekends and meet Hawke’s Bay at Porirua Park in the first weekend of October.

The Senior Wellington Maori team travels to Christchurch to take on Canterbury Maori. The game at the Linwood Rugby Club at 1.00 pm is for the Tirikatene Shield.

The Wellington Maori Development? XV returns home from two tough encounters at Masterton and Waikanae to host the Wanganui B side at Fraser Park at 2.00 pm. This is the last round-robin match ahead of the RDO Cup finals day in Levin next weekend.

The Wellington Development XV has the weekend off, after originally being down to play Tasman Development and then the Wellington Samoans in a rematch of their clash a few weeks ago. But injuries to some key players in the Samoans side has put that match off.

The Wellington U16As and the Combined Schools play a non-competition fixture at Ngatitoa Domain at 12.00 pm. The Wellington U16s and the Wellington U16 Development sides travel to Ruatoria at the end of this month to compete in the Hurricanes region U16 tournament.

In another match involving several Wellington club players, Wairarapa-Bush and Horowhenua-Kapiti square off at Memorial Park in Masterton in round 4 of the Heartland Championship. This ‘local derby’ clash is a key encounter for both sides as they chase spots in the upcoming Meads and Lochore Cups.?

Home side Wairarapa Bush, who won their first two games, are coming off a 23-29 defeat to competition pacesetters Mid Canterbury, while Horowhenua Kapiti grabbed their first win last weekend when they overcame King Country 16-15.

Current or former Wellington players likely to be involved include Glen Walters, Nathan Iro, Finnbarr Kerr-Newell, Jonathan Fuimaono, Titapu Pairama-Lewingon and coach Paddy Gough (Wairarapa Bush) and Junior Togia, Alfred Pelenise, Rob Millar, Luke Harvey, Jim Morgan, Luka Gibb and coach Steven So’oialo (Horowhenua Kapiti).

Teamlists:

Wellington Pride

Visit the Heartland Championship and Women's NPC Draws & Results and Points Tables across the top of this page for the Wellington Pride team. Teamlists up later today.

Wellington U20s

1. Donald Brighhouse
2. James O’Reilly
3. Eti Sului
4. Zac Power
5. Taamilo Va’a
6. Cameron Ross
7. Gabe Papuni
8. Dylan Hayes
9. Luke Campbell
10. Aviata Silago
11. Siaosi Finau
12. Tyler Tane
13. Aukuso Tuitavia
14. Tuga Mativa
15. Andrew Wells
RESERVES
?16. Zek Sopoaga
17. Adam Stewart
18. Saio Salevao
19. Nick Harrison
20. Issac Marriner
21. Jackson Garden-Bachop
22. Ken Kapeli

Wellington Maori (from):

Kenny Anderson, Ryan Nepia, Joe Hopkins, Richard Wasley, Doug Jones, Arapeta Nikora, Andrew Burne, Ainsley Mei, TJ Fermanis, Tane Parata, Mykel Herewini, Rakai Maxwell, Campbell Woodmass, Eamon Tawhiwhirangi, Taylor Henry, Deina Morete, Eden Monu, Jason Love, Daley Harper, Randall Bishop, Mike Williams, Te Kaha Paku, Manassah Winera