Johnsonville duo thriving in competitive Swindale Shield

Tomorrow marks the mid-point of the 2014 Wellington Premier club rugby season, which has been as competitive as ever this year. There have been no easybeats in this year's Swindale Shield.

Highlighting this is Johnsonville, who ended last season as a Senior 1 club but owing to the demotion of the Wests Roosters because the Roosters fielded an ineligible player, Johnsonville regained their Premier status. Far from rolling over against most sides, Johnsonville has proven themselves a tough customer to bank competition points against.

Two of the MSP Boys Who Followed Their Coach

Good mates Jack Taulapapa and Ha'amea Ahio (pictured above) are two of the spearheads of Johnsonville's revival in 2014.

Both were previously at Marist St Pat's where they were coached by Mason Lawrence but jumped aboard the Lawrence train -- along with a number of others -- when the coach decided to move 'home' to Johnsonville last year in an attempt to revive the club's fortunes after they had struggled since winning the Swindale Shield in 1998.

And, like their coach, both have thrived in their new surroundings as Johnsonville have punched well above their weight this season, downing heavyweights Oriental Rongotai 18 to 15 at their fortress the Polo Ground and only just being pipped by the likes of Tawa (13 - 11), Hutt Old Boys Marist (28 - 22), and Norths (15 - 10).

Ahio, a mobile prop, was selected for the Wellington Under-20 side last season and both he and Taulapapa were called into the recent Wellington Lions trial match, Suburbs v City, held at Porirua Park.

Taulapapa, a feisty, fleet-footed halfback, was born in Wellington in 1992 to a Samoan dad and Kiwi mum. He attended Kilbirnie School and Evans Bay Intermediate before going to St Pat's Town. He naturally played for MSP colts in his first year out of school under Lawrence then graduated to the MSP Senior 1sts with the same coach before the move to Johnsonville.

An apprentice plumber, Taulapapa has no particular rugby hero but says he does admire the play of All Black and Highlanders halfback Aaron Smith.

Ahio was born in Tonga and attended Tupou College before he moved to Wellington in 2009 when his father, Sateki, was appointed Tonga's deputy high commissioner to NZ.?

Newlands was the suburb the family settled in so it was Newlands College that Ha'amea attended but an ever-vigilant Lawrence spotted the youngster and soon had him fitted out in the colours of MSP, where he was a member of the 2010/2011 championship-winning Colts side.

Ahio is currently studying commerce at Victoria University and, when time permits, works for a moving company.

So why have Taulapapa, Ahio and others moved to Johnsonville with Lawrence?

''Because he really pushes you to the limit. He gets the very best out of you and that's why the guys look up to him,'' says Ahio.

Down the back end of the Swindale Shield campaign, Ahio and Taulapapa will be key to ensuring that the Hawks qualify for a second straight semi finals appearance in the Hardham Cup later on.

Tomorrow (Round 10): Johnsonville v Upper Hutt Rams, 2.15 pm at Maidstone Park.

Next Saturday (Round 11): Johnsonville v Petone, 3.00 pm at Helston Park.