Hutt Hoping To Kick On In Marist Derby

It's been a bright start to the 2006 Swindale Shield for Hutt Old Boys Marist. The Eagles are the early joint leaders with Northern United, having played and beaten three of the top four Jubilee Cup teams from last year. After beating Poneke 28-18 and then Upper Hutt 32-29, they took the scalp of Cup champions Petone 24-13 in round three.

This week HOBM play perennial contenders Marist St. Pats for the Father Cleary Shield at the Hutt Recreation Ground in what shapes for them as another clash of the titans. If they can beat MSP, with less favoured opposition to play in the weeks ahead, their fans will feel they can kick on and achieve something special this season. Two years ago HOBM started the first round with a six-game winning streak, before fading in the Jubilee Cup. But with the nucleus of the same team in their ranks they shape as real title contenders.

Looming large in any such path to success is Norths, and with a home date at Porirua Park against Oriental-Rongotai, pundits will be picking another bonus point win for them in round four. With 15 tries in their previous two outings against Johnsonville and Western Suburbs, Norths are on fire, but Ories have proved competitive so far, with a win and two close losses.

This week's Club Weekly feature game will see Poneke play Johnsonville at Helston Park. The ultra-consistent Poneke have beaten Johnsonville in each of their last four encounters, with wing Evan Belford having scored two hat tricks and a brace in three of those clashes. 1998 Swindale champions Johnsonville are in a rebuilding phase this season, with aspirations for an elusive top eight spot sure to be tested against regular top four side Poneke.

In other games, Wests have a chance to bounce back from last week's heavy defeat to Norths when they take on strugglers Old Boys-University at Ian Galloway Park, Petone play Tawa at Lyndhurst Park, while Avalon and Upper Hutt square off at Fraser Park in their local derby.

 

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