Mouth Watering Prospect As Top Guns Go Head To Head

Round 3 Preview The big clash of this weekend?s round three Swindale Shield will undoubtedly be the Northern United ? Marist St. Pats encounter at Rugby League Park. On the evidence of the first two rounds both these teams will be serious contenders at the business end of the season, and this promises to be a fervent encounter.

Norths and MSP are the early joint leaders, both having secured the maximum 10 competition points from their first two games, and winning their opening two games in style.

Defending Jubilee Cup champions Norths have quickly dispelled any thoughts that they might have been weaker this season with the loss of three of their leading players from 2004 by breezing past Hutt Old Boys Marist in round one, before tearing apart Old Boys-University at home at Porirua Park last week. Norths will be up against a much tougher adversary in MSP, who have impressed so far by convincingly beating Poneke and Ories.

MSP first five-eighth Fa?atonu Fili has been in sublime early season form, running rampant and scoring 30 of MSP?s 75 points from their first two games. Fili?s battle with Rob Aloe, who has been equally devastating as Norths? pivot, could be crucial. If either Fili or Aloe are accorded the space to run as they have been, then this game could open up with dire consequences for the opposing team.

In the round?s other matches, interest will centre on the fortunes of Petone, who will be desperate to beat Oriental-Rongotai at home and get their season underway, and on Upper Hutt, who clash with Poneke at Maidstone Park. Upper Hutt?s forwards were impressive in their opening wins over Petone and Western Suburbs, but will face a sterner test against the Poneke pack.

Elsewhere, the local derby between Avalon and HOBM at the Hutt Recreation Ground is sure to be fiercely contested. HOBM?s pack will be battle hardened after its duels with Norths and Johnsonville and this could be a decisive factor in the game. OBU?s early season form suggests that Johnsonville will have its third win on the trot in their game at Nairnville Park, while Tawa will have plenty to deal with in hosting Wests at Lyndhurst Park.