Club Rugby 4 September

The 2010 Wellington club rugby season wrapped up on Saturday with the last of the finals being the Senior 3 Johnsonville Centennium Cup and the Reserve Grade Division 1 and 2 finals.

The Senior 3 Johnsonville Centennium Cup was won by the Johnsonville club, who beat Marist St. Pat's 23-21 in the final at Evans Bay Park.

Upper Hutt J8s beat the MSP internationals 18-5 to take out the Reserve Grade Division 1 final and in an all-student affair the OBU Yardies beat the OBU Therapists 18-5.

WRFU Representative Teams round-up 4 September

There were competition wins on Saturday for the Wellington Development and Wellington Maori teams on Saturday, while the Wellington U20 A, U20 Development and U18 sides all won their pre-season games.

There were three games played at Porirua Park, while a third, between the Wellington Pride and the Canterbury Women, was cancelled due to tremors of the earth.

On the number two field, the Wellington U20 Development team beat Horowhenua Kapiti U20 81-10 and the Wellington U20s overcame the Wellington Samoans 44-31.

On the main ground, the Wellington Development XV played well for their 32-10 win over their Taranaki counterparts in their first match in defence of the Hurricanes region Development title, also involving the Hawke's Bay and Manawatu second fifteens.

Elsewhere, the Wellington U18s overcame a HOBM Academy side 41-7, while the Wellington Maori made it two bonus point wins from two with a 35-29 win over Wairarapa-Bush B in their second round RDO Cup fixture in Masterton.  

In the main game at a sunny Porirua Park, the Wellington Development side scored five well-taken tries and also played extremely well defensively for long periods against Taranaki. Wellington restricted Taranaki to just one try and kept them scoreless throughout the second half.

Highlights for Wellington were a committed effort from the tight five, particularly through an increasingly dominant scrum, strong games in the loose by flankers Masefau Leuluniu and Galu Taufale and No. 8 Misipalauni Moananu (first half) and two great first half tries to home town hero James So'oialo.

Right wing So'oialo flashed in for two tries and converted the second himself to give Wellington a 12-0 lead inside the opening quarter, after skipper Taufale had won the toss and elected to play into the northerly breeze in the first half.

So'oialo finished off an early period of good continuity inside Taranaki's territory to score his first try, following an initial intercept and bust up the middle by livewire hooker Aiden Cains.

A break up the grandstand touchline 10 minutes later by Leuluniu and swift recycling at the breakdown had Taranaki stretched. Wellington took a quick tap from a penalty in front of the posts and swung the ball across to the unmarked So'oialo who collected his brace.

Taranaki, featuring several former and current ITM Cup players, fought back and first five-eighth Cody Rei put them on the board in the 29^th minute with his third penalty attempt. Lock Leon Power then galloped clear from close range to score a try for Taranaki. Rei's conversion closed Wellington's lead to 12-10 with halftime approaching.

However Wellington hit back right on halftime with a decisive try to evergreen No. 8 Moananu off a lineout drive, after a strong run up into Taranaki's turf by fullback Tau Mamea and an ensuing penalty inside the 22. Opting for the lineout, lock Shahn Eru won the ball and the forwards drove on hooker Cains and then Moananu in the corner. So'oialo couldn't quite swing the conversion around but Wellington went to the sheds holding a 17-10 halftime lead.

With the breeze at their backs in the second spell, first five-eighth David Palu played for territory and Wellington probed for more points through a long-range So'oialo penalty attempt and Palu dropped goal attempt. So'oialo made it third time lucky with a penalty in front to extend the lead to 20-10.

Then in the 52^nd minute Leuluniu ran on to a lovely short pass by halfback Jared Kahu and pushed through to score Wellington's fourth and bonus point try, extending the advantage to 27-10.

The visiting team spent the next 25 minutes searching for opportunities as Wellington dug deep on defence and held them out. Wellington's scrum then provided for their last try and the clincher, forcing a turnover near halfway and a try to replacement hooker Caleb Mawson. Centre Brett Pigott lined up the final kick of the match but couldn't convert and the final score remained at 32-10.

Left wing Leka Tupuola provided more excitement right at the end with a sizzling run up the touchline, before being tipped into touch on fulltime.

Wellington's next two games in the Hurricanes region Development competition are at home at Porirua Park, starting with Hawke's Bay this coming Saturday afternoon and Manawatu the following week.

At Memorial Park in Masterton, the Wellington Maori came from behind to grab a bonus point 35-29 win over Wairarapa-Bush B in their RDO Cup fixture, also involving the B sides from the Wanganui, Poverty Bay, King Country and Horowhenua-Kapiti Heartland Championship provinces.

Playing into a freshening wind in the first half, the Maori conceded an 8-19 deficit at the halftime turnaround and were guilty of trying to play too much rugby and conceding penalties at the wrong end of the park.

After the break, they played with more patience and added another three tries to the one they scored earlier and hit the lead inside the last 10 minutes.

In a tense finish, the Maori defended their line gallantly as the Wairarapa-Bush side pressed hard for a converted try to win the match. The match ended with the home team's winger being tackled into touch searching for the winning try.

The win over Wairarapa-Bush B follows on from their good first up 25-19 bonus point victory against Wanganui B last week. Wanganui are the Heartland Champions from last year and a number of the players they faced played in the pre-season Ranfurly Shield challenge against Southland.  

Jason Love, Apanui Heemi, Dane Robertson and Max Pearson all scored tries against Wanganui and Perry Hayman kicked a conversion and Daley Harper a penalty. In difficult conditions following heavy rain, the forwards played well their set piece and driving play and several further opportunities were also missed.

The Maori have intermingled a number of younger players from the Colts grade and College 1st XVs into the squad so there is very much a developmental aspect to the side this year.

The RDO Cup takes the form of a five-week round-robin series to decide the winner, with the Maori playing away matches against Poverty Bay, King Country and Horowhenua-Kapiti over the next three weeks.

WRFU representative team results 4 September

At Porirua Park:

Wellington Development XV 32 (James So'oialo 2, Misipalauni Moananu, Masefau Leuluniu, Caleb Mawson tries; So'oialo pen, 2 con) beat Taranaki Development XV 10 (Leon Power try; Cody Rei pen, con). HT: 17-10.

Wellington U20 Development 81 beat Horowhenua Kapiti U20 10 

Wellington U20A 44 beat Wellington Samoans 31

Also:

Wellington U18 41 beat HOBM Academy 7

At Masterton: Wellington Maori 35 (Eammon Tawhirangi, Joe Hopkins, Rawhiti Smallman, Perry Hayman tries; Hayman 3 pen, 3 con) beat Wairarapa-Bush B. HT: 8-19.

Old Boys-University are the 2010 Senior 1 Ed Chaney champions after beating top qualifier Oriental-Rongotai 15-13 in the final at the Polo Grounds on Saturday. The final result followed up OBU's one-point win over Ories when they met in the round-robin, whch was Ories' only previous loss of the Ed Chaney Cup.

OBU's Senior 1 win made it one win from two for the club in Saturday's finals, after their third fifteen went down 22-10 to Marist St. Pat's at Evans Bay Park in the final of the Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial Trophy.

In a third club rugby final on 28 August, Northern United were too strong for Petone in winning 19-9 in the season finale of the U21 Division 1 competition. The win for Norths reflects a memorable 2010 season for the Porirua based club at all levels after their Premiers completed the Swindale Shield-Jubilee Cup double a fortnight ago with victory over Poneke at Westpac Stadium.

Meanwhile, the 2010 representative season gets underway in earnest for the Wellington Bs this coming Saturday at Porirua Park, who host their Taranaki counterparts in the first round of their defence of the Hurricanes region Development competition.

Also at Porirua Park, the Wellington Pride Women's team hosts the Canterbury Ewes in the third match of their four-game non-competition representative programme. The Pride have already met Hawke's Bay Women and Manawatu Women and play the Auckland Storm in Taupo the following weekend.

The Wellington U20s warm up for their Hurricanes region U20 competition which gets underway the following weekend with a hit out against the Wellington Samoans at an undisclosed location, while the Wellington Maori travel across the hill to magnificent Masterton to play Wairarapa-Bush B.

HOBM's U19 side beat riverside rivals Petone 32-8 in the U19 Eric Connolly Cup final, while the MSP Blues team accounted for its intense rivals the Poneke Dogs of War 17-13 in the U85kg Paul Potiki Memorial Shield final, to take out the lightweight double for 2010 after winning the first round JC Bowl.

In other grades, there were semi-finals in the Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup, Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial Trophy and U21 John E Kelly Memorial Division one grades, with Old Boys-University sides set to contest two of the three finals this coming Saturday.

Top qualifier Ories will meet OBU in the senior 1 final, MSP and OBU will contest the Senior 2 final and Norths and Petone will meet for the U21 Division One spoils.

Results:

U19 Division 1 Eric Connolly Cup - Final
Hutt Old Boys Marist 32 - Petone 8

Paul Potiki Memorial Shield - U85kg Div 1 Final
MSP Blues 17 - Poneke Dogs of War 13

Ed Chaney Cup - Senior 1 - Semis-finals
Oriental-Rongotai 45 - Tawa 3
Old Boys University 19- Poneke 14

HD Morgan Memorial - Senior 2 - Semi-finals
Hutt Old Boys Marist 13 - Old Boys University 19
Upper Hutt 22 - Marist St Pats 23

John E Kelly Memorial -U21 Div 1 Semi-finals
Northern United 41 - Old Boys University 27
Petone 17 - Marist St Pats 14

St. Pat's Stream, are champions for the first time since 2000 after being runners-up in 2002, 2004 and 2009.

The are the 2010 champions after qualifying fourth for the semi-finals and toppling 2003-2009 champions Wellington College 12-10 in their semi-final. The win is good reward for Stream, who won just one of their six traditional games during the season. This included a 22-14 loss to Wellington College in game featured on the Rugby Channel one win in interschool matches was just the
4th time since 1980 they failed to win more than a single traditional in a season.

St Pat's Town beat Stream in their two previous games this season, 33-21 (Special match celebrating 125 years of St Pat's Wellington) and 19-3 (Traditional match).

Popoalii scored two of Norths' first three tries that saw them race to a match winning 19-0 lead early in the second spell, ahead of an exhaustive Norths defensive effort for much of the rest of the final which restricted Poneke to just one try.

After scoring the game's first try in the 10th minute, Popoaii added his second early in the second half, ahead of a Poneke try to captain and No. 8 Misipalauni Moananu and comeback over the next 20 minutes.

But Poneke, the only side to have beaten Norths all year when they won 17-15 eight weeks ago, couldn't convert pressure into points as Norths held them off.

Their challenge effectively ended 10 minutes from fulltime through one of many Norths breakdown turnovers deep inside their own territory and a relieving touchfinder back up towards halfway.

As Norths have done all season, they closed the match out in style. Standout blindside flanker Parekura Lalaga ran on to a stab kick into Poneke's in-goal, fittingly by Popoalii, and scored their fourth try to seal the 24-5 win.

As well as Popoalii, lock Eldon Paea, loose forwards Lalaga and Dean Brunsdon and replacement hooker Aiden Cains were all big contributors for the winning side. Norths halfback TJ Perenara was awarded the Jim Brown Medal as the Player of the Final.

For Poneke, No. 8 Moananu, his brother and prop Misiluni Moananu, lock Presley Tufaga and flanker Ally Paine headed a valiant effort, while hooker Dane Coles continually threw his body at Norths' line in the frantic period midway through the second half in which Poneke were awarded a succession of penalties in front of the tryline.

In an open paced final, Poneke's backs were always positive, but despite the best efforts of halfback Ruki Tipuna and first five-eighth Jeremy Te Huia they lacked penetration and a game breaker in the midfield.

The Jubilee Cup win for Norths is their fourth since their first in 2004, and follows victories every second year since in 2006 and 2008 (shared with MSP) and now 2010. It is their ninth Wellington championship title since their breakthrough Swindale Shield win in 2003.

Norths emulated their own 2006 side and MSP's in 2008 in capturing the Swindale Shield - Jubilee Cup double in the same season and ended 2010 with an 17-win, one -loss and two-drawn record. Popoalii ended the year with a season record 23 tries and So'oialo finished with 281 points.

For Poneke, the Jubilee Cup heartbreak continues, having last won the Jubilee Cup in 2003 when they beat MSP 22-18 in the final. This was their sixth final in the past 11 years and their third final defeat to Norths after losses in 2004 (18-20) and 2006 (12-25). For the second year in succession, they were top qualifiers in the round- robin and went through the previous eight weeks leading up to the final unbeaten.

A vocal contingent of supporters from both sides lined the eastern side of the ground on a cloudy but dry afternoon as the final got off to a fast and furious start.

With the southerly behind them, Poneke had the better of the opening exchanges but second five-eighth Sam Rasch failed to turn successive penalty opportunities from 25 metres and 41 metres out into points.

Instead it was Norths who took full toll of their early opportunities, with their forwards bursting into the attacking zone and setting up a ruck in prime position inside the 22. The ball was spun to Popoalii who put the afterburners on and skipped through the twin tackles of Poneke lock Tufaga and left winger Ambrose Plaister for the opening try. Dead-eye kicker James So'oialo nailed the conversion and Norths led 7-0 after 10 minutes.

Norths were unlucky not to cross again after more pressure and continuity of passing between backs and forwards and centre Alaptati Leuia went dangerously close to finishing off the movement.

Poneke regrouped and they answered in kind when left winger Plaister scorched through a midfield hole and Coles put in a kick and chase that forced a 5-metre scrum. No. 8 Moananu and halfback Tipuna ran from the base and the tight-five drove at the line. But in a taste of the second half, Norths' pack held them out and won a relieving penalty.

With half an hour gone, Norths still led 7-0, before No. 8 Brunsdon put in a powerful surge up over halfway off the back of a scrum that created impetus for their second try that followed.

First five-eighth David Palu stabbed a kick into the corner, leading to a Poneke error at the lineout and an attacking throw to Norths. Norths ripped play through their backs and left wing AJ Va'aleepu would have scored a try if not for a Poneke hand tipping the final pass forward.

Now with another scrum put-in, Norths spread play the other way to right winger So'oilao, who busted through weak Poneke defence to score their second try in the right hand corner. He wasn't able to convert his own try, but Norths now had a 12-0 ahead with several minutes until halftime.

So'oialo missed an ambitious penalty from 49-metres out in the only other chance for either side before the break.

Now playing into the wind, Poneke knew they had to score first to stay in touch, but instead it was Norths who landed a decisive blow in the 44th minute and it was that man Popoalii who struck it. Again, Brunsdon provided the initial thrust from a strong run from a ruck 40 metres out. Norths quickly recycled and halfback Perenara launched a lovely pass out to Popoalii who motored through a hole and exchanged passes with Leuia before scoring the try himself. Points scoring machine So'oilao kicked the extras and at 19-0 behind, Poneke had a lot of work to do.

But guts and adversity are bywords of Poneke, and they hit back almost from the re-start when they rumbled the ball up into the 22 and skipper Moananu scored in the corner. Rasch couldn't add the extras from the sideline and the score remained 19-5 with over half an hour to play.

The red and blacks threw everything at Norths over the next 20 minutes but time and again Norths' forwards muscled up, their midfield made their tackles and turnovers were won. Rasch missed his third penalty from 40 metres out in the 55th minute, but Poneke's best chance came in an ensuing five minute period when they were awarded a succession of penalties in front of the line but were out muscled up front.

Against the run of play in the 60th minute, Norths almost wrapped it up there and then when Lalaga stripped the ball from a Poneke player and hacked ahead for replacement winger Nene Va'aleepu who regathered and was away - only to be called back for offside play.

It didn't matter though, as Lalaga galloped in towards the end after more hard work had been done to seal the win to complete a remarkable season for Norths, who in 20 matches scored 123 tries and 819 points.