HOBM and OBU teams primed for Colts Final on Sunday

Expect home team Hutt Old Boys Marist to throw everything at Old Boys University in their Wellington club rugby U21 Colts Division 1 John E Kelly Memorial season finale in the first of three finals at the Hutt Recreation Ground on Sunday, kick-off 10.30 am.

Second placed qualifier HOBM, who defeated Norths 29-13 in their semi-final there last Saturday, now turn to face top qualifiers OBU who trounced Petone 56-5 in their top four playoff at the Basin Reserve.

OBU have accounted for every team they have across since the latter stages of 2012. They go into this final having won their last 35 straight games in this grade and are thus favourites to add the 2014 John E Kelly Memorial Cup to their collection. This is a replay of last year's final, won 28-12 by OBU, who also went on to defend the first round Paris Memorial Trophy earlier this season.

This OBU side is probably the hottest ticket in Wellington club rugby at present. In the first round they piled on 254 points and conceded just 41. In the second round they scored 303 points and let in a mere 76. It's a team effort too, backs and forwards combining to score their 91 tries in 15 games so far. Sam Chamberlain (11 tries), Elijah Williams-Stewart and Jack Green (both 10) are their leading try scorers. Fullback Chamberlain, who played in last year's winning side, is also OBU's go-to goal-kicker and he has scored 168 points in total.

The OBU Green team is made up of a mix of former Wellington College First XV players guys (five) and a student contingent from around the country. There are a couple each from Napier and Tauranga, Taranaki, the Kapiti Coast, plus half a dozen from Auckland and a group from the South Island.

The team is captained by prop Morgan Poi from the Hawke's Bay, who said that the team's excited about Sunday's final.

"We were pumped up to play our semi-final, so I can only imagine what the boys will be feeling ahead of the big one this coming weekend," said Poi.

"Entering the 2014 season was always going to be an exciting time as we wanted to back up our form from the previous year. Given the turnouts we had at pre-season trainings, the depth at our club is enormous and we wouldn't have found ourselves in this position if it wasn't for our other two colts teams. Obviously the winning streak is also on our minds, but our main focus is on just taking the next step in order to reach our goals."

"Poi said that OBU team is built on character and tenacity. "There is nothing better than seeing your brothers beat themselves up for you. Anybody from 1-22 can be a key player on their day, but it is hard to look past our workaholic locks Jared "the Pole" Martinovich and Elijah Williams-Stewart. Also our backline general Matt "Unit" Fowler will have a big influence, along with the three-year veteran Sam Chamberlain at the back. You can expect to see the typical OBU brand of footy come Sunday."

He said that HOBM won't be a pushover. "HOBM will have a big pack so it's going to take a gutsy effort from our forwards. We just have to be accurate in what we do and make the most of opportunities that present themselves. If you look for weaknesses in teams you often forget about your core roles, so we just focus on ourselves and believe in our structures and one another."

HOBM have timed their run to Sunday's final nicely, after a slow start to the season that saw them win two of seven games. Although losses to Petone (21-17), Ories (20-18) and Norths (23-17) were all close. They met this OBU team two weeks in a row, losing to them 0-39 in the last match of the first round and then 12-62 on the opening Saturday of the second round. But since then, HOBM have won seven straight, putting on 210 points and conceding 51.

HOBM's co-coach Dan Vulu explained this week that the back-to-back defeats to OBU in the middle of the season were a turning point.

"These losses to OBU were a wake-up call for the team," said Vulu. "Particularly after the second game when OBU had smashed us. ?We locked the boys in the clubrooms on Tuesday night and left them to be 'honest' with each other. ?We trained well during that week and scored six tries against OBU Black on the Saturday [winning 36-3]. ?It was a remarkable turnaround. They could have given up but they decided to commit and work even harder to improve."

"Backs coach James Time, manager Grant Yarrall and I are really proud of them. The team is not as naturally talented as last year's Colts team but they are tougher for having gone through those dark times. ?They deserve to be in the final because they didn't give up on each other or their season. ?And there's a lesson in that for them as young men beyond rugby."

"We know OBU are a class act. They have been way ahead of everyone all season. They are blessed with players from strong rugby colleges around the country who come to Wellington to study. They do a great job of bringing those backgrounds together as a team. We are looking forward to seeing on Sunday, how far we have come."

There are eight returning Colts from last year's HOBM Green squad. Six played in last year's final. The other two, John Samuel and Naki Lemisio, missed last year's final through injury. ?

HOBM captain and lock David Filipo, one of eleven St Bernard's College old boys in the squad, said his team is looking forward to playing in the final again, and to appear alongside their Premier side. "Our team is excited to be playing in the final again. It makes it even more special and exciting that our Premier side is in the Jubilee Cup final - it's an honour to be part of a very special week for our team and for our club."

Filipo said they will look to play positive rugby. "We like to use the ball but know we have to get our set-piece right first," he said.

"We don't really have standout stars. We are a team full of players who would go the extra mile for each other and who aren't afraid to do the hard yards or the dirty work."

"Our fullback Site Timu played really well in our semi-final and it's been great to see him back playing again after injury.? We also have Francis Tanuvasa in the midfield who has been part of the Premier squad. In the forwards, Tasi Fidow has had a taste of Premier rugby this year."

Filipo said it's going to take a special effort to defeat OBU. "We respect OBU Green; they have been the benchmark these past few seasons. They taught us lessons in how to play rugby in our regular season games.? They are unbeaten in two years and we know it's going to take 80 minutes of our best effort to beat them. They're a very disciplined team who adapt well to what is put in front of them. They are strong across the park and have a quality kicker if we don't have good discipline."

About the John E Kelly Memorial Cup:

The John E Kelly Memorial Cup was donated to the WRFU by the Wellington Football Club for play in the Under 21 Division 1 Competition in 1985. The trophy is in memory of Wellington's late Club Captain, John E Kelly. John played and administrated rugby with the Wellington Club for many years and had the privilege of playing alongside his young son.

Match details:

What: Colts Division 1 John E Kelly Memorial Cup final

Where: Hutt Recreation Ground No. 1

When: Sunday 3 August, kick-off 10.30 am

?

Team details (teams subject to change):

?

Hutt Old Boys Marist Green: ?

1 Paasi Fine (St Bernard's College)

2 Tasi Fidow (St Patrick's Town)

3 Saio Salevao (St Patrick's Silverstream)

4 David Filipo (St Bernard's College)

5 Corey Workman (Upper Hutt College)

6 John Samuel (St Bernard's College)

7 Chadley Briant (St Bernard's College)

8 Brett Manaia (St Bernard's College)

9 Mitchell Fage (St Patrick's Silverstream)

10 Keni Alesana (St Bernard's College)

11 Pat Taafua (Taita College)

12 Jack Talapa (St Patrick's Silverstream)

13 Francis Tanuvasa (Hutt Valley High School)

14 Sunia Kamakorewa (St Bernard's College)

15 Site Timu (Taita College)

16 Devan Savelio (Sunnybank Brisbane)

17 Jermaine Moafanua (St Bernard's College)

18 Michael Filipo (St Pat's Silverstream)

19 Anthony Van Ooyen (St Bernards College)

20 Kainaki Lemisio (St Bernard's College)

21 Ryan Perez (St Bernard's College)

22 Wiremu Taui (Rotorua Boys' High School)

Plus: Sione Alofi, James Moore, Fereti Soloa, Lemi Moemai. Alex Leuteu, Charles Vailalo and Atini Mulitalo have been involved in this team but won't be playing in the Colts final.

Coaches: James Time, Dan Vulu & Ian Tulloch

Manager: Grant Yarrall, with assistance from Poni Lealofi

?

Old Boys University Green:

1. Matt McKone (St Peter's College, Gore)

2. Te Wharerangi Kea (Wellington College)

3. Morgan Poi (Napier Boys' High School)

4. Elijah Williams-Stewart (Wellington College)

5. Jared Martinovich (Sared Heart College)

6. James Prescott (Wellington College)

7. Liam Doherty (Francis Douglas Memorial College)

8. Dom Trewavas (Nelson College)

9. Matt Fowler (Paraparaumu College)

10. Ben Hyatt-Brown (Rosmini College)

11. Jack Greene (Wellington College)

12. Simon Malu (Tauranga Boys' High School)

13. Jahi Wickstead (New Plymouth Boys' High School)

14. Otene Williams (Wellington College)

15. Sam Chamberlain (Christ's College)

16. Mitch Holden (Wakatipu High School)

17. Roan Doig (Tauranga Boys' High School)

18. Harry Chamberlain (Christ's College)

19. Connor Sylverster (Tauranga Boys' High School)

20. Luke Tau'alupe (Wellington College)

21. Daniel Ellison (St Pat's Silverstream/Kapiti College)

22. George Boyhan (Sacred Heart College)

Plus Doug Bradley (St Peter's Cambridge), Lepau Feau (Sacred Heart College), Timothee Howarth (France), Thomas Clarke Puia (New Plymouth Boys' High School), Daven Candy (Westlake Boys' High School) and Kieran Burns (King's College) have been involved in this team but won't be playing in the Colts final.

Coaches: James Bailey, Christopher McLean & Michael Barnes

Manager: Ben Potaka

??