Wins for Petone, Ories, HOBM and OBU in club rugby finals

Above:Petone celebrating their hard-fought 9-6 Senior 1 final victory over Poneke today.

There were wins for Petone, Oriental-RongotaI, Hutt Old Boys Marist and Old Boys University in today's Wellington club rugby finals.

Petone edged out Poneke 9-6 to win the Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup final at the Petone Recreation Ground.

Ories defeated Norths 32-24 to win the Victoria Tavern Trophy Women's final at Porirua Park.

HOBM defeated Old Boys University 32-15 to win the Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup final at the Hutt Recreation Ground.

The OBU Pink Ginners beat the Johnsonville Cripples 43-15 to take out the Reserve Grade Division 2 final.

In a representative match this afternoon in Masterton, the Wellington U19s defeated Wairarapa Bush 51-0, after leading 34-0 at halftime.

It took the Petone Senior 1 team 76 minutes to beat Poneke and win their final, first five-eighth JG Bradbrook stepping up to break a 6-6 deadlock and kick the match winning penalty to give them the win by three points.

In a try-less final, both sides traded penalties throughout, with Petone taking a 6-3 lead early in the second half and dominating both territory and possession throughout much of the second spell with their bigger forwards in the ascendancy and the southerly breeze behind them but unable to put Poneke away.

Petone were almost left rueing the four penalties in total that they missed, including two in the first half from virtually in front, as Poneke broke out from their own territory and went close to scoring a try with about 10 minutes remaining. Coming back for a penalty, their first five-eighth Mike Cody evened the score up at 6-6.

Petone raced back on to attack and Poneke looked to be holding them off again when talisman prop Luni Moananu was sin-binned for being off-side in a ruck and Poneke's Bradbrook called for the kicking tee.

On a soft Petone Rec surface, both sides had largely cancelled each other out throughout the entire first half, both showing a willingness to use width and counterattack.

Both sides struggled to get their lineout right and Petone had the edge in the scrums and using some of their ball running forwards to good effect such as lock Marcus Roil and flanker James Bowen and No.8 Jack Ross but Poneke's well-organised defence, led by their captain and openside flanker James McQintan, was again outstanding. Poneke also lost their left wing to a yellow card after an all-in brawl midway through the first spell.

Earlier in the day at Porirua, commitment up front and confidence on attack - combined with a couple of moments of weak defence by Norths - ?propelled Oriental-Rongotai to the second round Women's Victoria Tavern Trophy women's title.

After taking out the first round Fleurs Trophy earlier in the season, Ories swept to the second round competition win, in fine, sunny conditions in front of about 1,500 people. Ories won 32-24 in an eventful contest.

Ories effectively sealed victory with just under 15 minutes remaining when dangerous centre Amanda Rasch made a telling counterattacking break and hooked up with fullback Elizabeth Goulden and try scorer replacement right wing Helena Lawrence to score in the corner. Goulden added the conversion from the sideline to put Ories ahead 27-19 and their fans were celebrating.

Ories left wing Timena Tumaai made sure of victory when she caught Norths napping up the shortside from a scrum and sprinted away cross untouched.?

Norths hit back with a try to replacement left wing Marley Kelemete, but the sideline conversion was missed and at 24-32 behind with four minutes remaining it was too little too late and they were left rueing a performance beset by handling errors and mistakes.

Previously, Norths had got themselves back into the match with a try to captain and prop Moana Aiatu after a series of quick taps by their Player of the Day, halfback Agnes Dean.

Players to standout for Ories included lock Joanah Ngan-Woo, who scored two tries and almost scored a third, tough tackling blindside flanker Ngaire Linde and hard-running centre Amanda Rasch.

Ories led 17-12 at halftime, in a first half dominated by defensive lapses by both teams.

Ories co-coach Sai Tuamaai congratulated his side afterwards, saying the win was a real team effort.

"The team really played for each other today and all the hard work they have put in has really paid off," he said. "It was touch and go for a while but they showed commitment and big defence to pull through."

After an initial feeling out period, Ories rocked Norths with the first try in the opening minutes after ?in-form Ories centre Rasch made a promising run up the grandstand touchline. This led directly to the opening try of the final to lock Ngan-Woo and a 5-0 lead to the visitors.

Norths hit back with a stunning individual try to halfback Dean who ducked and weaved her way through a gaping hole in a ruck and skirted 25 metres to score under the posts. Fullback Jamie McIntosh added the extras, putting Norths ahead 7-5.

Ories created two try scoring opportunities in quick succession, first by Rasch who sent left wing Timena Tumaai over the line but was called back for a forward pass, and second when Norths' clearing kick went straight down the throat of right wing Mikayla Figola and she went within a whisker of running in a try.

Their second try when it came was another stunner, with Rasch again to the fore, pouncing on a Norths turnover and sprinting 55 metres to score, twice bumping off Norths fullback Jamie ?McIntosh in the process. Ories now led 10-7 after 24 minutes.

Once again, Norths hit right back. A big run up the shortside? by captain Moana Aiatu and a hand off to replacement right wing Marley Kelemete saw them score in the corner to put them back in front, 12-10.

Ories lock Ngan-Woo then strode through a tackle and galloped 20 metres for her second try and Ories' third. Fullback Goulden added the extras and Ories were now ahead 17-12.

Norths closed out the first half inside the Ories 22 and should have scored another try, but for stiff Ories defence. Replacement fullback Sammy McIntosh then missed a handy penalty with the last act of the first half, and Ories held their five-point lead.

Ories went desperately close to extending their lead eight minutes into the second half after a strong period of pick and drive up the middle of the field by their tight forwards and a snappy run and kick ahead into the corner by fullback Goulden. Left wing Tumaai appeared to have come up with the try but the match officials called play back for a dropout 22.

Ories continued to keep Norths pinned inside their own half a stolen Norths lineout leading to them spinning it wide once more and Rasch almost sending replacement wing Helena Lawrence away in the corner. Coming back for a penalty, Goulden made no mistake and extended Ories'lead to 20-12.

Needing a spark, Norths halfback Dean helped get into Norths territory for the first time in the second half. Dean took consecutive quick tap penalties and then Norths swung the ball wide to left wing Jessica Akavi who was bundled out in the opposite corner.

But Norths kept the heat on Ories and captain and loosehead prop Moana Aiatu drove over for a try. Sammy McIntosh added the conversion and it was now 20-19 to Ories with a quarter of the match to play.

Ories pulled clear again and held on to take out this year's Victoria Tavern Trophy.