Rob Law Max Recruitment: Proud to be supporting club rugby in Wellington in 2014

A mix of familiar and new faces in 2015 squads

Swindale Shield Premier | 16 March 2015 | Steven White

UPDATED: A mix of familiar and new players will step out on to Trentham Memorial Park this coming Saturday for Wellington club rugby’s Gala Day opening set of Swindale Shield matches.

All seven week one Premier matches are being played at Trentham, as well as all games of the opening round of the new-look Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield.

Some clubs could be running several players out on debut, while others could have a decidedly international flavour to them, with some French and Dutch players amongst the 2015 intake. These players could add an interesting dimension to the competiton, at least for the first part of the season.

Marist St Pat’s have listed three Frenchman, two Englishman and a Canadian amongst their off-season signings, Norths a Scot, OBU a Dutch duo and Petone and Poneke a Japanese player each from Ricoh and Sannix respectively. Other overseas players from the USA, Australia, Ireland and elsewhere could be playing Premier rugby in Wellington this season.

Some other gains include 2007 Jubilee Cup winner Leo Auva’a returning to Hutt Old Boys Marist after an extensive professional career in Europe, Thomas Fleming returning to Old Boys University from a stint in Andorra, former MSP player Ben Tuiatua??joining Ories from Romania, Matt Luamanu returning to the Upper Hutt Rams from Italy and ?Penjamini Nabainivalu joining the Axemen from 2014 Heartland Champions runners-up Buller. ???????????????????

Some notable losses include HOBM trio Steven Bradshaw (retirement), Glen Walters (overseas) and Parataiso Silafai-Leaana (overseas), long-serving Ories and latterly Petone prop Donal McNamara (retirement - now coaching at Ories), Poneke props Judd Baker and Soti Fa’amausili (both retirement), Poneke back Sosi Tuimavave (Southland), Upper Hutt Rams Hooker Anaru Rangi (Perth), Upper Hutt Rams flanker Taniela Moa (Waratahs Academy), Wainuiomata prop Justin Va’a (retirement) and Wainuiomata No. 8 and 2014 Best and Fairest winner Ben Tupuloa (injured).

A group of last year’s First XV players from local colleges are likely to be injected straight into the fray for several clubs, although Wellington contracted players Malo Tuitama and TJ Va’a (both out of Scots College) and last year’s New Zealand Secondary Schools lock Lui Lumanu (St Patrick’s Silverstream) are all out injured for part or much of the season. Club Rugby will publish a separate article later this week looking at some of the school leavers who may have an impact this season.

There have also been a number of coaching changes, covered previously?here

As always, final squads won’t be finalised until later in the week. Club Rugby is grateful for receiving these unconfirmed lists of players below.If there are changes here please leave a comment or email editor@clubrugby.co.nz Swindale Shield starting line-ups?will be published on Friday mornings throughout the season, starting this week.

Gain and Losses 2015 (in alphabetical order by club):

Avalon

Gains
Maile Koloto (Sacred Heart College), Ale Peni (Naenae College), Jordan King (St Patrick’s Silverstream), Danny Yandall (Kelston Boys), Mane T Sulu (returning player), Ngarama Haerewa (returning player)

Losses
John Davidson (Australia), Tiwi Davies (Johnsonville), Pena Sione-Leota (Johnsonville)

Hurricanes and allocated players
Callum Gibbins

Hutt Old Boys Marist

Gains??????????????????????????????????????????????????
Lui Luamanu (St Patrick’s Silverstream), Joe Apikotoa (St Patrick’s Silverstream), Gerard Faitotoa (Australia, formerly Bishop Viard College), Leo Auva’a (professional rugby in Ireland and Italy),?James Kusel (missed 2014 through a serious knee injury), Alexis Time (missed most of 2014 through a serious neck injury), Jared Woodward?(Upper Hutt Rams), Sala Soloa (Upper Hutt Rams, returning player)
?
Losses???????????????????????????????????? ??????????
Steven Bradshaw (retirement), Glen Walters (overseas), Parataiso Silafai-Leaana (overseas), Wayne Aquilla (overseas), Evan Gwilliam (overseas), Dylan Hayes (France), Jeff Sione (Ories)
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Hurricanes and allocated players?
Jeremy Thrush, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Ben May

Johnsonville

Gains
Tiwi Davies (Avalon), Pena Sione-Leota (Avalon), Matt Mullany (OBU), Vili Dakunimata (Tawa), Alfred Pelenise (Tawa), Chance Doyle (USA), Mohi Aupori (Rugby League), Anthony Pettett (Newlands College), Declan Hay (Marist St Pat’s), Tevita Falekakala (Wellington)

Losses
Campbell Tait (England), Brian Wolley (retired), Chanderpaul Aporo (Australia), Thomas Donaldson (Australia), Andrew Newson (Australia), Josh McIntyre (injured), Keeks Prisk (retired), Filipe Alesio (Marist St Pat’s), Dallas Broderson (Poneke), Daniel Meehan (boxing)

Coaching staff gains (not previously covered)
Hiko Davies (RDO – Avalon), Logan Tauiliili (Tawa), Roy Kinikinilau (Japan)

Hurricanes and allocated players
Chris Eves

Marist St Pat’s

Gains??????????????????
Wade Sloan (Counties-Manukau), Teaki Kennett?(Counties-Manukau), Arden David?(didn’t play 2014)m?Sione Halafihi (Oriental-Rongotai),Jeff Sione?(HOBM), Sam Lane?(England), Emmanuel Quintaine?(France), Clement Dupouy?(France), Joe Walding-Karaitiana?(Hawke’s Bay), Dustin Klyne?(Canada), Craig Wilson?(England), Julian Tupai?(injury), Asa Sanerivi (Didn’t play 2014)
Antoine Destombs (France), Filipe Alesio (Johnsonville)

Losses
Cardiff Vaega?(Counties-Manukau), Henry Faifili?(Retired), Adam Blake (Scotland), Pago Haini?(Injured), ?Declan Hay (Johnsonville)

Hurricanes and allocated players
Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Rey Lee-Lo, Victor Vito

Northern United

Gains
Dean Brundson (Wellington – returning to Norths), William Brunsdon (Wellington – returning to Norths), Siaosi Mafi (Tawa – returning to Norths), Inoke Rasabale (Australia and the Wests Roosters – returning to Norths), Eric Sione (injury), Jermoe Va’ai (Nelson – Returning to Norths), Patrick Fenika (Scots College), Marcus Black (Scotland)

Losses
Genki Hasegawa (Japan), Telea Seumanutafa (Tawa), Francis Seumanutafa (Tawa), Aukuso Tuitama (Ories), Fono Salu (Tawa)

Hurricanes and allocated players
TJ Perenara, Leni Apisai, Otere Black

Old Boys-University

Gains
Hanipale Galo (Otago – returning to OBU), Huey Van Vliet (Netherlands), Alex Barendregt (Netherlands), Daniel Thompson (UK), Thomas Fleming (Andorra – returning player)

Losses
Con Williams (retired), Greg Mullany (Poneke), Matt Mullany (Johnsonville)
Ross Kennedy (Canterbury), Luke Harvery (Horowhenua-Kapiti), Tomasi Palu (UK), Luke Taualupe (Ories)

Hurricanes and allocated players
Conrad Smith, Chris Smylie, Adam Hill, Hugh Renton (injured)

Oriental-Rongotai

Gains
Malo Tuitama (Scots College – injured until late in the season), Sean Hay (England – returning to Ories), Aukuso Tuitama (Norths), Karl Dumelow (OBU), Saimon Lomaloma (rugby league), James Tuiatua (rugby league), Jarrod Henry (Australia – returning to Ories),?Luke Taualupe (OBU), Andre Pakau (England – returning to Ories), Issac Hall (USA), Ben Tuiatua (Romania)

Losses
Ben Komiti (retirement), Meto Mata’afa (England), Paulo Aukuso (France), Sione Halafihi (Marist St Pat’s)

Hurricanes and allocated players
Motu Mat’u, Julian Savea, Ardie Savea, Ma’a Nonu, Matt Proctor, Iopu-Aso Iopu

Paremata-Plimmerton

Gains and Losses

None specifically

Paremata-Plimmerton have reported that the majority of their Premier squad from last year's Hardham Cup is returning to start the Swindale Shield, whilst several new players have joined the club across all grades.

Hurricanes allocated players:
Ben Franks

Petone

Gains:
Jared Adams (St Patrick’s Silverstream), Lester Maulolo (St Patrick’s Silverstream), Piri Paraone (Wellington College), Masatoshi Nakamura (Japan), Joran Mallinger (Waikato)

Losses
Donal McNamara (retired), Carne Green (Wellington), Joe Hopkins (Wellington), Anthony Ellis (Wellington)

Hurricanes and allocated players
Brad Shields, Mike Kainga, Vince Aso, James Broadhurst

Poneke

Gains
Takuma Takashima (Japan), Kenny Anderson (Petone – returning player), William Mills (Melbourne),?Dallas Broderson (Johnsonville – returning player), Greg Mullany (OBU), Ivan Vaisagote (MSP), Talia Taotua (Wellington), Max Murray (HOBM)

Losses
Judd Baker (retirement), Soti Fa’amausili (retirement), Connor Maddix-Wikaira (injury), Shaun Alaifea (work commitments), Roy McGrath (Japan), Nathan Iro (Perth), Tom Hiratsuka (Injury), James Solomon (England), Mike Sage (England), Robert?Beattie (Scotland), Tauasosi Tuimavave (Southland)

Hurricanes and allocated players
Dane Coles, Reggie Goodes, Willis Halaholo, Mark Abbott

Tawa

Gains
Telea Seumanutafa (Norths), Francis Seumanutafa (Norths), Mula Milao (Hawke’s Bay)
Fono Salu (Norths), Jerry Fruey (Manawatu), Bradd Forster (Wellington College), Pepesana Patefilo (Wellington College), Sharn Robinson (Wellington College)

Losses
Sam Bair (Ireland/UK), Tolu Fahamokioa? (Hawke’s Bay – but playing much of first round), Joketani Baukula (Italy), Lotu Nuku (Ireland - returning during first round), Jeff Makapelu (Sri Lanka – returning during first round), Vili Dakunimata (Johnsonville), Alfred Pelenise (Johnsonville)

Hurricanes and allocated players
James Marshall

Upper Hutt Rams

Gains
Visesio Luamanu (North Harbour), Josh Blackwell (Returning from Injury), Matt Luamanu (Italy), Reiwhaiti Heremia (Bay of Plenty), Colin Leilua-Toilolo (Returning from injury), Nua Fono-Hunt (overeas), Daniel Schrijvers (St Patrick’s Silverstream), Delano Morkel (St Patrick’s Silverstream), Kaide McCashin (St Patrick’s Silverstream)

Losses
Anaru Rangi (Perth), Ben Aoina (retired), Liam Berry (France), Taniela Manu (Waratahs Academy),?Jason Henry Bay (Plenty Development), Raymond Sio (injury), Jared Woodward (HOBM)

Hurricanes and allocated players
Cory Jane, Jason Woodward, Christian Lloyd, Blade Thomson

Wainuiomata

Gains
Satia Tuaoi (Australia), Hokiaga Morunga (rugby league), Jason Matehe (Scotland), Cameron Ross (Petone), TJ Va’a (Scots College), Friedrich Keil (St Bernard’s College), Siaope Likio (St Bernard’s College), Niko Patelesio (St Bernard’s College)

Losses
Justin Va’a (retired), Ben Tupuola (injured), Henry Stowers (injured – but returning during late in the first round), Amaru Amaru (Queenstown)

Hurricanes and allocated players
Frae Wilson, Beauden Barrett