High scoring Swindale Shield round as MSP, HOBM and Tawa secure fourth wins

Above: HOBM prop Rei Manaia crashes over for a try in his side’s win over the Upper Hutt Rams today. In seven Swindale Shield matches, 461 points and 61 tries were scored.

A high scoring round of Swindale Shield matches today around Wellington saw leaders Marist St Pat’s Hutt Old Boys Marist and Tawa march to their fourth straight wins to start the year, while Northern United also won for the first time this season.

In bright sunshine on the Petone Recreation Ground, MSP held off a fast starting and fast finishing Petone to beat the Villagers 43-33, to maintain their lead at the top of the standings a month into the competition. MSP won the Bill Elvy Memorial Trophy.

After losing talisman halfback Peter Sciascia to a broken ankle last week, flyhalf Fa’atonu Fili was a late scratching and regular fullback Andrew Wells moved into first five-eighth. Wells kicked regular penalties, while MSP clinched victory midway through the second half with a pair of quick-fire tries to take a 36-14 lead. Petone, with former Italian international Aaron Persico at flanker, came back to secure a four-try bonus point. Hurrricanes prop Jeff Toomaga-Allen, part of a dominant scrum, and MSP flanker Issac O’Connor, in this 50th Premier game, both had good games.

Hutt Old Boys Marist defeated the Upper Hutt Rams 38-25 up at Maidstone Park, laying on 31 unanswered points in a match-winning scoring spree throughout the middle stages of the game. Lat year’s NZ U20 hooker James O’Reilly and Samoan Sevens fullback Tomasi Alosio both scored key tries in this period. HOBM took home the Bill Brien Cup and will defend it for the first time next weekend when they host Petone for the McBain Shield.

Tawa easily won the battle of the Wolfpacks on their Old Timers’ Day at Lyndhurst Park with a 54-12 win over Avalon. Tawa led 42-0 at halftime. Loose forwards Telea Seumanutafa (2), Sam Tuala and TJ Fermanis scored four of Tawa’s eight tries and fullback James S’oialo kicked seven conversions.

Northern United won the Cyril Collett Memorial Shield, holding on to beat Poneke 30-24. It was Norths’ first win of the season and if they’d lost this they were probably gone to the Hardham Cup. Norths and Poneke fought out a hugely even contest, but it was a 100 metre intercept try to Norths centre Kolio Feaunati late in the first half that ultimately proved the difference.

Ories held on to beat Wainuiomata 35-28 in a tense and exciting match at William Jones Park. In an even struggle between two of the competition’s more physical forward packs, Ories won the game with more dash out wide. New Zealand Sevens player Ambrose Curtis was a key player in two first half tries and he helped set up another for Andrew Ellis 10 minutes into the second half.

For Ories, rugby league recruit ?andflanker, Saimon Lomaloma, hooker Hunter Prescott and flanker Paul Halafihi all played well, while Wainuiomata lost dynamic prop Attilla Va’a to injury in the second half, and their inside backs John Monu and Michael Lealava’a played well.

Old Boys University were the day’s biggest winners, beating Johnsonvillle 72-13 at Nairnville Park. The Goats scored 10 tries, with New Zealand U20 centre Wes Goosen running in a hat-trick and Ian Kennedy grabbing a brace. Halfback Luke Campbell scored 20 points. OBU led 41-3 at halftime.

The Wellington Axemen strode out to a 47-8 win over Paremata-Plimmerton on the latter’s Old Timers’ Day at Ngatitoa Domain. Blindside flanker Vaea Fifita scored a hat-trick and four individuals scored the other tries. Wellington led 26-3 at halftime.

Harper Lock Shield

Tawa have set a blistering pace in the early rounds of the Harper Lock Shield Reserve Grade, winning their fourth straight match today to remain the only unbeaten team after a month.

Tawa defeated Avalon 91-0 in the early game at Lyndhurst Park.

Elsewhere, defending second round Senior 1 champions Petone well and there were two thrillers.

Petone were impressive in beating Marist St Pat’s 38-22 in the early match on the Petone Rec, after leading 18-3 at halftime with the wind at their backs and extending this lead after the interval.

Oriental-Rongotai and Wainuiomata fought out a 36-36 draw, both sides gaining four-try bonus points, while Northern United beat Poneke 24-23 for their third win in four matches.

Old Boys-University had too much firepower for Johnsonville, beating the Hawks’ second XV 59-12, HOBM got their second win of the year beating the Upper Hutt Rams 36-12 and Wellington overcame Paremata-Plimmerton 31-5.

Fleurs Trophy

There were first-up wins in 2015 to Ories, Norths, Wainuiomata and Avalon

Northern United were too slick out wide for newcomers Hutt Old Boys Marist, winning 48-0.

Left wing Tina Paulo scored five tries and kicked four conversions for a personal haul of 33 points. Norths’ other three tries were scored by outside backs Vaine Marsters, Helen Collins and Lekah Leti.

The OBU Impalas relinquished the Challenge Cup to defending champions Ories, who led 12-0 at halftime and pulled clear to win 29-12.

The other two games saw Wainuiomata defeat Tawa 56-0 and the Avalon SHE-Wolves defeat newcomers Johnsonville by over 100 points.

Colts

The Old Boys University Green side has picked up from where it left off last year, opening their U21 title defence with a bonus point 34-7 win over Wainuiomata.

Petone A and Northern United also earned bonus point wins, Petone earning a 46-13 win over MSP and Norths beating Ories 38-24 in a lively fixture.

In two hard-fought Colts openers, The Upper Hutt Rams beat HOBM Green 15-10 and the Junior Axemen cut through Poneke 19-5.

There were just two matches in the Colts Division 2 JRD Cup competition. Paremata-Plimmerton beat Wellington B 67-12 and Tawa beat the Avalon Wolfcubs 77-3. Johnsonville beat OBU Black by default in the other scheduled first round fixture.

First Grade

All five first round victors in the all-new Thompson Memorial Cup First Grade won their games with bonus points.

HOBM were the most convincing, putting MSP B to the sword, 107-0. The other MSP team beat Poneke 27-0, the Petone Brotherhood defeated Norths 37-28, Stokes Valley ousted Tawa 34-12 and Old Boys University beat Petone A 37-20.

U85kg Restricted JC Bowl

Likewise, all the winners in the opening weekend of this grade won with bonus points. The Poneke Cavs beat Eastbourne 32-3, the OBU Onslow Bunnie beat Wellington 20-6, the Upper Hutt Rams beat Kapiti 22-10 and Avalon beat MSP 24-10.

Results from the U85kg Restricted Division 2 grade were: Johnsonville 66 - Paremata-Plimmerton 12; Western Suburbs 28 - Stokes Valley 26; Marist St Pat’s Green 49 - Wainuiomata 10; Hutt Old Boys Marist WBD - OBU Onslow Spartans LBD

Reserve Grade – Week 1 Results:

Marist St Pats Internationals 58 - Upper Hutt Rams Thirsty Rams 24; Western Suburbs 64 - Upper Hutt Rams Pirates 7; OBU 69’ers 34 - OBU Righteous Brothers 27; Upper Hutt Rams J8’s 29 - Paremata-Plimmerton 0; OBU Porters Pink Ginners 74 - Poneke Panthers 0; Poneke Ruffnuts 38 - Johnsonville Cripples 5 Bye: OBU Teddy Bears