Poneke stun Hutt Old Boys Marist as Swindale Shield tightens up

Above: Petone an Avalon contest possession late in their match on Saturday. Petone hung on to win 25-23 as part of a tight round of matches.?

UPDATED: The Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles were stung 51-28 on their Old Timers’ Day to set up a virtual Swindale Shield final next weekend between themselves and Tawa, while the race for the top eight and a place in the coveted Jubilee Cup in a fortnight is all on.

Poneke attacked HOBM with gusto and enterprise in a sublime first 40 minutes of into-the-wind rugby at the Hutt Recreation to lead 26-0 late in the first half, flanker Joseph Scheres scoring a brace, Hurricanes centre Willis Halaholo scoring one and setting up another try and prop Hennie scoring their fourth try of the half.

A shell-shocked HOBM came back briefly, before Poneke flew home with the wind and flanker Greg Foe crossed late in the match for his second try to bring up the half century and bring home the Roy John interclub Trophy and Bill Brien Challenge Cup for the red and blacks.

HOBM (now on 39 points) have had their lead cut to three to second placed Tawa (36) who pulled clear in the second half with the wind advantage to beat Northern United 38-8 at Lyndhurst Park and retain the Sammy Saili Memorial Trophy.

Tawa led 10-3 into the stiff wind at halftime, before adding four second half tries to win comfortably in the end. The competition’s leading points scorer, James So’oialo, scored 18 points.

HOBM and Tawa meet each other next week for the match that will likely decide the first round Swindale Shield, although with Tawa playing Petone in the last round in a fortnight and HOBM playing Ories, the title is far from decided.

Results today mean that the tussle to finish inside ‘top eight’ and play for the Jubilee Cup is going to be exiting over the next two weekends.

As it stands after today, just leaders HOBM are guaranteed Jubilee Cup starters, with 10 teams still in the mix for seven places still up for grabs.

Below second placed Tawa, nine teams are separated by 10 points, with just Avalon, Johnsonville and Paremata-Plimmerton playing for pride throughout the remainder of May.

Marist St Pat’s and Oriental-Rongotai (both on 31) are both still mathematically in contention to win the Swindale Shield, needing to at the least win their last two matches.

Marist St Pat’s defeated minnows Paremata-Plimmerton 61-6 in their game today, played at a neutral Ian Galloway Park, MSP won nine tries to nil. Wing Filipo Alefosio and centre Ryan Setefano both scored two tries.

Ories were pushed all the way by a gallant Johnsonville, before scoring two late tries to human bulldozer Afa Fa’atau and fellow wing Aukuso Tuitama to take a flattering 39-25 win at Helston Park. Johnsonville were right in the contest and led Ories several times throughout a seesaw match, and were desperately unlucky to walk away with nothing from this Ash Pointon Cup match.

In two vitally important mid-table clashes today, both in town, Wainuiomata and Old Boys-University came away with wins.

At Hataitai Park, Wainuiomata defeated the Wellington Axemen 28-11 to win the Bill Jones Cup.?

Playing into the wind, Wainuiomata scored a decisive try late in the first half to wing Teru Time to break a deadlock and see them go to the halftime break leading 14-6.

The run of play remained tight throughout the second half, but Wellington’s blindside flanker and best player Vaea Fifita was sinbinned late and Wainuiomata sealed a match that they were in control of from early on.

New Zealand U20s loose forward Henry Stowers had a blinder, and with New Zealand Schools flyhalf TJ V’a’a set to make his debut next week, alongside returning Genesis Mamea and Samoan Sevens player Greg Lealofi, Wainuiomata could be coming good at the right time.

At the Basin Reserve, The Old Boys University Goats mixed youthful exuberance with old heads to over-run the Upper Hutt Rams 38-22 in their first clash of the season at the Basin Reserve.

Recent New Zealand U20 players, halfback Luke Campbell and centre Wes Goosen, returning veteran first five-eighth Tomasi Palu and Hurricanes prop Ben May were all prominent early as OBU ripped through the Rams and raced to a 17-0 lead after as many minutes.

The Rams re-grouped and closed to 17-8, before Palu’s jinking run and clever pass to NZ Defence Force international and midfielder Logan Vaughan put them ahead 24-8 at the break.

Turning with the wind, OBU conceded an early runaway try, set up by openside flanker Mitchell Markov, before the Goats’ other returning NZ U20 player Teariki Ben Nicholas ran through to score their bonus point try and match winner with over 20 minutes to play.

The Rams cut the deficit with another long-range try to centre Troy Mohr, before OBU sealed victory with a penalty try awarded to them by the visiting Japanese referee.

On the Rams’ home ground, Maidstone Park, Petone were also pushed all the way by a determined Avalon side before running out 25-23 winners, Petone holding to win after scoring five unconverted tries.

Petone were on fire early, with fullback Sam McNicol crossing to put them ahead 5-0. But Avalon came back to trail just 11-15 at halftime before flanker James Bowen crossed for Petone’s bonus point try to make it 20-11.

McNichol crossed for his brace, pushing the score out to 25-14, but Avalon came back with a try to left wing Donall Anae to set up a tight finish.

Harper Lock Shield

Tawa how a six-point lead with three rounds to play in the Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield after defeating Northern United 22-12 in their top of the table clash at Redwood Park this afternoon.

Petone are now in second, beating Avalon 51-15.

Poneke are fourth after slipping up 32-5 to Hutt Old Boys Marist, while Wainuiomata also beat a team ranked higher than them when they defeated Wellington 62-29 in the highest score of the afternoon of any of the matches in the top two grades.

In other mid and lower table Premier Reserve results, Old Boys University defeated the Upper Hutt Rams 41-7, Ories beat winless Johnsonville 20-13 and Marist St. Pat’s accounted for Paremata-Plimmerton 41-8, also winless.

Women’s

Northern United defeated Oriental-Rongotai in their match on the Petone Rec No. 1 with a 36-6 win that will probably see them win this year’s first round Fleurs Trophy.

Norths Celebrated Brenda Collins 100th game for the club with a win and her bagging a double.

Norths enjoyed the advantage of a strong first half wind and were clinical in taking their chances. It was expected that Ories would hit back in the second half but Ories couldn’t make their chances count and Norths held on to win well.

Old Boys University are up into third after beating Wainuiomata 17-5 on Petone no.2. The Impalas led 10-5 at halftime and added a converted try in the second spell.

The other two games, also on the Petone Rec, saw Poneke beat Johnsonville 105-0 and HOBM and Avalon battle to a 5-5 draw.

Thompson Memorial Cup First Grade

The Petone Brotherhood made it five from five this week. Results being:

Petone Brotherhood 36 - Marist St Pats 26; Hutt Old Boys Marist 31 - Tawa 7; Petone A 30 - Northern United 22; Old Boys University 24 - Poneke 17; Marist St Pats Avele 12 - Stokes Valley 10

WelTec First XV Grading games

WelTec 1st XV Premiership grading results today:

Hutt International Boys' School?13 - 7?Porirua College; Upper Hutt College?23 - 17 Wainuiomata; Hutt Valley High School 30 - 22?Taita College; St Bernards 17 - 23?Wairarapa College

Swindale Shield Wainuiomata (28) v Wellington (11) Match Report

Wainuiomata ventured to Hataitai Park and came away with a well deserved 28-11 win over the Wellington Axemen.

The hosts had first use of the breeze, and initially made good use of it. They were rewarded with an early penalty kicked by Adam Deck. However Wainuiomata were able to force their way downfield and levelled through Josh Robertson-Weepu when Wellington were caught offside. Deck returned Wellington to the lead with a close-range penalty, with Robertson-Weepu answering soon thereafter.

The visitors managed to break the deadlock. Good centrefield ball was worked right and Teru Time crashed over through the cover defence in the corner. It went unconverted but Wainuiomata were in the ascendancy, and increased their lead further when Robertson-Weepu added a third penalty.

That however didnt stop Wainui coach Justin Wilson from getting into his charges at half-time for their periodic inaccuracies, while the hosts would have known they needed to lift their game if they were going to get back into the game.

During a period of hard-fought stalemate after the break, Wainuiomata went closest when flanker Cameron Ross found himself in the open, only to be dragged in from behind by Simon Shearer.? Wellington were the first to crack in the second half, losing a man to the bin for repeated infringments. Wainuiomata immediately took advantage with fullback Fa'atau Mamea crossing with Robertson-Weepu converting. Worse was to follow for the home side when a break down the far touchline was curtailed by a flying Vaea Fifita; after discussion between referee Nick Hogan and his assistant it was adjudged as illegal with the consequences of a penalty try and a yellow card for Fifita.

The Axemen missed one opportunity when the ball was lost over the line, but finally crossed in the 78th minute though wing Sani Taylor. There was time for one more yellow card, to Axemen midfielder Penjamini Naibanivalu, before full time.

Wainuiomata were good value for their win. NZ U20 selectee Henry Stowers was immense in his first, and last outing, before international duty while props Attila Va'a and Norm Fa'aliga made several strong carries each. John Monu controlled play well from first-five and Teru Time was difficult to handle.

For the Axemen it was a disappointing outing. Adam Deck tried hard while Simon Shearer enhanced his reputation with a full hearted effort. The upshot is that both sides are in the dogfight for the Jubilee Cup places, and each face tricky assignments the next two weeks.

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