Second round pressure-cooker for beaten first round teams

Above: Tawa halfback Steven So'oialo gets a pass away last week in his side's narrow win against Wainuiomata. It doesn't get any easier this week, with Tawa hosting the Wellington Axemen. That match is also the Saturday Rugby Club's feature commentary match on 93.7FM and 1503AM.

Even after the wet weather of earlier in the week, conditions should be near perfect for the 13th week of the club rugby season. At the top end it’s the second week of the Jubilee and Hardham Cups and the Premier Reserve second round, while a number of other grades conclude their first round competitions and their eyes begin to look towards their championship rounds from next week.

In all, it should be another day of cracking rugby on the provinces footy fields.

Premier Jubilee Cup

As alluded to in this space last week, no team has won the Jubilee Cup since 1997 after having lost their opening week’s game. That’s a good omen for Petone, Oriental-Rongotai, Tawa, and Old Boys-University; but a piece of history that Hutt Old Boys Marist, Marist St Pats, Wellington, and Wainuiomata will now be very keen to change.

The only clash of sides that both won first up is at the Petone Rec, with Petone playing host to Oriental-Rongotai. The Villagers stormed out to an early lead against HOBM, then endured an Eagles fightback and trailed late before Lester Maulolo followed up a Belgium Tuatagaloa break to score the late winner, while Ories simply overpowered MSP, running in five tries against their neighbours en route to a comprehensive win. The Magpies have named an unchanged forward pack, while in the backs Hayden Whelan moves into 10 with national 7’s rep Ambrose Curtis coming in at the back and Andrew Ellis replaces Afa Fa’atau on the left wing. The Villagers have made a number of changes, with James Bowen coming in at openside and Carne Green at halfback with Jared Kahu shifting out to 10. Keanu Moran comes up from the B’s for Sam McNicol, who is on the bench for the Hurricanes. The two sides met at Trentham on the opening day of the season where Petone triumphed by 32-19

Over the river Hutt Old Boys Marist return to the Hutt Rec nest with Old Boys-University the visitors. Both sides fought back from early deficits, though only the Goats managed to hold on and take the win. The Eagles did manage to snare two bonus points that could prove very valuable in a few weeks’ time, but will be very keen to avoid losing two on the trot to start the Jubilee Cup which is something few sides have bounced back from. OBU on the other hand will be looking to further assert their credentials with a win, and take a very large step towards claiming that elusive first title as a joint-venture. OBU have made a handful of changes, including Finbarr Kerr-Newell and Stu Simonsen returning to the front row and Teariki Ben-Nicholas at No8, with HOBM returning experience up front in Simon Maleaulu and Polanga Pedro with Ope Peleusema back in midfield. The sides last met six weeks ago at Nairnville Park, where HOBM took a 40-20 victory.

Across to the east and over the Hill Road at William Jones Park Wainuiomata take on Marist St Pats, each looking to get their names into the winners column. Wainuiomata narrowly fell to Tawa, while MSP were never really in the race in their heavy defeat to Ories and neither side can afford losing both their opening matches given the high infrequency of sides even qualifying for the semi-finals from that position. MSP bring back Frank Fa’atau at tighthead and Gabe Papuni at No. 8, the latter pushing Nemani Waaka back to lock, and while Wainuiomata make only one change in the forwards it’s a very reshuffled backline with Michael Lealava’a starting at 10 in the absence of both John Monu and TJ Va’a, Teru Time moving into centre and Jason Love and Josh Robertson-Weepu starting on the wings. The home side will also have the motivation of tomorrows No8 Glen Angus bringing his century of appearances for the side. MSP won the sides Swindale meeting by 22-16 at Evans Bay, while last between the two at William Jones was last years semi-final which Wainuiomata won 26-13.

Finally, Tawa remain at Lyndhurst for a second successive week, with Wellington making the journey to the northern suburbs. Tawa did just enough to beat Wainuiomata, while the Axemen’s hopes of a victory on their return to this stage was thwarted by OBU’s second-half comeback, despite Vaea Fifita’s 95m run off the back of a scrum. Tawa make just the one change, with Philip Finau returning at halfback for Steve So’oialo while Wellington make a handful – Fidel Lamy replaces James Ford in the named loose trio, Hilton Mexted returns at 10 and Ryan Saunders returns to fullback with Sani Taylor restored on the wing. The Swindale meeting between the two was a tight affair, with Tawa narrowly prevailing by 14-10 at Hataitai Park and the strong possibility exists that this one will be little different.

Premier 2 Hardham Cup

Once again, there are two early matches on the slate. At 1pm on the Petone Rec the curtainraiser is Petone B hosting Norths, with both sides coming in on the back of first-up losses. Petone hung tough against Avalon, holding the lead at halftime before wilting in the second half, while Norths couldn’t harness the emotion of last Saturday and were overrun by Johnsonville. Despite that Norths should go into this as favourites, but the Villagers will surely see this as a chance to claim a Premier sides’ name and are mostly unchanged with Api Naikatini amongst a number of changes for Norths.

The other is at Ngatitoa Domian at 12.45pm where Tawa B takes on Paremata-Plimmerton in a game that has been transferred from Lyndhurst. The Harper Lock Shield winners took the game to the Upper Hutt Rams in the first half and only narrowly trailed at the break, but the floodgates opened in the second half and they’ll no longer be under illusions about what it takes at this level. Paremata-Plimmerton finally opened their account for the year by grinding out a shock win against Poneke, and would dearly like to make it two-for-two in this part of the season. They have named an unchanged forward pack and a somewhat shuffled backline, while Tawa have made a handful of their own.

The only Premier match south of the Terrace Tunnel for the day is at Kilbirnie Park, where Johnsonville visit Poneke. Both sides experienced very different round one outcomes; only the most hopeful Hawks supporters would have dreamed that they would beat Norths so comprehensively, while few Poneke fans would have thought that their day would end in defeat to Pare-Plim. Poneke will desperately want to regain the form that saw them topple HOBM and Wainuiomata in the closing weeks of the Swindale; else they may find themselves in a deep hole, while Johnsonville will simply want to keep the momentum of two 60+ point outings going. Poneke have reshuffled their front row but make no other changes, while Johnsonville haven’t named Roy Kinikinilau, but have interestingly named usual loose forward Louis Karl in the #13 jersey. The two sides did not meet in the Swindale Shield, with Poneke winning the last encounter 33-7 in last year’s Hardham Cup.

The final match is the only one between first-up winners, with Avalon and the Upper Hutt Rams clashing on Fraser Park’s artificial turf. Both sides pulled clear of their promoted B-side opposition last week (with that being Avalon’s first win this year), but should provide each other a sterner test this week and they will be equally keen to repeat their respective second half performances for the full 80 minutes. The Rams have made a number of changes, with Josh Hunt returning to the lose trio from midfield, Sam Wasley moving into lock with Jamie Norman dropping out, and in the backs Tafa Tafa moves to fullback with Joyner Key taking the place occupied by Hunt in midfield the past two weeks, while Wolves coach Scott Waldrom gets some of his injured contingent back, with Cameron Cross starting at fullback after coming off the bench last week, while Shannon Bradbrook comes back at centre. The Rams won the sides Swindale contest, prevailing 48-34 at home at Maidstone.

Premier Reserve Ed Chaney and HD Morgan Cups

The second-round of the second tier competition has four matches within the two divisions and two crossover games. In 1pm kickoffs Ed Chaney sides HOBM and OBU meet in the early game at the Hutt Rec, with both sides coming in off resounding victories last week. The second Ed Chaney match is on the #3 field at Porirua Park, with home side Norths hosting Wellington. Avalon take on the Upper Hutt Rams in a match between HD Morgan sides in the early game on the Fraser Park artificial; while the crossover matches between Poneke and Johnsonville at Kilbirnie and Wainuiomata and MSP at William Jones likewise precede the respective Premier matches. The final match is an HD Morgan contest at 2.45pm between Paremata-Plimmerton and Oriental-Rongotai at Ngatitoa.

Premier Women’s

The final round of the Fleurs Trophy was previewed here on Clubrugby yesterday with all four games under lights tonight at 7.45pm. Norths, who have wrapped up the first-round title, play the OBU Impala’s at Te Whaea, Oriental-Rongotai play minnows Johnsonville at Alex Moore Park, Avalon host Tawa at Fraser Park, and Wainuiomata travel to play Poneke on the St Pats College turf. HOBM have the last-round bye.

Other club grades

The Colts Paris Memorial Trophy continues onwards. Leaders Norths maintained their unbeaten record with a win over HOBM, and this week they host Poneke on the back fields at Porirua Park who themselves will be looking to close the gap and add the leaders scalp to that of the defending champions OBU Green they claimed earlier in the year. The Upper Hutt Rams moved to second with their win over Petone and host Paremata-Plimmerton at Maidstone Park, while OBU Green climbed to third and head to Newlands Park to face Tawa. Petone dropped to fifth and are at Hataitai against Wellington, who also lost, with the last 1pm kickoff at Helston Park between Johnsonville and Marist St Pats. There’s a slightly earlier kickoff for bottom-side OBU Black and Oriental-Rongotai at Te Whaea, while there’s a 4.30pm start for Avalon and HOBM on the Fraser Park artificial.

The Under 85kg JC Bowl has already been decided ahead of the last round with the Tawa Titans claiming the title in their match with Avalon last Friday night. The final round of matches have the Titans hosting Eastbourne at Redwood Park, fourth and third clash at Hataitai when Wellington meets Poneke, the OBU Bunnies travel to Paraparaumu to play Kapiti, while the Upper Hutt Rams and MSP Reds meet at Maidstone Park with Avalon having the bye. Next week sees the start of the Paul Potiki Shield competition, with the promotion/relegation from Div 2 to be confirmed by WRFU next week.

Likewise, the First Grade Thompson Memorial Trophy has already been won by the Petone Brotherhood despite no-result being recorded last weekend with their match against the HOBM Barbarians abandoned after a HOBM player suffered a serious injury; and with OBU also losing at Stokes Valley the Brotherhood can’t be caught. In the final round of matches in the competition ahead of the second round Johnsonville Centennium Cup starting next week the two Petone sides – the Brotherhood and the Saxons – meet at the Petone Rec, while Poneke and HOBM do likewise at Kilbirnie Park, both at 1pm. At 2.30pm OBU hosts bottom-side Tawa at Nairnville and MSP Avele meet Norths at Martin Luckie, while MSP ‘A’ and Stokes Valley make use of the St Pats artificial at 3.30pm.

WelTec College Premiership

The first match of the fourth round of the College Premiership was played on Wednesday, with Silverstream beating Wellington College by 38-27 in a high-scoring annual Traditional match despite the poor conditions.

Tomorrow Scots College venture away from home for the first time this season, taking both the Moascar and Williment Cup’s to Masterton to face Wairarapa College at 2pm. Scots were forced to fight back against Silverstream, while Wairarapa earned their first success at this level in dismantling Hutt International. On this side of the Rimutaka’s the remaining two matches are both at 2.30pm; winless HIBS face another tough assignment when they host Rongotai who come off their comeback win over St Pats Town; while Town look to get their season back on track when they host Tawa at Evans Bay.

In Premier 2 there is a trio of 2.30pm games; leaders Bishop Viard – coming off their Coed Cup success – are at home against Hutt Valley HS, St Bernard’s welcome the St Pats Town 2nds, and winless Upper Hutt host Porirua. In 1pm kickoffs the Silverstream and Wellington College 2nd XV’s meet at Silverstream, and Aotea head up the coast to play Kapiti.