OBU and MSP to meet in Premier Reserve final; new Colts champion to be found

Above: The Hutt Old Boys Marist and Marist St Pat’s lineout jumpers meet and greet in today’s Ed Chaney Cup major semi-final, won by MSP.

UPDATED: Their top teams contested the Jubilee Cup final, now the Old Boys University and Marist St Pat’s Premier Reserve squads will meet in next Saturday’s Ed Chaney Cup final at Nairnville Park after winning their semi-finals today.

On one of the coldest afternoons of the season, the second placed qualifier Old Boys University warmed to third placed Poneke’s challenge at Nairnville to win 18-5, while fourth placed Marist St Pat’s beat top qualifier Hutt Old Boys Marist 20-18 in a cinematic finish at the Hutt Recreation Ground. MSP kicked a penalty with the last play of the game to beat the Eagles.

A new John E Kelly Cup Colts championship winner will be crowned next weekend, after Hutt Old Boys Marist Green tipped over three-time defending champions Old Boys University Green 25-8 today at Te Whaea.

HOBM will travel to Jerry Collins Stadium to play Northern United in next week’s Colts showpiece final, after Norths defeated the Upper Hutt Rams 17-12 at Maidstone Park.

In the other Colts semi-finals today, Poneke pipped MSP 28-25 and Tawa edged Petone 15-12 setting up a Division 2 Colts Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup final between Poneke and Tawa.

The Division 3 Eric Connolly Memorial Cup Colts final will be between Wellington and Ories, after Wellington defeated Johnsonville 44-12 and Ories beat Wainuiomata 49-5. The Avalon Wolves will play Paremata-Plimmerton in the Division 4 James Gilbert Memorial Trophy, after the Wolves defeated OBU Black 52-0.

The HD Morgan Memorial Final next Saturday will see Ories host Wainuiomata. In today’s HD Morgan semi-finals, Ories beat Johnsonville 55-10 and Wainuiomata defeated the Upper Hutt Rams 29-16.

At William Jones Park, the Upper Hutt Rams led 16-0 after 60 minutes through a combination of controlled play and inaccuracies and frustration by the home side. However Wainuiomata sorted themselves out and ran in five tries in the last quarter to emerge with the victory.

The HOBM Howlers hold the fourth semi-final spot still available with one round to play before the semi-finals of the U85kg Division One Paul Potiki Shield. The Howlers scored the only try of the match on fulltime in beating Johnsonville 16-0. Clinging to a 6-0 lead deep into the game, the Howlers kicked their third penalty with about 10 minutes remaining and then scored a converted try with the last play.

The Poneke Cavs have sealed a home semi-final with next week to play, after beating the Avalon Wolves 40-12. First round champions the Tawa Titans have all but booked the second home semi-final after the OBU Bunnies who had the bye today, after holding a slender 10-6 halftime lead before beating the MSP Reds 27-6. Wellington defeated Eastbourne 38-10. 

Stokes Valley and the Wests Roosters will square off in next week’s U85kg Division Two Tony O’Brien Shield final at Delaney Park, after Stokes Valley beat the Upper Hutt Rams 22-0 and Wests beat MSP Green 26-10 in the two semi-finals this afternoon.

In today’s major Ed Chaney Cup semi-final, HOBM thought they’d done enough to win when they had come back from a 12-17 deficit to kick two late penalties to lead 18-17 with only a few minutes remaining.

MSP launched one final raid up into HOBM’s territory, applied forwards pressure and won a penalty near the posts on fulltime.

MSP won their sixth straight game. MSP lost their first four second round matches – including a 10-40 defeat to this HOBM side back in June – before winning five straight to sneak into the semi-finals and then winning this.

With a dominant scrum and big ball running tight forwards, MSP had got in front for the first time with their second converted try of the match after 55 minutes. This lead was extended when the HOBM wing was sin-binned and MSP subsequently kicked a penalty.

At this point the 14-man HOBM chanced their arms and charged down field and were desperately unlucky not to score a try after creating a couple of clear chances.

Earlier, both sides scored a try apiece in the first half and it was 7-7 at halftime.

HOBM opened the scoring in the 15th minute converted try. A long period in the ascendancy finally paid off for MSP when their prop was driven across the line for a converted try with the last act of the first half.

HOBM crossed out-wide early in second half to put themselves back ahead 12-7. MSP regrouped and their set-piece helped create their second converted try, putting them in front 14-12 after 55 minutes to set up the tense final quarter.

The WelTec Premiership final is tomorrow afternoon at the JCS between Scots College and St Pat’s Town, but the final round-robin series of matches in the Premier 2, 3 and 4 competitions was today.

In the college grades Hutt Valley HS booked themselves a place in the Premier 2 semi-finals next week against Bishop Viard in tipping over the Silverstream 2nd XV 10-7. Porirua will take on St Bernard's in the other semi after beating neighbours Aotea 14-9. In Premier 3 Wainuiomata and Newlands will contest the final in two weeks; Wainuiomata prevailed over Onslow by 8-7, while Newlands only progressed from their 22-all draw with Taita by virtue of winning their meeting earlier in the season.

One other notable result from today was in the regional Co-ed semifinal at Memorial Park in Masterton, where Wellington champions Bishop Viard beat Wairarapa College 17-15, earning a place in the regional final at the end of the month.