Five representative teams in action this weekend

UPDATE Friday evening: Counties Manukau have beaten Waikato in the last round of the Women's NPC without a bonus point. This means that the Wellington Pride require just a point from their last round match tomorrow against BoP. 

UPDATE 2: Wellington U19s teamlist to play North Harbour at the National U19s Premiership Plate Final is below.

Three representative teams are playing on Saturday and two on Sunday in this weekend’s representative rugby action involving Wellington teams.

In two non-competition matches, the Wellington U18s host the Auckland U18s at Porirua Park at 2.00pm and the Wellington Development side travels to Picton to play the Tasman Development on Sunday.

In three competition matches, the Wellington Pride, Wellington Lions and Wellington U19s are all in action in away matches on Saturday and Sunday.

The Wellington Pride plays the Bay of Plenty Volcanix at Whakatane on Saturday afternoon, the Wellington U19s meet North Harbour at Taupo on Saturday afternoon and the Wellington Lions encounter the Bay of Plenty Steamers in Tauranga on Sunday afternoon.

It’s their last round-robin match, but not the last of their season for the Wellington Pride.

Already guaranteed a playoff spot next week, the Pride can earn a home-semi-final berth if they beat Bay of Plenty and the other key match of this round between other top four sides Waikato and Counties-Manukau also goes their way.

The Pride will finish second if they draw with or beat BoP and Counties Manukau beat Waikato, or if they beat BoP with a bonus point and Waikato win but fail to secure a bonus point. The points table heading into tomorrow's games reads: Auckland 24, Waikato and Wellington 20 and Counties Manukau 17. Waikato hold the tiebreaker over Wellington by virtue of their earlier win, should they finish equal on points.

Bay of Plenty are just playing for pride against the Pride and are eighth of the nine teams heading into the last round. Bay of Plenty are coming off a hefty loss to big guns Auckland last weekend, missing out 0-110 in the first WNPC century score since 2003, and a 10-41 defeat the week before at the hands of Otago. The Volnanix are celebrating the achievements of three players and their coach all reaching 50 games for the BOP province, so recent form may not count for much in this game.

Heading into this clash, the Pride have won four and lost one match and have scored 152 points and conceded 75, while Bay of Plenty have won one and lost four and scored 39 points and conceded 233. Wellington have scored 22 tries and conceded 12, Bay of Plenty have crossed for seven tries and let in 37.

The Pride team will be led this week by in-form prop Noleen Nonu and flyhalf Lizzie Goulden, in the absence of Amanda Rasch and also Jackie Patea for this game. The Pride have made some other changes to the starting XV, but are hopeful the squad’s depth will come through. Kick-off at Whakatane is 3.00pm.

The Wellington U19s play their third and final match of the National tournament in Taupo on Saturday afternoon in the playoff for fifth and sixth, kick-off 3.05pm.

After missing out to Taranaki 10-29 in their quarterfinal, Wellington bounced back to beat Auckland A 34-23 on Wednesday.

Top Blues qualifier North Harbour fell to Otago 18-34 in their first match on Wednesday before beating Manawatu 31-24 on Wednesday to set up this top division Plate final against Wellington.

Earning a home semi-final match is a key focus in their final two matches against Bay of Plenty in Tauranga this Sunday for the Wellington Lions and against Manawatu back home in Wellington next weekend.

The ITM Cup Championship division is heating up after Wellington’s and Hawke’s Bay’s 22-22 draw on Wednesday night and Otago’s 39-32 win over North Harbour on Thursday. It’s a crowded points table, with Hawke’s Bay on 30 points, Wellington 27, Otago 22 and Bay of Plenty 17, rounding out the top four.

The Lions team will be named on Saturday morning.

The Wellington Development squad have two matches remaining in their 2015 programme, against their Tasman and Auckland counterparts.

This Sunday the Development side crosses Cook Strait to play the Makos Development team, kick-off 3.00pm at Endeavour Park in Picton.

For Wellington, Luke Campbell and Fa’atonu Fili start together as the halfback-first five-eighth combination, whilst a changed midfield pairing of Vili Dakunimata and Matt Gossen take the field. In the forwards, Hunter Prescott starts at hooker and Valentine Meachen starts at blindside flanker.

The Wellington U18s also play two more games to finish their season, against Auckland and Tasman.

Tomorrow they host the Auckland U18s at Jerry Collins Stadium at 2.00pm in a one-off encounter.

The Wellington U18s have so far defeated Wanganui (81-0), Wairarapa-Bush (46-11) and Samoan Schools (15-7) to retain the Hurricanes U18 Trophy.

Auckland is expected to be an extremely tough challenge, and will no doubt bring their fast-paced, physical style to the game to the match.

Wellington teamlists (as received, Lions named on Saturday morning):

Wellington Pride

1. Sunema Tupuola
2. Alicia Print
3. Noellen Nonu (cc)
4. Sanita Levave
5. Miriam Ready
6. Joanah Ngaa Woo
7. Aimee Sutorius
8. Caroline Sio
9. Rawkawa Tuhuru
10. Lizzie Goulden (cc)
11. Ayesha Leti - Iiga
12. Fa'asua Makisi
13. Georgia Daals
14. Mena Tumaai
15. Vaine Masters
Reserves:
16. Alice Soper
17. Mo Aiatu
18. Kirsty Stewart
19. Moana Solia
20. Tatiana Tafatu
21. Helena Lawrence

Wellington Development

1. Finbarr Kerr-Newell
2. Hunter Prescott
3. Gerard Faitatoa
4. Joe Beech
5. Agustine Escalona
6. Valentine Meachen
7. Issac O’Connor
8. Sam Gard’ner
9. Luke Campbell
10. Fa’atonu Fili
11. Fereti Soloa
12. Vili Dakunimata
13. Matt Goosen
14. Paddy Hughes
15. Jordan Simpson-Hefft
Reserves:
16. Lotu Nuku
17. Apa Heemi
18. Marcus Roil
19. Liam Hallam Eames
20. Nemani Waaka
21. Sheridan Rangihuna
22. Mike Lealava’a
23. Isaia Petelo

Wellington U18s

1. Ben Aumua-Peseta (St Pat’s Town)
2. Sitiveni Paongo (Wellington College)
3. Nu'u Haueia (Scots College)
4. John Tuia S(St Pat’s Town)
5. Henry Mexted (Scots College)
6. Hannon Brighouse (St Pat’s Town)
7. Jimmy Hewit (Wellington College)
8. Folau Vea (Tawa College)
9. Ryan Fraser (St Pat’s Silverstream)
10. Tynan Barrett (Upper Hutt Rams)
11. Brandon Mudzekenyedzi (Heretaunga College)
12. Willie Schutz (St Pat’s Town)
13. Willie Fine (St Bernard’s College)
14. Malachai Unasa (Rongotai College)
15. Saia Paese (St Pat’s Town)
16. Penieli Poasa (St Pat’s Town)
Reserves:
17. Ivan Fepuleai (St Pat’s Silverstream)
18. Junior Foaitua (St Bernard’s)/Daniel Leone (Tawa RFC)
19. Gus Stone (St Pat’s Town)
20. Jack Nelson-Murray (St Pat’s Town)
21. Hinckley Siaos (Rongotai College)
22. Alex Ropeti (Poneke FC)
23. Jayden Treviranus (Upper Hutt College)
24. Reece Plumtree (Wellington College)

Wellington U19s

1. Delano Morkel 2. Josh Houston Tupou 3. Joe Apikotoa 4. Anthony Pettett 5. Lui Lumanau 6. Vern Sosefo 7. Daniel Shcrijvers 8. Te Whenua Poihipi 9. Logan Henry 10. Piri Paraone 11. Malo Tuitama 12. Lester Maulolo 13. Pepesana Patafilo 14. Aleks Noble-Campbell 15. Josh Robertson-Weepu Reserves 16. Joe Walding-Karaitiana 17. Tao-Roi Lupo 18. Paasi Fine 19. Bradd Forster 20. Ale Peni 21. Kaide McCashin 22. Alex Coventry 23. Jarrod Adams