Key Weekend for Jubilee Cup Hopefuls

The Jubilee Cup aspirations of the current mid-table contenders hang in the balance going into this weekend's round seven Swindale Shield set of matches.

This group includes sixth placed Wests Roosters who know that if they can beat ninth placed Avalon at Fraser Park in this week's Club Weekly feature match they will have a real show of making the Jubilee Cup this year, after missing out in 2006 - and then almost being relegated. The Roosters earned their third win last week against Oriental-Rongotai, after previously fighting out close losses to both Poneke and Marist St. Pats.

It's also crunch time for Petone who take on Ories at the Polo Ground in a hugely important match for them. Petone are currently sitting on the cut off mark in equal eighth with Tawa and can ill-afford a fourth loss against an Ories side that has caused them problems in the past. The stakes are similarly high at Lyndhurst Park, where a win for Hutt Old Boys Marist over Tawa will probably put them safely through to the Jubilee Cup against a Tawa side teetering on the cut off mark.

At the top of the table, much interest will be on the MSP-Northern United encounter at Porirua Park - where a win for MSP as well as a victory for Old Boys-University against struggling Upper Hutt at Maidstone Park could see Norths slip from second to fourth behind MSP and OBU.

This would also help leaders Poneke who will be expected to bank another win against Wainuiomata, giving them a handy buffer at the top ahead of their potentially title deciding clash with Norths the following week.

However this inaugural Premier level clash for the Hakaraia Trophy brings special significance to players and supporters of both teams, after the tragic death in a diving accident in January this year of Peter Hakaraia, the son of Paul, who the trophy honours for his lifelong association with both the Poneke and Wainuiomata clubs. As a consequence the Hakaraia Trophy is now in recognition of both father Paul and son Peter.

In lower grade action, Johnsonville supporters will be willing on their top two teams, who both have top of the table clashes with Poneke rivals at Helston Park.

Their unbeaten Senior One Harper Lock Shield side are averaging 39 points per game through six rounds as they prepare for the Hardham Cup later this year and a hopeful return to the top flight next season. In the early game the Johnsonville Senior Two National Mutual Cup team have also won every game and are up against a Poneke side with five wins and a draw.