Petone and Wainui Run Hot In The Rain

Multiple Swindale Shield champions Petone and new team on the block Wainuiomata surfaced as the big winners in an extremely wet second round set of matches on Saturday.

Torrential rain across the Wellington region made for a less than conducive afternoon for running rugby. But it didn't deter Petone and Wainui's attacking inclinations, both scoring a flood of points in comprehensive victories over the Wests Roosters and Avalon respectively.

At the Petone Recreation Ground, the Roosters were drowned out by a rampant Petone side 47-5. Petone, with All Blacks lock Ross Filipo on the bench and showing the benefits of their pre-season trip to Australia have hit the new season in top form and are the early Swindale Shield leaders after two bonus points wins.

The Villagers were fast out of the blocks against the Roosters, racing to a 17-0 lead after 15 minutes and scoring their fourth and bonus point try soon after. Fullback Lewis Marshall and right wing Fautua Otto both enjoyed productive games, scoring two of Petone's six tries.

Wainui continued their rise up the Wellington club rugby ranks with a 53-10 demolition of Avalon at William Jones Park. Tries were shared around between Jarred Beyer, Genesis Mamea , Cory Draper, Mike Leavla'ava, Tau Mamea, Tu Umaga-Marshall, J Gregory and Glen Angus. Last year's Hardham Cup champions under new coach and former Johnsonville stalwart Laifa Ta'ala have now made it two from two in 2008 following their first round win over Oriental-Rongotai.

As expected given the conditions, the other four matches provided generally much closer outcomes. Two-time defending champions Northern United were pushed hard by Oriental-Rongotai at Porirua Park before prevailing 17-12. Ories defended well all game against Norths, who were awarded a controversial penalty try in the first half when one of their attacking players was taken out of play twenty metres out from the tryline.

Old Boys-University dug in to beat Poneke 22-13 at Nairnville Park for their second successive win, after scoring two early tries and leading 16-3 during the first half. A second penalty to halfback Blair Bradley and a converted try to prop Simon Fata brought Poneke right back into the contest to trail 19-13. But the students did their homework and held on at the end.

It was tight at Maidstone Park between Upper Hutt and Hutt Old Boys Marist, where a try to Upper Hutt hooker Joe Ritchie had the home side ahead 5-3 for much of the game. But HOBM came out on top thanks to a second James Kusel penalty and try to halfback Nick Risdon.

The Club Weekly was in attendance at the final match of the round played between Tawa and Marist St. Pat's at Lyndhurst Park, won by MSP 29-5.

It was a well-deserved victory for MSP who took a maximum five points from this encounter to kick-start their 2008 season, scoring their bonus point try on the fulltime whistle.

In difficult conditions, MSP won through a committed forward effort led by Wellington Academy openside flanker Sio Tuia, a steady stream of turnover ball and an effective halfback - first five-eighth combination in Peter Sciascia and Fa'atonu Fili.

2006 Billy Wallace Trophy Club Player of the Year Sciascia in his first premier start for MSP since shifting from Avalon at the end of last season, and Samoan international Fili directed play well all game and made the right decisions. Sciascia was rewarded with a try, while Fili kicked three out of four conversions and a penalty.

Tawa contributed to an entertaining match with several strong passages of play that stretched their visitors, but they consistently struggled to control their own ball and made several costly mistakes that MSP took full toll of.

In a lively start, both teams created chances in the opening quarter, Tawa's backs full of running and MSP going close to scoring through lock Marcus Slade who was held up over the line in the 12th minute.

It was a Fili chip and chase behind Tawa's advantage line and a knock on at the back that helped create the first try on 30 minutes. From the resulting attacking scrum, MSP attacked the blindside through fullback Jackson Martin and left wing Jope Naubo, with Naubo dragged down just short of the corner flag. The momentum was carried on and Sciascia ducked under a ruck to score.

MSP then made it 12-0 right on halftime when busy blindside Saina Mekaio scored from an outstanding lineout drive started from just inside Tawa's 22-metre line.

It became 19-0 early in the second half when Sciascia charged down a hurried Tawa clearing kick from their own line and Slade came up with the try. Fili's conversion from out wide was successful to open up a significant lead in the conditions.

To their credit, Tawa fought back well in the second half as the rain now came down in buckets, finally scoring a try to replacement forward Sam Tuala after they had turned over a MSP defensive scrum.

But MSP had the last say when a relentless attacking surge and weight of numbers saw sprightly fullback Jackson Martin cross at the end to seal the win, after MSP had moments earlier opted to kick a penalty in front of Tawa's posts instead of going for the fourth try.

For MSP the win serves as a good dress rehearsal for their local derby next week against Poneke at Kilbirnie Park, while Tawa, who welcome back playmaker Willie Lafaele in the next two -three weeks after a stint in Hong Kong, travel to play Avalon in round three.

Meanwhile in other grades, Rimutaka and Norths are the early front runners in the Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield after bonus point wins over Paremata-Plimmerton and Ories respectively, Wellington and Avalon lead the Senior 2 National Mutual Cup and there were comfortable first round wins for Norths, Johnsonville, Petone and Stokes Valley in the Women's Fleurs Trophy.

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