Slick Students Overrun Norths At The Basin

Old Boys-University are within sight of their first Swindale Shield title after beating Northern United 37-26 in an absorbing round eight encounter at the Basin Reserve.

OBU's four try bonus point win over Norths sees them move into the outright lead, four competition points ahead of defending champions Norths and one ahead of Marist St. Pat's who have leapfrogged Norths into second after winning 29-0 with a bonus point against the Wests Roosters at Evans Bay Park.

With three rounds to go OBU must be considered favourites to take out the first round title for the first time in both the clubs' 17-year history and also that of their predecessors WCOB and University. If they can beat Wainuiomata next week and then Petone and Oriental-Rongotai the Swindale Shield should be in their hands.

The students played with confidence and panache to beat Norths, after recovering from a horror start that had them reeling under their own goal posts at 7-0 nil after conceding an intercept inside the first 30 seconds of play.

Led by workhorse lock Sam Green, their pack played with great determination against a dominant Norths scrum and loose forward trio, while their slick backs were organised and positive and won the game for them in the second half. All their backs were impressive, but particularly the Palu brothers, halfback Tomasi and fullback David and first five eighth Michael Hobbs who recovered from a nasty head clash in the first half to marshall his team well in the second.

The loss for Norths sees them drop from top spot alongside OBU to third?and?one point ahead of fourth placed?Hutt Old Boys Marist, who overcame a stern challenge?from Oriental-Rongotai to win their first game in three weeks 25-13 at the Polo Ground. Scroll down for?a comprehensive report on this game.?Next week Norths and HOBM square off in what will now be a significant clash for both sides.

Meanwhile in other results, Wainuiomata earned an important 21-12 win over Tawa at Lyndhurst Park, Petone beat Upper Hutt 37-12 at Maidstone Park and Poneke dispatched Avalon 55-12 at Kilbirnie Park.

The Wainuiomata - Tawa result was a key one for both sides, with Tawa now all but likely relegated to the Hardham Cup for the second half of the season alongside Wests and Avalon, while Wainui's Jubilee Cup dream remains alive. It was a close match befitting the desperate stakes for both sides, with Wainui opening up an 8-0 lead inside ten minutes and Tawa coming back to nudge ahead 12-8 at the break through tries to fullback Aaron Harris and left wing John Masaga. But Wainui closed the game with 13 unanswered points in the second half and live to fight another day.

Petone hooker Eugene Smith has been taking tips from Andrew Hore and he scored two tries inside the first ten minutes against Upper Hutt, while his teammates added three more before halftime as Petone cantered away for a comfortable victory.

.Poneke broke free against Avalon at home, strolling to a seven tries to two win after leading 22-12 at halftime. Wings Evan Belford and Ambrose Plaister both scored doubles, while first five-eighth James Pointon kicked six conversions and a penalty.

MSP were far less convincing across the road against Wests, only breaking the shackles after the halftime interval with Wests first five-eighth Scott Mudgeway off form with his boot. Nevertheless, they kept Wests scoreless and finished with five tries of their own, to hooker Ged Robinson, loosies Victor Vito and Alex Tulou, centre JP Tocker and left wing Thomas Atiilaoa.

The Club Weekly was on hand at a sun-drenched Basin Reserve where it was OBU's composure under pressure as well as their battery of dangerous backs that were the impressive features of their come from behind win.

They made the worst possible start when conceding a sloppy intercept try almost immediately from the kick off, fullback Buxton Leutulava saying thank you as OBU laboriously passed the ball across their own goaline from the first breakdown of the match. If this is not the fastest scoring try in Wellington Premier Rugby please let the Club Weekly know.

A breakout by centre Matt Gordon led to a Seminar Manu penalty, before Norths were in again through second five-eighth Semesa Manuleva, running on to a Rob Aloe stab kick behind OBU's cover defence. Halfback Leon Ellison converted this second try and Norths were ahead 14-3 after 10 minutes.

It appeared Norths might have remained in rampant mode from then on, especially as their scrum started showing of monstering the students and their loose forward trio of Dean Brunsdon, Serge Lilo and Anare Koliavu started winning some quick ball.

Then OBU first five-eighth Michael Hobbs went down - seemingly for the count - ?suffering a nasty head clash and a trip to the bloodbin. The first of several injury breaks for the students, including Gordon leaving the field clutching his ankle just before halftime and Green twice appearing to succumb to injury and calling for the stretcher at one point, but carrying on to the end.

But enter Hobbs' bloodbin replacement, and later Gordon's injury replacement, Paula Kinikinilau. The blockbusting midfielder helped get OBU back into the match when he scooped up a poor Norths kick inside their 22 and ran through to score their first try.

Then another ill-directed Norths clearing kick led to a second try that saw them hit the lead for the first time at 17-14. Fielding the kick that should have been a simple touch finder, OBU do what they do best and ran it back, with halfback Tomasi Palu burrowing over from a ruck shortly after.

But Norths scored their third try right on halftime and re-took the lead when wing Sinoti To'omaga crashed over in the corner from a free kick, following an attacking scrum just metres from OBU's try line.

However the second half belonged to the students, who took control early and scored 17 unanswered points to give them a match winning 34-19 lead with ten minutes remaining.

With Green and blindside flanker Ian Kennedy to the fore in the lineouts against a Norths team missing their two first choice locks in Chris Middleton and Telea Seumanutafa, and a bandaged up Hobbs and Tomasi Palu directing play well through their tactical kicking and wide passes, OBU were dangerous in the second half.

A clean lineout win to Kennedy set their backs in motion for an outstanding solo try to fullback David Palu after 46 minutes, Palu slicing through and slipping two tackles on his way to the tryline.

Manu then sent a penalty over from almost halfway to make it 27-19, before Tomasi Palu created their fourth try and the clincher with a kick into space that sat up perfectly for right wing Joe Hill to regather and find Green and Kinikinilau in support to score his second try.

Norths aren't a team to discount at any stage, and they replied with a try to hard working openside Brunsdon after some concerted lead up work, but it was too little too late.

The Old Boys-University Senior One side also caused a boilover against Norths, upsetting them 15-14 in the Harper Lock Shield. Norths' loss allows Johnsonville to regain the lead they surrendered to Norths last week after they overcame Paremata-Plimmerton 24-6

Marist St. Pat's continue to dominate the Senior Two National Mutual Cup, beating the Wests Roosters 29-12 for their eighth straight win in that grade.?

Meanwhile in the Fleurs Trophy Women's first round, Johnsonville went into bat against Wainuiomata to beat them 113-0, while Waikanae declared early, forfeiting their match and the points to Norths.

Eagles swoop on Ories - report by Mark Edgecombe

Hutt Old Boys Marist was too strong for a combative Oriental-Rongotai at the Polo Ground in Miramar, running out 25-13 winners after trailing 6-13 at the break. A better lineout and better tactical kicking were key factors in HOBM's victory.

After Hutt took an early 3-0 lead, Ories came back strongly. Referee Gordon Noble-Campbell's decision to bin Hutt flanker Jason Risdon handed the home side an opportunity to dominate. Periods in the Hutt half led to penalties which talented Ories first-five Jimmy Proctor turned into points, giving his team a 6-3 lead after fifteen minutes.

With just over twenty gone and Risdon still off the field, Hutt put down a scrum well inside their own half. When Eagles halfback Nick Risdon was caught skirmishing, Ories turned the ball over and sent it right to Samson Nonu who made valuable yardage from second-five, taking play to deep inside the Hutt 22. Ories halfback Peme Leiataua sent it left from the resulting ruck, with hooker Lui Aukuso and left winger Fa'avae Tuma'ai both in the action before right winger Johnny Sola scored in the left corner. Jimmy Proctor's sweet sideline conversion put the home side 13-3 ahead and in charge.

Jason Risdon's return, however, spelled the end of Ories' dominance, and the beginning of a sustained period inside the Ories half. Early lineout jitters now behind them, Hutt began to win a regular supply of ball. Steven Bradshaw was impressive all day, and Philip Filipo won some good ball also. Still, the Ories defence held out, and but for a late penalty goal to James Kusel, the fifteen minutes Hutt spent in the Ories half immediately before half-time would have gone unrewarded.

Referee Noble-Campbell was back in the game before the break, issuing Ories prop Donal McNamara with a yellow for lying over the ball. After half-time, Hutt capitalised on the player imbalance. With Ories fullback Karl Harding off the field to make way for a substitute prop, try-scorer Johnny Sola found himself in trouble covering at the back. Hutt pressure was rewarded with a try seven minutes in. An Ories clearance off their own line turned into a Hutt counter-attack from halfway. Eroni Ekevati made a strong run down the right wing before passing in-field to the ever-present Nick Risdon who crossed the line unmolested. Mike Kingsbeer's lax conversion attempt left Ories ahead 13-11, though.

Still, Hutt's dominance had to tell. It did. A series of penalties to Kingsbeer between the 55th and 75th minutes took them out to a 20-13 lead with five to play. A rare foray into Hutt territory ended when Nick Risdon spoiled Ories' scrum ball. Moments later, it was Risdon once more who took a quick tap from a penalty before kicking across field for Ekevati to chase and score in the right-hand corner. The 25-13 final scoreline did not flatter the visitors. Indeed, they could have won by more.

The weeks leading up to this match lent plenty of interest to the encounter: Ories entered the game on the back of a rare four-game winning streak; HOBM had lost on each of their two previous outings. Hutt's second-half insistence on touch-finding from within their own 22, together with Ories' inability to win tidy lineout ball, meant that only one team was ever going to win this game.
If Hutt is to threaten for higher honours during the Jubilee Cup round, they desperately need to discover some sting on attack; both their tries came from broken play. Ories needs to sustain energy for longer periods. Flanker Pau Halafihi and hooker Lui Aukuso were dynamic in the first half, but the home side's threat trailed off in the second forty.

Referee Noble-Campbell had a good game in the Miramar sun. He was fair, issuing yellows to both sides for deliberate infringements, and asserting authority without being overbearing. Ories lock Asher Derbyshire ended the game in the bin after an unsightly fight just minutes from time. While management and fans on the peninsula may have felt disgruntled at the final whistle, the words of local winger Fa'avae Tuma'ai were nearer the mark: "That's rugby," he said, before joining his mates in the changing shed.

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