Mouthwatering McBain Shield match top billing in round four

Please note that all Swindale Shield matches this weekend are at the earlier time of 2.15pm so fans can head to Westpac Stadium to support the Hurricanes against the Stormers from 5.30pm. Check draws for other grades.

Hutt Valley rugby fans are in for a cracker of a game at the Hutt Recreation Ground this Saturday, where the McBain Shield is on the line between the home team Hutt Old Boys Marist and their neighbours Petone. The McBain Shield is one of Wellington rugby's keenest annual derbies and one of the biggest matches on the calendar for both clubs.

It was first played for in 1935 after being presented by the McBain family to the Petone and Hutt clubs following the death of Alexander McBain who was a longtime member and supporter of the Wellington Rugby Football Union and principal of Eastern Hutt School. Petone has generally dominated this match throughout much of its history in winning the annual contest 56 times, but in recent years it has more often than not ended up on Hutt Old Boys Marist's side of the river.

Recent clashes have been hotly contested and have seen HOBM win it in six of the past nine years between 2000 and 2008, although three of?those were at Senior One level?before HOBM were re-promoted in 2003.?Of the last six at Premier level, each club has won three times each with Petone having won the previous two and HOBM prevailing two years in succession in 2003 and 2004. Three of these six matches went down to the wire and were decided by two or three point margins. This includes HOBM's win in 2003 by 22-20, which was one of just two wins for them of eleven in that year's Swindale Shield, and Petone's wins in 2005 by 25-23 featuring a Riki Flutey-Piri Weepu battle at halfback, and in 2008 by 16-13 when Petone's forwards took control at the end to deny HOBM victory. Last year's clash saw Petone leap to a 13-7 after barely ten minutes before the match settled down into a good old battle of attrition reminiscent of many of their clashes of yester-year and Petone held on into the wind late in the second half.

This year's encounter has another mouthwatering edge to it, with both sides being unbeaten and this being a top of the table clash. As well as capturing the McBain Shield, the winner will become one of two possible teams alongside Poneke to remain unbeaten after four rounds. Both are coming off extremely hard fought wins in round three, HOBM holding off Upper Hutt 26-25 in their first home game of the season and Petone edging out the Wests Roosters 17-10 at Roosterville. In previous games Petone did it tough in beating Northern United 30-25 in week two and HOBM pipped Wests 24-21 in week one, so both will be well primed for a mighty battle on Saturday.

In other fourth round games, on-fire Poneke will fancy their chances for a fourth consecutive victory of the season over Tawa at their suburban surrounds of Lyndhurst Park. Both are coming off contrasting week three results, with Poneke comfortably dispatching Old Boys-University 76-0 and Tawa meeting defeat at the hands of Marist St.Pat's by over 50 points. However Poneke will find Tawa stronger at home so look out for a possible twist in this tale.

Going by their first three matches in which they have been pipped at the post by HOBM, OBU and Petone, the Wests Roosters will be hoping for luck to fall on their side against Wainuiomata at William Jones Park. Wainuiomata won this clash 19-15 last year at Ian Galloway Park, but the Roosters celebrated victory by 32-15 in 2007 in Wainuiomata and would happily take that again this time around.

Elsewhere, Oriental-Rongotai travel to Nairnville Park to take on OBU who are also searching for their first win of the 2009 season, Upper Hutt host Marist St. Pat's at Maidstone Park and Northern United could be too good for Avalon in their first home game of the season at Porirua Park.

In Senior One Harper Lock Shield action, frontrunners MSP could extend their perfect start to the season when they take on winless Upper Hutt at Maidstone Park at 12.30pm, Rimutaka meet Norths at Porirua Park at 12.30pm and the match between Petone and HOBM at the Hutt Recreation Ground should as keenly fought as the Premier encounter that follows.

HOBM should extend their early lead at the top of the National Mutual Cup Senior Two table when they play Paremata-Plimmerton at Ngatitoa Domain at 12.20pm, while second placed Poneke meets third placed Tawa at Lyndhurst Park at 12.30pm.

Norths and Johnsonville will want to extend their unbeaten runs at the top of the Fleurs Trophy Women's Premier competition in their scheduled meetings with Waikanae at Porirua Park at 11.30am and Poneke at Kilbirnie Park at 11.30am.