OBU win Hardham Cup with second half scoring blitz

A second half try scoring extravaganza sealed the 2009 Hardham Cup title for Old Boys-University in the Premier 2 final against the Wests Roosters 42-8 at Westpac Stadium on Sunday.

All Blacks centre and super-sub Conrad Smith played a leading role as OBU sank the Wests Roosters with a quickfire burst of try scoring soon after the halftime interval that allowed top qualifiers and unbeaten OBU to saunter away with the Hardham Cup title.

Smith was brought on as a replacement at halftime and was immediately involved, scoring the first of four converted second half tries as OBU extended their 11-3 halftime advantage for an emphatic win.

Smith's first act was a strong run? off? the shoulder of second five-eighth Nathan Elley after an educated break by Elley, directly leading to a penalty to halfback Sam Hall for OBU to move ahead 14-3.

His second act was to score a try from a kick and chase. From the kick-off of Hall's penalty, fullback Matt Gordon cut straight through the Wests defenders, opening a massive hole in midfield and setting up another prime attacking opportunity. OBU recycled possession and ?kicked ahead into the in-goal and Smith won the race to the ball.

Hall made no mistake of the conversion of Smith's try and all of a sudden OBU ?led 21-3.

First five-eighth John Marshall then scored the try that signaled the cue for the trophy engravers to get to work by scoring an 80-metre intercept try, Hall's conversion extending the students' lead to ?28-3.

The Hardham Cup was as good as won when Hall himself skirted 40 metres for their next try, again in broken field, duly adding the extras for a 35-3 lead.

More confident attack followed and OBU right winger Hautahi Kingi crossed to make it 42-3.

Too their credit, Wests hung tough and made much of the play over the final 20 minutes, captain and openside Galu Taufale scoring a great try out wide. But unfortunately it was too late to have any bearing on the outcome.

Earlier, OBU had fought long and hard in establishing an 11-3 halftime lead.

An abrasive Wests pack with the sun on their backs had taken the game to the students and with a bit of luck could easily have scored more points than a sole penalty to first five-eighth Scott Mudgway.

OBU had their chances and led 6-3, before an outstanding try to left wing Troy Bramley in the 36^th minute.

OBU spun the ball wide to Bramley off the top of an attacking lineout, who still had work to do when he received possession out on the flanks. But a lovely in-out swerve beat his markers and he ran in for his eighth try of the second round and one that set the tone for the tries that were to follow.

The Hardham Cup win for OBU is good reward, after a difficult first half of the season followed by 10 straight wins at the tail end of the Swindale Shield and throughout the Hardham Cup.? It is their first piece of silverware since 2001 when they last won the Hardham Cup.

Other Grades

In lower grade Wellington club rugby played on Saturday 8 August, the Petone Senor One's ended their Senior One Ed Chaney Cup round-robin season unbeaten with a walk in the park 29-10 win over bottom placed MSP in the last round.

Petone will host Stokes Valley in one semi-final who were beaten 26-6 by Hutt Old Boys Marist.

In beating Stokes Valley, HOBM will travel to play second placed qualifier OBU in the other semi-final after OBU smoked Tawa 45-15 in their match.

There's still one more round to play in the Senior Two HD Morgan Memorial on account of one round previously being deferred due to wet weather. But it remains tight with half the 10-club field still in the mix.

The Wellington Axemen lead on 33 points after accounting for the Wests Roosters 28-14, with Old Boys-University on 29 points courtesy of beating HOBM 28-14. Wainuiomata are a point further back on 28 after beating Paremata-Plimmerton 31-12, with Poneke holding fourth on 24 points despite their 8-10 loss to Norths.

Top qualifiers Petone will play Upper Hutt in the final of the John E Kelly division One competition, after Petone beat OBU Green 21-6 in one semi-final and Upper Hutt edged out MSP 14-12 in the other.

In the Ed Connelly Cup U19 Division One semi-finals, OBU Green beat OBU White 44-5 in one semi-final and will meet HOBM in next week's final who defeated Petone 19-7.