Poneke topple Norths, HOBM win in Time for centenary celebrations

Poneke's forwards ground themselves into the Kilbirnie Park mud for an epic 17-15 win over previously unbeaten Northern United, while Hutt Old Boys Marist's brothers Matt and Alexis Time each scored decisive second half tries as part of their centenary weekend 22-15 victory over archrivals Petone on Saturday.

In appalling conditions, Poneke's pack played with guts and passion throughout the second half into the stiff southerly wind after scoring two converted tries and leading 14-12 at the break and thus handed Norths their first loss of the season, ending a 12-game winning streak.

At the Hutt Recreation Ground, the Time brothers' tries made the difference as the home side fought back from a 10-15 deficit early in the second half to draw level and then score the winning try several minutes from fulltime.

In gathering gloom, the Eagles then defended their line magnificently at the end, with second five-eighth Alexis Time also saving a near-certain try with a goalline tackle after numerous phases of pick and driving play by the Petone pack had threatened to spoil their celebrations. Time's tackle forced a relieving penalty and from there they held off one further raid before referee Phil Smith blew his whistle for fulltime.

Elsewhere, the Marist St. Pat's machine rolled on with an efficient two tries to nil 16-3 win over Old Boys-University at Evans Bay Park to go to the top of the table after the opening fortnight of the 2010 Jubilee Cup.

An error-ridden Oriental-Rongotai held on for a 17-11 win over Upper Hutt at Maidstone Park for their first win of the second round, leaving six of the eight teams with one win apiece after two weeks.

In Hardham Cup action, the Wests Roosters were the big winners of the day, whipping the previously unbeaten Northern United second fifteen 32-7 at a miserable Ian Galloway Park for their second successive second round victory.

At William Jones Park, Wainuiomata also earned their second win of the round after holding off Avalon's challenge 20-12.

In the early encounter at the Hutt Recreation ground, visitors Johnsonville grabbed their first win of the year in battling to a 6-5 win over the young and spirited Hutt Old Boys Marist B team.

Tawa also got back on the winner's column with an equally hard fought 12-5 win over Marist St. Pat's B in the early game at Evans Bay Park.

The worst day of the season proved a significant leveler across all the matches, with the dynamic back play and sweeping try scoring movements that has characterised much of the action to date shelved for dogmatic rugby, patience and determination.

Traditionally, no side revels in these conditions more than Poneke, who not only became the first side to beat Norths all year, but battled to a hugely important victory in the context of their campaign.
They did so by holding off Norths throughout most of the second half playing into the biting southerly and saturnine skies and increasingly cut up field.

Poneke had held a 14-12 lead at halftime after both sides had scored two tries apiece in the first half. Poneke first five-eighth Sam Rasch and his Norths counterpart James So'oialo then traded penalties soon after the break to give Poneke a 17-15 lead, which they were able to protect until fulltime.

Earlier, Norths hooker Henry Smith had scored first but Poneke second five-eighth Eito Tamura and blindside Ally Paine replied with tries, both converted by Rasch, to give Poneke a 14-5 advantage. With Poneke centre Tolly Auva'a in the sinbin, Norths halfback David Palu took a quick tap and sent Smith over for this second try. So'oialo added the extras to close the deficit up to two points.

Across the road at Evans Bay Park, the rugby between home side MSP and OBU was just as desperate and hard fought. Like the Poneke - Norths game, most of the scoring was done in the first half before the players turned to mudcakes and the gloom set in. MSP took their chances to score two unconverted tries and kicked a penalty to create a match winning 13-0 lead at halftime.

Centre Slade opened the scoring with a penalty, before hooker Liu Taituave rumbled over after a converted build-up through the forwards for MSP to go 8-0 up. Left wing JP Tocker then scored a decisive second try just before the break that proved valuable.

OBU first five-eighth Lima Sopoaga closed the gap back up to 10 points early in the second half but MSP first five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili nudged the home side back ahead with a penalty and the last scoring play of the match.

At Maidstone Park, All Blacks and Hurricanes centre Ma'a Nonu was making his first start for Ories for three years, but his presence couldn't translate into anything like a comfortable win for Ories.

Ories made a terrific start, their forwards establishing early dominance and second five-eighth Johnny Sola chasing up a kick and chase to score a converted try in his 100th Premier game. But then mistakes and ill-discipline set in that lasted throughout the remainder of the match.

Upper Hutt first five-eighth Brett Pigott and his opposite James Proctor exchanged penalties to give Ories a 10-6 lead early in the second half, before Ories winger Ambrose Curtis scored his team's second try and Proctor converted from the sideline to extend the lead.

Nonu was subbed off with 10 minutes to go, ahead of Upper Hutt left winger Anthony Davidson scoring a well-deserved consolation try for a bonus point after another Ories mistake and a dropped ball.

At the Hutt Recreation Ground, Petone threatened to derail the home side's 100th year celebrations after No. 8 Piers Gordon ran right through the Eagles' defence in midfield virtually from the kickoff and set up a try to flying right winger Willie Moala.

The opening minute try, was reminiscent of Frank Baylis's famous try on the same ground for Hutt against Petone in 1944 when he intercepted a pass from the opening whistle and scored inside the first minute.

Gordon and Moala then combined to score a near identical try with the last play of the first half, this time Gordon making another break in centre field from a scrum and kicking ahead for Moala to chase up in the right hand corner.

These two stinging tries, scored in the bookends of the opening spell, proved the difference in an otherwise even and hard fought first 40 minutes played in what were trying underfoot and overhead conditions. Although the rain stayed away for most of the game, the players had to contend with a biting, gusty cross field wind and a heavy ground that was already cut up from the curtain raiser.

Following Moala's opener, Hutt quickly replied in the fifth minute through a penalty to first five-eighth Dan Snee to close the margin to 3-7.

In a willing contest, HOBM were matching the well-drilled Petone pack in the tight exchanges. They were led by Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush and his Vodafone Wellington Lions teammate Polonga Pedro and returning players, hooker Luke Gibb, lock Steven Bradshaw and halfback Nick Risdon. Bradshaw was making his first start of the season, lured back from retirement at short notice after original lock Sam Faisander injured his shoulder at training on Thursday night.

HOBM threatened to go ahead on the 20-minute mark when second five-eighth Alexis Time burst through from close range, but knocked on over the line in the tackle of Petone No. 8 Gordon, spilling a certain try.

Instead it was Thrush who ran strongly from a shortside ruck, brushing off at least three defenders in his wake, to score his side's first try 10 minutes later. Snee converted from a wide angle and HOBM led 10-7.

The Eagles were then rocked with the last play of the first half by Moala's second try, which put Petone back in front.

After a scrappy start to the second half, Petone first five-eighth Hayden Cripps put his side further ahead at 15-10 with a difficult 40-metre penalty that just dropped over the bar.

But HOBM were far from done, Snee driving Petone into corner with a series of educated kicks in play and the Eagles almost scoring from a lineout drive taken down by go-to man Thrush. Petone held this raid off, but couldn't stop another from a lineout drive that led to a 5-metre scrum and No. 8 Matt Time coming up with the try after the Eagles turned the ball back to the shortside from the set-piece.

Matt Time's try made it all square at 15-15 with about 15 minutes remaining.

The introduction of fresh legs off the bench, notably bustling halfback Josh Raulini, helped the Eagles swoop on to attack once more. This time Petone were driven back into the right hand corner where they couldn't easily clear the ball into touch into the gusty wind.

This led to a clearing kick go straight up into the air and straight to bullocking prop Simon Malaeulu, who charged into Petone's 22 and offloaded in the tackle to second five-eighth Alexis Time - who this time made no mistake of dotting down. Snee added the conversion from in front, asking Petone to score a converted try over the final several minutes to draw level.

A tense finish in front of a packed clubrooms ensued as Petone kept the ball tight and rumbled ever closer to the line, but they couldn't break through and HOBM held on for a thrilling and important win.

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Hardham Cup

It was a bad day all round for the all conquering Norths club, whose Hardham Cup side also lost for the first time this season against a fast improving Wests Roosters.

In their clash at an inhospitable Ian Galloway Park, the Roosters took centre stage with a first half four-try burst with the wind at their backs to lead 24-0 after as many minutes. The Roosters added to their advantage with a penalty and led 27-0 at the interval, before turning into the wind to protect their lead.

Norths came back early with a converted try but dogged Wests defence stamped out their comeback hopes. Instead the Roosters scored their fifth try to secure the win and finish the Jubilee and Hardham Cup round as the only team to win with a bonus point.

At William Jones Park, Wainuiomata scored three tries in seeing off the challenge of Avalon who remain winless after two weeks in their quest to earn re-promotion.

The Wainuiomata pack climbed into their work early, two long-range rolling mauls leading to their first two tries to prop Norm Faa'aliga and No. 8 Raakai Maxwell and a 15-0 advantage after 25 minutes. Right wing Isaiah Mamea was on the end of the chain just before halftime and the home side went to the break leading 20-0.

Avalon came back to score tries through hooker Manuel Efaraimo and prop Elijah Fonoti to close the gap, but Wainuiomata held on for their second successive Hardham Cup win.

After drawing with HOBM B last week, Tawa were desperate to beat Marist St. Pat's B at Evans Bay Park and record their first victory of the second round.

Tries for Tawa to lock Filisione Koloamatangi and flanker Ato Fa'aamu were enough to give them a 12-5 win over MSP, whose try to prop Kas Lealamanua helped them to their second successive bonus point defeat of the round.

At the Hutt Recreation Ground, home side HOBM and Johnsonville fought out a low scoring one-pointer that saw the boot of Johsonville first five-eighth Corey Burt make the difference.

Johnsonville were good for their first win of the season, finishing the game strongly, albeit in frustration at not being able to score at least one try in the second half after several clear chances went begging.

Johnsonville's points came via two Burt penalties in the opening 15 minutes of play, ahead of an even, tense struggle played mostly between the two 22s for the rest of the first half.

The Eagles side competed well with Johnsonville, with all three of their loose forwards, flankers Melikola Paongo and James Antipass and standout No. 8 Deon Carney having big games.

Johnsonville should have added to their 6-0 lead early in the second half, but couldn't capitalise on a strong series of thrusts at the line and then their momentum was lost when fullback Lio Palepua went down injured and had to leave the field.

HOBM then rocked their blue hooped visitors when No. 8 Carney broke into space and the cleanest player on the field and the recently substituted midfielder Jarred Eastergard scooted away to score a try. First five-eighth Leonie Tumua pushed his conversion attempt across the posts, but with a difference of just a point they were right in the contest.

Johnsonville re-established field position and could have scored at least two tries over the final 15 minutes. Powerful left winger Sam Toala's ghosting run across the width of the 22 from a centre field scrum was just halted, while hooker Manu Paongo and hard working lineout exponent and lock Rob Tait both missed out on tries in the left hand corner.
Nevertheless, Johnsonville were ecstatic to hear the sound of referee Walsh's final whistle as they scuttled underneath the stands to celebrate their win.

Meanwhile in the Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup, Poneke, Stokes Valley and Paremata-Plimmerton each grabbed their second successive wins of the second round to be level on 9 points after two rounds.

Poneke, featuring New Zealand Maori player Daniel Ramsay off the bench, completed the day's misery for the Norths RFC with a 45-0 victory. Pareamata-Plimmerton defeated Old Boys-University 13-3 and Stokes Valley edged out neighbours Avalon 12-10.

Ories are also unbeaten after a fortnight on 8 points, grabbing their second win over Rimutaka, 18-5, while Petone opened their account with a 16-3 win over Tawa.

There's a similar look at the top of the HD Morgan Senior 2 Trophy with four teams - Upper Hutt, MSP, Wellington and HOBM - unbeaten after two weeks.

Upper Hutt beat the Wests Roosters 34-6, MSP overcame Petone 17-12, the Wellington Axemen chopped up Poneke 10-3 and HOBM beat Wainuiomata 22-8.

In the Senior 2 round's other game, OBU overcame Paremata-Plimmerton 22-5.

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