Upper Hutt topple Petone in round two stunner

Upper Hutt's great start to the season just got better. Both their Premier Swindale Shield and Senior 2 National Mutual Cup teams defeated their Petone opposition to each make it two wins from two at the start of 2011.

In warm, sunny conditions at the Petone Recreation Ground, the Upper Hutt Senior 2s overcame the home side 24-15, ahead of the main Swindale Shield game where their first XV toppled the Villagers 27-26 in a round two stunner.

Upper Hutt fullback Jason Woodward was the hero of the hour, calmly stepping up and slotting the match winning penalty with just minutes remaining.

Then in a minute or so of high drama, Petone had the chance to snatch victory in the clutches of the fulltime whistle -not once but twice. Petone second five-eighth Michael Lealava'a lined up a penalty attempt from 30 metres out, only for his kick to sail wide. But Upper Huttt failed to clear into touch and Petone swung back on to attack once more. This time it was first five-eighth Hayden Cripps who lined up a dropped goal. But this went astray too and Upper Hutt held on for their victory and won the Connelly Cup back off Petone.

The Upper Hutt - Petone clash was the talking point of a second round of Swindale Shield rugby that was played in hot?sunshine?but unfortunately was not matched by the quality of some of the rugby at more than a couple of other? venues.

Neither of the two clashes in town involving four sides expected to challenge for the Jubilee Cup later in the year reached dizzying heights. At the Polo Ground, it took 70 minutes for the first try to be scored as the home side Oriental-Rongotai held off the challenge of Hutt old Boys Marist 14-10. At Evans Bay Park, Poneke couldn't draw inspiration from its new temporary home ground and beat Old Boys-University in 18-10 in a dour affair.

On a brighter note, Northern United gave their fans more ammunition to talk up their chances this year by accounting for Wainuiomata 9 tries to 2 and winning 64-12 at home at Porirua Park.

Home side Tawa gave Marist St. Pat's a hurry up at Lyndhurst Park, before going down 40-48 in a-thrill-a-minute match that saw 11 tries awarded, while Avalon rebounded from their first round thrashing at the hands of Ories to overrun a hapless Wests Roosters side 31-3 at Ian Galloway Park.

After accounting for Wainuiomata in their season opener on Gala Day last week, Upper Hutt came from behind to grab a thrilling win over Petone. Petone capitalised on early Upper Hutt errors and led 10-0 when wingers Belgium Tutagaloa and Willie Moala combined for the opening try.

It was then 13-3 to Petone by the time Upper Hutt struck back with a counterattacking try to second five-eighth Anthony Davidson after a kick and chase. Tutagaloa scored again for Petone after a scrum turnover and the home side went into the break leading 18-10.

Again, Upper Hutt hit back with another try, this time to No. 8 Campbell Beckett after a sizzling run into open territory by loosehead prop Apa Heemi and the subsequent sinbinning of his opposite Thomas Tupiavao. Fullback Jason Woodward's conversion from out wide closed the gap to 18-17 and it was game on.

Petone second five-eighth Lealava'a scored an unconverted try to extend the lead to 23-17, but Upper Hutt first five-eighth Keelan Poi's converted try put his side ahead for the first time at 24-23.

Tit-for-tat, Petone regained the lead 26-24 with a penalty, before Woodward put Upper Hutt ahead 27-26 and they clung on for a pulsating victory.

Upper Hutt have now won their first two matches of the season for the first time since 2005 and they now turn to host Ories at Maidstone Park in round three, while Petone venture to the Hutt Recreation Ground for their McBain Shield clash with HOBM.

Neither Ories nor HOBM were convincing in their clash at the Polo Ground. ?In a first half penalty fest, Ories led 9-3 at halftime.

The game spluttered along throughout much of the second half, before new Ories lock Vailele Tauloa picked up a loose ball and galloped 40 metres to score the match winning try with about 10 minutes to play. The try went unconverted, but at 14-3 behind, the result was as good as decided.

The Eagles kept trying though and Parataiso Silafai-Leaanaa burst forth from the centres with time almost up and scored a consolation try that also gave them a bonus point.

In the curtain-raiser to this match, the HOBM Senior 1s grabbed their second win of the new season by beating the Ories Senior 1s 32-19.

At Evans Bay Park, home side Poneke kicked two penalties and scored a converted try to evergreen openside flanker Masefau Leuluniu to open up a 13-0 lead after 30 minutes against OBU.

There the scoring remained until Poneke fullback Ben Huntley added the second try late in the match and Poneke's first win of the year and the retention of the Beet Algar Rosebowl was assured. In reply, OBU scored late tries to prop Mitch Andrews and replacement halfback Denis Sim to earn a bonus point.

In the curtain-raiser Poneke's Senior 1 side made it two from two with a 29-21 win over OBU.

In contrast, MSP and Tawa put on a free-wheeling spectacle at Lyndhurst Park, with MSP eventually winning 48-40.

MSP won six tries to five and went ahead early to 13-3 through two tries to new centre Isaia Petelo. But Tawa roared back into the contest to draw 13-13 and then moved ahead 20-16. But MSP re-took the lead with a converted try to second five-eighth Joe Wright

Just after the break, MSP hooker Liu Taituave barged over for their bonus-point try and kicked another penalty to pull ahead 31-20. Tawa hit back with a try, both teams traded penalties and MSP now led 34-28.

The scoring at both ends continued unabated, with further action seeing Tawa behind 33-41, before MSP winger Ryan Setephano sealed the game by regathering his own chip and chase. Tawa kept running the ball to the end and they had the last say with the final seven-pointer of the afternoon.

MSP also won the Harper Lock Shield match between the two sides 32-27, while their Senior 2 side won 77-5 over Johnsonville in a clean sweep of victories for that club. Johnsonville's Senior 1 team had a happier day, beating Stokes Valley 44-5 at Helston Park.

At Porirua Park, Wainuiomata's task against Norths to recapture the Alf Keating Memorial Trophy was always going to be huge - but they were more the architects of their own hefty demise than the destructiveness of the home side.

Wainuiomata halfback Frae Wilson was dismissed to the sin-bin in the very first minute of the game for a high-tackle and that coupled with a succession of carless mistakes saw a 17-0 deficit surrendered in a matter of moments.

Things only got worse for the visitors when David Palu created Nene Va'alepu's second try in half an hour and Henry Smith, celebrating his 101^st game for the club, bowled over for the four try bonus point on halftime.

Norths' combination of power, pace and panache ensured the points continued to mount in the second half. David Palu whose management of the backline will be pivotal in their title defence especially excelled adding two tries to his several assists.

At 64-0 with most of the North's reserve bench on the field, Wainuiomata finally preserved possession for a concerted period of time and the brave Isaiah Mamea was rewarded with two neatly taken tries. Mamea along with John Gregory and Greg Lealofi were Wainuiomata's best.

Norths' persistent excellence meanwhile is reflected in two remarkable statistics. North's have now won 22 consecutive Swindle Shield games and James So'oialo has scored more points by himself than the entire opposition in 20 of 40 games.

In the curtain-raiser at Porirua Park, the Norths Senior 1sts beat Paramata-Plimmerton to retain the Ivan Hargreaves Trophy, while in the Senior 2 clash Wainuiomata beat Norths 40-27 to inflict a second consecutive loss on the Porirua side's National Mutual Cup team.

In the final match of the Swindale Shield round, Wests went to pieces against an Avalon side that themselves were thrashed last week by Ories.

Wests supporters are a hardy bunch, but would be forgiven for sitting out their team's next match after an inept display against an Avalon outfit that took their chances and got their tails up late in the match.

The Roosters made error after error and never got themselves into the game. The low point was knocking the ball on over the line after several minutes of sustained pressure and then not long after? seeing Avalon left winger Falani Sanele intercept a pass and sprint away for the match clinching try.

At the time Avalon were already up 15-3 after extending their 10-3 halftime lead with the first legitimate act of the second spell when Avalon punished them for kicking the second half re-start out on the full. From the resulting scrum on halfway, Avalon halfback Josh Raulini opened up a chasm in the defence and offloaded to fullback Joyner Keys who ran in a decisive try.

More mistakes by the Roosters inside their own territory led to Avalon first five-eighth Stephen Cross nailing his second penalty of the match and Avalon were up 18-3 after 45 minutes.

Wests finally got back into the game with a concerted period of attack inside Avalon's 22, but they were unable to cross the line for a comeback try that might have changed the result. Even with a second Avalon player of the game being sent to the sin-bin they couldn't find the whitewash.

Instead Avalon broke out and extended their lead to 21-3, before Sanele streaked away to score the match winner with almost 10 minutes remaining. Cross added another penalty at the end to finish with 16 points.

Previously, Avalon had broken open a scrappy first half in the 18^th minute when their other winger Michael Tuvae got the ball in space near halfway, and chipped ahead and re-gathered to score.

Tuvae's try was good reward for Avalon who were at least stringing some phases together and showing some continuity in their play that Wests sadly lacked throughout.

Both teams were also below strength for this game, with Wests down a backline star in Ahtun Masum (injured during the week) and first five-eighth Declan McKeefry asked to play his first game of the year after playing cricket for Onslow the week before, and Avalon missing up to half of their preferred starting forward pack due to injury.

For Avalon, halfback Raulini, first five-eighth Cross and second five-eighth Joyner Keys all played well, as did openside flanker Sione Taualiato and prop Tuvalu Malaki.

In the early game at the Cage, Avalon's Senior 2 team also had the better of Wests in winning 44-27.

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