Norths set to retain the spoils if they beat Ories in ninth round showdown

Northern United will win the 2011 Swindale Shield with two rounds to spare if they beat Oriental-Rongotai in this weekend's top-of-the-table round nine showdown at the Polo Ground.

With a whopping 12-point lead at the head of the table to their nearest challenger Ories, Norths are at this stage raging hot favourites to go on and claim their third consecutive first round title and their sixth since their break through win in 2003.

Such has been their dominance so far in grabbing eight consecutive bonus point wins, the closest that anyone has got to them was back in round one when Hutt Old Boys Marist held them to a 34-17 scoreline. In eight games they have scored 405 points and conceded 87, and they are on track to surpass last year's record 11-match aggregate of 546 points.

Norths hit teams hard and they hit them early, so a key for Ories to subdue them is to make few mistakes for Norths to capitalise on and hold them in the set-pieces. Ories' should be able to match them in both areas having the next tightest defence in the competition and possessing a strong scrum that shouldn't get beaten up.

Ories and Poneke, who are two points further back, are the only two sides still in the hunt for the Swindale Shield should the wheels fall off Norths. Of note, if Ories and Poneke had of been closer to Norths at this point the stage would have been set for a cracker last three weeks, with Poneke playing Norths next week and Poneke and Ories clashing in the last round. Instead, the mantle falls solely on Ories this week to beat Norths and deny them further competition points.

There's also an extra incentive on the line for Norths and Ories in this match, with the first annual To'omaga Alex Iona Memorial Cup match between the sides.

Alex was a life member of the Norths for his efforts over many years at the grassroots of the game. He first played for Ories on his arrival from Samoa, then moved to Porirua City to live and joined the then Porirua RFC where he continued to play the game before taking up coaching in the lower grades. Alex then became involved with management roles on the committee. Alex also had a strong involvement in the Wellington Samoan Rugby Union and was well known within the Wellington Samoan rugby community.

This new trophy was presented by Alex's family to the North's RFC last year at their annual prize giving to be played between the two club's premier teams in the first game of the WRFU Swindale Shield match.

Head-to-head, Ories will be searching for their first win over Norths in 11 encounters going back to the 2003 Swindale Shield when they win 34-11 before losing narrowly in their return Jubilee Cup clash later that year and then going missing between 2004-2007.

Previously, the two clubs fought out some real thrillers such as in 2002 when Ories won 34-22 in the Swindale Shield round and then a young midfield tyro called Ma'a Nonu set up two of his team's three tries in a return 18-17 victory later that season. The following year, 2003, saw Norths and Ories finish first and second respectively in the Swindale Shield - Ories winning their round two head to head encounter 34-13. Then later that winter 2,500 people packed a freezing Porirua Park to witness a Christian Cullen-inspired Norths beat Ories 10-8 en route to the Jubilee Cup semi-finals at the expense of Ories who finished seventh.

Of note, the Hurricanes have their second bye of the Investec Super Rugby competition this weekend, meaning many of the regions stars including the Miramar marauder himself and Norths pair John Schwalger and Anthony Perenise could well grace the Swindale Shield paddocks.

Neemia Tialata has been as busy as ever on Twitter this week and, amongst other things, indicated his availability to play for Petone in their clash with the Wests Roosters. Additionally Daniel Kirkpatrick is expected to play for the fourth placed Villagers meaning the Roosters could have their work cut out for them in this must-win clash if they want to stay in the hunt for a Jubilee Cup spot.

Petone and Wests meet at Ian Galloway Park for the Gareth Head Memorial Trophy. Gareth Head played his early rugby for Onslow before moving to Petone in 1966 and playing in over 100 Senior games, many of these in the front row with Petone's All Black great Ken Gray. He also played over 100 games for Wellington. When he finished playing he coached the Petone senior 3rds in 1978-79.

The Wests club was formed from an amalgamation of the Athletic, Onslow and Karori Clubs in 1982 and it was to Gareth Head they turned to have the honour of coaching their Premier side in its inaugural season. Two seasons later Gareth was back at Petone and teamed up with long-time teammate Andy Leslie, coaching the Petone Premier side as well as the Wellington Colts.

He helped establish the Ken Gray Academy at Petone and was an active member of the 1985 Centennial Committee. His sudden death at age 54 in January 1997 was a great loss to the Wellington rugby community.

It's Old Timers' Day at Poneke, who are back on their home turf at Kilbirnie Park hosting Hutt Old Boys Marist in a probable precursor to a possible big showdown later in the year in the Jubilee Cup round. The Street Kids and the Eagles won't be looking that far head though, with both eager to post convincing performances and in the case of HOBM at least, to avoid any possible relegation flutters over the final fortnight.

HOBM are coming off a narrow 13-18 loss to MSP last week, while Poneke earned a last-ditch 20-19 win over Upper Hutt. These two teams are shadowing each other on the points table, with Poneke just ahead courtesy of two more wins. After eight rounds Poneke have scored 171 points and conceded 150 for a points differential of 21, while HOBM have scored 186 and conceded 163 for a points differential of 23.

The Bill Brien Challenge Cup and the Roy John Trophy are on the line at Kilbirnie Park. Roy John played for Poneke in the 1940s before moving to the Hutt Club as a result of marrying into the Perrott family. He was an outstanding sportsman, representing Wellington at first five-eighth and halfback and at that time the whole Hutt Club backline made up the Wellington set of backs. He also played senior cricket in Wellington.

Based purely on their recent head-to-head record, HOBM will have a hard time coming away with the win. Poneke have won the last six straight and eight of their previous nine encounters, with HOBM's last win against the red and blacks in round one of the 2007 Jubilee Cup, a 19-9 victory. In this corresponding match last year Poneke hooker Dane Coles burst through midfield and set up a last-gasp match winning try for centre Tolly Auva'a to give Poneke a 20-18 win. Poneke then won 21-14 in their last round Jubilee Cup clash to take the top qualifier's berth for the semi-finals and relegate HOBM to third and a playoff date with eventual champions Norths.

In two important clashes this week as far as the battle for the top eight goes, Upper Hutt host Tawa at Maidstone Park and Wainuiomata host Old Boys-University at William Jones Park.

The battle between Upper Hutt and Tawa, also for the Mexted Motors Cup, is between the ninth and 10th placed teams on the table, and for 10th placed Tawa at least, it's a must win match or their Jubilee Cup chances could be sunk. Upper Hutt will secure themselves a lifeline if they win this match and will climb back into the top eight ahead of either OBU or Wainuiomata if they win with a bonus point.

Tawa, who are coming off an 8-36 loss to Norths after beating Ories 17-16 the previous week, travel to Upper Hutt knowing that it's only a matter of time before the home side's luck changes. Upper Hutt's one-point defeat to Poneke last week was their third straight last-gasp defeat at home this year. They have also been involved in two nail-biting late wins away from home, so whichever way Tawa will know they'll have to play for the full 80 minutes or they could get stung.

The Mexted Motors Cup was donated by Ken Gethings, from the Upper Hutt Club and owner of Gethings Motors in Upper Hutt, and the Mexted family, who have strong links to Tawa RFC and Mexted Motors in Tawa. Upper Hutt are the holders having won 24-18 last year at Lyndhurst Park.

The Wainuiomata - OBU clash could also be a classic, with both teams searching for possible victories that could propel them to the Jubilee Cup. Wainuiomata will be especially anxious to claim victory over the students ahead of two tricky clashes with MSP and HOBM in weeks 10 and 11 and finally crack the top eight after narrowly missing out last year. If Wainuiomata beat OBU with a bonus point and other results all go their way they could also climb to as high as fourth after this weekend. Their fans will well remember their 18-35 loss to the students in the last round last year at the Hawkins Basin Reserve, a loss that saw them fall short of making the Jubilee Cup by just one competition point.

MSP will have taken great confidence from their 40th anniversary victory over HOBM at Evans Bay Park last week and will want to continue that on against bottom placed Avalon at the same venue. With matches after this at home against Wainuiomata and away against OBU, many of the jitters amongst their supporters this time last week will have completely dissipated if they win well against Avalon in this clash.

In the Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield, leaders Hutt Old Boys Marist, currently on 35 points, could also win the competition with two rounds to spare if they beat Poneke, on 28 points, with a bonus point and other results go their way.

While unlikely, HOBM would open up at least a 10-point gap to their nearest challenger if they win well against joint second placed Poneke in their round nine feature clash at Kilbirnie Park and Norths and Petone, who are also on 28, both lose their matches as well.

Norths, who are a converted try off becoming the first team in the Senior 1 grade to pass 300 points for the season, play ninth placed Ories at the Polo Ground, while Petone play fifth placed Johnsonville at Helston Park. Neither will be easy assignments. Both Ories and Johnsonville are tough at home and Johnsonville are just a win off the top four and a place in the Hardham Cup.

Rimutaka are in the same position as Johnsonville, eager to beat eleventh placed and winless Tawa at home at Maoribank Park and climb into the top four with a fortnight to play. Breathing down Johnsonville and Tawa's necks are MSP, who could reasonably expect to beat 12th placed and winless Stokes Valley at home.

It's Old Timers' Day at Paremata-Plimmerton where the home side hosts Old Boys-University in a down the table clash at Ngatitoa Domain.

In the Senior 2 National Mutual Cup, leaders Old Boys-University and second placed Wainuiomata meet in the clash of the round at William Jones Park in the curtain-raiser to the Swindale Shield match.

Third placed HOBM play eighth placed Poneke at Kilbirnie Park and fourth placed Avalon and sixth placed MSP meet at Te Whaea. Seventh placed Wellington could climb a spot or two if they beat strugglers Norths at Hataitai Park, while fifth placed Upper Hutt play tenth placed Johnsonville at Maidstone Park and strugglers Wests and Petone tussle at Ian Galloway Park.

Meanwhile, it's the start of the second round Women's competition this Saturday, the Victoria Tavern Trophy. The seven teams play a double round-robin ahead of semi-finals and a final.

Newly crowned first round champions Eketahuna play Wainuiomata at Mary Crowther Park, Petone host defending Victoria Tavern champions Norths at the Petone Recreation and MSP and OBU meet at Martin Luckie Park. Stokes Valley have the bye.