Wellington club rugby highlights of the past decade: Part 1

Above: Left to right - Hoani Tui, Eugene Smith and Thomas Tupuivao packing down in the front row as part of the successful? Petone team of the mid-2000s. Photo credit: Chris Clifton/www.petonerugby.com

A decade in review part 1: Part 1 of 4 looking back at some of the highlights of Wellington Premier Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cup rugby over the past decade (2003-2012), as witnessed firsthand by the Club Weekly.


24 April 2003: Alatini carves up Poneke under lights

A brilliant individual try by former All Black Pita Alatini inspired Northern United to an upset 13-5 victory over Poneke under lights? at the Hutt Recreation Ground in this midweek Swindale Shield match. After weathering a Norths onslaught the Poneke forwards gained an early edge and they scored first. However, late in the half, after Norths finally started getting some territory, Alatini broke the game open with a breathtaking individual try that saw him step and dance around the halfway line and then out-sprint? the cover defence to score. Alatini's effort lifted Norths who held on in the second half, before right wing Peato Lafaele scored in the corner late in the match to clinch the win. Norths went on to win their maiden Swindale Shield title several weeks later.

28 June 2003: Scott Waldrom dynamic for Avalon

?In 2003 then New Zealand Sevens player and professional rugby hopeful Scott Waldrom was tearing up the club fields at openside flanker for Avalon. A menace around the rucks and gifted with searing pace once in the open, Waldrom dominated this match against Upper Hutt with a typically electric game. He scored a brace of tries to spearhead his side to a 27-3 win. Waldrom ran hard at the Upper Hutt defence with ball in hand, while his support play out wide resulted in both his second half tries. In a match later that season at a muddy Fraser Park, he received the ball virtually from a kick-off and ran through the opposition’s forwards and around their backs to score a stunning solo try.

5 July 2003: Cullen warms up the crowd at Porirua
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The afternoon was bitterly cold. Ordinarily only the hardcore supporters would be braving the elements on this day. But home side Norths had recently deposed All Blacks superstar Christian Cullen in their starting XV at fullback. So 2,500 of them showed up to Porirua Park to watch him in just his third club start for Norths and first at home in this big Jubilee Cup match between the recently crowned first time Swindale Shield champions Norths and serious contenders Oriental-Rongotai. With the elements at their back, Norths took a 10-0 lead into halftime - in no small part thanks to Cullen setting up the decisive try of the match. Breaking out from his own side of halfway, Cullen’s perfectly weighted kick and chase forced an attacking 5-metre scrum. From the set-piece, rising star Tamati Ellison dived through to score. The second half belonged to Norths’ forwards who defended gallantly and the home side held on to win 10-8.

25 April 2004: Risdon and Pedro star for HOBM in McBain Shield thriller

Halfback Nick Risdon and lock Polonga Pedro scored key tries in a memorable McBain Shield clash between Hutt Old Boys Marist and Petone. Pedro scored two tries, including the match winner at the end, while Risdon’s act of charging down a clearing kick and scoring in the corner right on halftime gave HOBM a 17-0 lead at the break and the buffer they needed when Petone mounted a second half comeback. Tries to wing Willie Moala and Cam Incledon for Petone set up a tense fourth quarter for the players and large crowd alike. But HOBM, led by stalwart forwards Doug Power and Martin Wallis, defended brilliantly and there was no way through again for the Villagers. Leading the 2004 Swindale Shield for seven of the first eight rounds, HOBM eventually finished fourth equal behind that season’s first round champions Petone.

9 August 2004: Vaoloaloa wins Jubilee Cup final with runaway try

Northern United won the first of their four Jubilee Cup finals in 2004, pipping Poneke in the final and halfback Lua Vaoloaloa scoring a memorable try along the way. With his side leading 10-8 after 45 minutes, Vaoloaloa took the game by the scruff of the neck. From his own 22 Vaoloaloa put through a chip kick, which fortuitously sat up for him to regather and scamper 70 metres for the try under the posts. This extended the halftime lead to 17-8. In a pulsating final, Poneke hit back with a penalty and a try to prop Luni Moananu to close Norths’ lead to 20-18 with almost 15 minutes remaining. But Norths held on and claimed their maiden title. For Norths, makeshift first five-eighth Tamati Ellison also starred, kicking four goals from four and setting up an earlier try to the player he’s replaced in the final at pivot, wing Peato Lafaele.

2 May 2005: Flutey masterclass carries the day for Petone

First five-eighth Riki Flutey gave a masterclass display for Petone against Johnsonville, having a direct hand in three tries and helping set up the other in their four tries to one victory. His influence was the difference between the two sides. Just before halftime, Flutey attacked from a scrum from 50 metres and set up wing Alex Telea for a try in the corner. Flutey converted from wide out and the Villagers went ahead 13-10. The first 15 minutes of the second spell were the Riki Flutey show. He kicked two penalties and orchestrated two tries, and at 28-10 the game was won. First Flutey put centre August Collins in for a try with a deft pass, then he glided through a gap 45 metres out and set fullback Corey Smith up with a try.

30 May 2005: Tarrant carves up for the Roosters

Wests Roosters’ midfielder Jack Tarrant won the Billy Wallace Best and Fairest competition in 2005 with a series of assured performances. In this tightly contested Swindale Shield match between Wests and MSP at Rugby League Park Tarrant was easily the most threatening player on the field. His ability to create opportunities for the Wests backs proved the defining difference between the sides. The run of play saw penalties traded between the first five-eighths, Scott Leighton for Wests and Sam Rasch for MSP, and Wests led 18-12 deep into the contest. Tarrant saved his best till last with the final act of the game, slicing through a hole and linking with fullback Toby Robson and wing Tristan Meo for the match winning try. With Tarrant in top form, Wests finished fourth in the 2005 Swindale Shield - their best finish for several seasons then or since.

8 August 2005:? Smith’s tighthead wins semi-final for Petone

Has there been a more decisive tighthead scrum win in Wellington club rugby? Petone hooker Eugene Smith won’t argue otherwise. On the 90th anniversary of the battle of Chunuk Bair, Petone scaled new heights of excitement by pipping Poneke 19-17 in stunning circumstances in this Jubilee Cup semi-final match, with first five-eighth Earl Va’a kicking a sideline conversion to snatch victory with two minutes left on the clock. Va’a was lining up centre Timanu Martin’s try off a break by left wing Alex Telea, that in turn came directly from Petone’s win against the feed. Martin’s try leveled the scores up to 17-17 with fulltime showing up on the Petone Rec scoreboard. Calmly, Va’a kicked the winning points to send them into the final against defending champions Norths.

16 August 2005: Petone fight back to win Jubilee Cup final

The previous six Jubilee Cup finals before this one in 2005 between Petone and Norths were won by a margin of six points or fewer. So there was an air of inevitability when Petone fought back from a 6-20 deficit early in the second half to find themselves trailing just 18-20 with ten minutes left on the clock. With tries to outside backs Tu Umaga-Marshall and Willie Moala, the Villagers were back in the game. Then in the 75th minute Petone were awarded a penalty from an attacking scrum. For the second time in as many weeks of knockout rugby, first five-eighth Earl Va’a was called upon to win the game with his boot. His kick from 25 metres out on the angle never looked like missing and Petone won by a point.

6 April 2006: Pehi stars for HOBM in win over defending champions

Left wing Mike Pehi scored four tries and helped create another as HOBM defeated defending Swindale Shield champions Upper Hutt 32-29 in this early season fixture. Fans at the Hutt Recreation Ground were treated to an exciting finish, as first HOBM pulled back a 12-point deficit to get themselves in front, then Upper Hutt came back to retake the lead before HOBM won in the final moments with a try out wide. In all, 45 points and seven tries were scored by both sides in a high drama second half, all created by a combination of great teamwork and brilliant individual play. But it was Pehi who stole the show, scoring four of HOBM’s five second half tries, including the clincher on fulltime.