Swindale Shield set to go down to the wire after tight ninth round

Above: Injured Hurricanes players and supporters alike watch on as Ories wing Afa Fa'atau makes a break against Norths. Fa'atau was in the thick of his side's big win over Norths. Ories scored five tries and 35 points in the second half to win the match 50-19.

Upsets, blowouts and high drama. Today's ninth round of Wellington Premier Swindale Shield club rugby had it all. And afterwards we're still no closer to confirming a title winner in a fortnight's time nor the make-up of the top eight for the Jubilee Cup.

One thing is certain and that is top of the table Tawa keep winning then the Siwndale Shield is there's to take to Lyndhurst Park for the next year. In the only predictable result of the round today, they banked five competition points from their 81-0 win over Rimutaka. Now with a five-point lead over defending first round champions Hutt Old Boys Marist, they just need to beat the Eagles in next Saturday's penultimate round showdown to at least share the title.

HOBM weren't able to advance their standing on the points table following their shock 21-39 loss to a desperate Old Boys University at Nairnville Park, condeding a 7-29 halftime lead and failing to jolt into life after the turnaround.

Tawa's and HOBM's nearest and realistically only challenger is Ories who made a statement today, overrunning former powerhouses Northern United 50-19 at the Polo Ground. In a high-quality match they out-scored Norths seven tries to three and raced away from them in the second half.

With two rounds to play Tawa are on 38 points, HOBM 33 and Ories 32.

Of the rest of the field, only Petone on 30 points are probably safely through to the Jubilee Cup round after they enjoyed a resounding 27-13 win over Marist St Pat's for the Bill Elvy Memorial Trophy and the Bill Brien Challenge Shield. Wing Jeremiah Isopo scored a hat-trick as Petone bagged a bonus point win, while denying MSP any points.

For Petone, prop Tui Hunt came on to the field as a second half substitute to earn his 100^th Premier cap for the visitors. After also playing over 100 matches for Upper Hutt, his second ton of appearances for two different clubs is a notable achievement.

The rest of the field - including last year's Jubilee Cup finalists MSP and the strongest club of the past decade Northern United - could all yet be lacing up their boots to play in the Hardham Cup on 2 June.

Currently three points separate fifth placed OBU and Poneke on 25 points and ninth placed Norths on 22 points, while 10^th placed Upper Hutt on 15 are still in with a chance of finishing inside the top eight and playing in the Jubilee Cup in June and July.

Poneke reversed a run of four straight defeats with an Old Timers' Day 25-17 victory over Wainuiomata, also winning back the Hakaraia Trophy.

Poneke, featuring veteran first five-eighth David Holwell off the bench, back in Wellington for the weekend's club celebrations, helped spark Poneke to their win playing outside Hurricanes halfback Samisoni Fisilau.

Wainuiomata led a close contest 8-6 at halftime, before Poneke wing James Solomon's two second half tries gave the red and blacks some breathing space in front.

Upper Hutt earned a 34-30 win over the Wests Roosters. In another hard-fought contest, as the scoreline suggests, Upper Hutt had their noses in front throughout the contest. No. 8 Jonathon Tupuse scored after three minutes, but Wests came back and hung tough. It was 15-13 to Upper Hutt at halftime and then 34-18. But once more, the Roosters clucked and scored two late tries to grab two losing bonus points.

Like the Swindale Shield, the Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield still has many twists and turns in it over the final fortnight.

Leaders the Wellington Axemen just need to win their last two games with bonus points and they will win the title, after accounting for the Northern United second XV 63-0 on their Old Timers' Day at Hataitai Park.

But Johnsonville are just a point back after they defeated Tawa with a bonus point 28-13 on their Old Timers' Day at Helston Park. Johnsonville also defended the Carman Cup.

The top four finishing teams of the Senior Grade all make the higher Hardham Cup for the second round, and it appears there'll be three teams chasing the remaining two spots over rounds 10 and 11.

Avalon defeated Upper Hutt 39-18 to climb to joint third, alongside Old Boys University who went down 22-37 to Paremata-Plimmerton in just their second loss of the season. Petone round out the top five after beating MSP 27-13 in their early match on the Petone Rec. Poneke beat Wainuiomata 43-19 in the other Senior 1 match.

Hutt Old Boys Marist made it nine from nine in beating Old Boys University 71-5 in their Senior 2 National Mutual Cup contest. OBU evidently threw all their eggs into their Premier basket today, with their second and third fifteens both missing out.

In the other Senior 2 clash involving teams in the top four, Ories defeated Avalon 32-8. With two rounds remaining, Ories are three points adrift of HOBM in second place, with Avalon and OBU a further nine points back. With a 12-point lead to Avalon, HOBM have now qualified for the Ed Chamey Cup in the second round.

In other National Mutual Cup matches, Norths beat Stokes Valley 60-11, Petone made it three from three in the top grades over MSP in edging them 25-22, Johnsonville pipped the Wests Roosters 26-22 and Wainuiomata defeated Poneke 37-26.

Norths are the 2013 Premier Women's Fleurs Trophy champions, beating Poneke-MSP 65-0 for their fifth straight win of the competition. The other match played today was much closer, with OBU edging Ories 22-17. Wainuiomata beat Avalon by default.

In Paris Memorial Trophy U21 Division 1 rugby, Petone Blue overcame Northern United Blue 28-25, OBU Green whipped Ories 52-7, HOBM Green overcame Wellington 19-5 and MSP answered Tawa's challenge with a ?36-14 win.

For full Swindale Shield game-by-game match reports from round nine click here

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