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OBU and Tawa win well as Ories steal win over Poneke at the death

Jubilee Cup Premier | 15 June 2013 | Steven White

Above: OBU halfback Chris Smylie gets a pass away in his side's 46-18 win over MSP. Hurricanes players Smylie, Tim Bateman and Reynold Lee-Lo all played in this match, while Samisoni Fisilau, Reggie Goodes and Mark Reddish played in the Poneke-Ories encounter.?

There were big wins for Old Boys University and Tawa, a last-gasp win for Ories and a second successive victory for HOBM in today's second round set of Jubilee Cup matches played around the Wellington region in mild, calm conditions.

Powered by Hurricanes Chris Smylie and Tim Bateman, Old Boys University motored past the Reynold Lee-Lo-boosted Marist St Pat's 46-18 at Nairnville Park and Tawa steamrolled Petone 55-14 with a late flurry of scoring at the Petone Recreation Ground, to win the Bill Brien Challenge Cup.

The other two Jubilee Cup matches were significantly closer, with Poneke desperately unlucky not to have earned themselves a draw at home at Kilbirnie Park. Centre Michael Sage's second try of the contest drew them level at 16-16 before Ories' replacement hooker Charles Paese scored at the death and first five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili converted to give Ories the win by 23-16.

In the other Jubilee Cup Hutt Old Boys Marist kept their noses in front of Wainuiomata throughout their match at the Hutt Rect to register a narrow 23-19 win, despite the best efforts of Wainuiomata wing Jason Love, who, in his 100th Premier game, scored one try and made a break to set up another to second five-eighth Marvin Karawana.

Three Hurricanes players, halfback Chris Smylie and first five-eighth Tim Bateman for OBU, and centre Reynold Lee-Lo turned out in an exciting nine-try match at Nairnville Park. Smylie was the pick of the three with a livewire match, while Bateman was also electric for OBU and Lee-Lo, with fewer chances, also ran strongly. All three scored tries.

It was 22-18 late in the first half after tries to the trio before OBU scored their bonus point try right on halftime to fullback Jesse Johnson and then lock Dan Mellon scored five minutes into the second spell to give them a 34-18 lead.

MSP, missing several front line players to injury including two of their best attacking players Peter Sciascia and Andrew Wells (the latter to university exams), and who lost fullback Jackson Martin to injury very early on, fought hard for an extended period in the second half but couldn't break through.

OBU held on and struck with two more late tries, one to second five-eighth Luke Harvey after a turnover 60 metres up field and sweeping counterattack involving Smylie, and the other to replacement No. 8 Thomas Fleming after a tighthead scrum win inside MSP's 22.

Tawa broke the shackles late against Petone and raced away for a blowout win. Left wing Siaosi Finau-Lealiifano finished with four tries.

Petone led 7-5 early in the match, with a try to their wing Jeremiah Isopo versus one to Tawa hooker Lotu Nuku. Tawa lock Pati Gaualofa scored their second try after a scrum in the corner and forward pressure near the line, before first five-eighth Junior Togia scored to put Tawa ahead 17-7 at the turnaround.

It remained close for long periods into the second half, before Tawa's relentless pressure finally told and they pulled clear with a barrage of scoring. Petone right wing Nick Grigg also scored at the end in the almost 70-point match.

The Poneke - Ories match was always tight, and it seemed destined for a draw when Poneke centre Michael Sage scored out wide to lock up the scores. But Ories had one last crack and came away with a five-pointer at the end.Poneke had led 11-3 at halftime after centre Sage had scored the game's first try after a run by wing James Solomon from started from inside his 22.

Ories hit back with a try from close range after an attacking scrum to wing Afa Fa'atau, making it 13-11.Ories then extended their advantage through a dropped goal to Fa'atonu Fili, before Poneke came back again.

At the Hutt Rec, HOBM halfback Nick Risdon scored the game's opening try and, together with a penalty to points scoring machine Brandyn Laursen, they led 10-0 midway through the first half.

Centurion Love made a break and set up a try for Karawana in the midfield, keeping Wainuiomata in touch at 10-7 behind. HOBM hooker James O'Reilly combined with lock Steven Bradshaw to score again to put the Eagles ahead 17-7. Love scored his try to close the margin up, but HOBM extended their lead with two more Laursen penalties.

Wainuiomata lock Shahn Eru then scored the last try of the match, at least giving his side a bonus point from their defeat.

The Premier 2 Hardham Cup was rocked by two significant results today.

In the early game at the Polo Ground, Old Boys University put a dent in Johnsonville's promotion aspirations by beating them 25-11.

In a scrappy match that struggled to get going for long periods on account of numerous penalties conceded by both sides, OBU pulled clear with a desisive try just before halftime to lock and captain Paul Swift following a sweeping break up into Johnsonville's territory. OBU's backs stretched Johnsonville's defence out wide and Swift was on hand to score to give OBU a 14-8 halftime lead.

Johnsonville were left ruing four missed penalties to first five-eighth Scott Mudgway, all from handy angles, that if all successful almost certainly would have changed the complexion of the game. He also missed a fifth kick, a difficult conversion, after centre James Faatatu intercepted a pass in general play and scampered away to score what proved to be his side's only try.

Johnsonville hit back after halftime, new kicker and fullback Deina Morete's penalty from in front following early pressure closing the margin to 14-11. But there was comeback, as OBU weathered Johnsonville's attack throughout the middle stages of the second half and kicked two penalties themselves to extend the lead to 20-11.

The second proved to be the match winner and replacement wing Mark Welch scored at the end to make sure of it.

At Ian Galloway Park, Premier hopefuls the Wellington Axemen knocked off current Swindale Shield side the Wests Roosters 21-11.

With wins over Rimutaka and now the Roosters, coupled with Johnsonville's loss, the Axemen are probably just a win away from regaining their Premier status in 2014.

Both sides scored first half tries and Wests led 11-7 late in the first half. Wellington first five-eighth Hilton Mexted kicked his first penalty to see his side trail by just a point at halftime. Mexted put the Axemen ahead early in the second half with his second penalty and they held on for a significant win.

In the other two Hardham Cup matches, title favourites Northern United pulled away to beat a gallant Avalon 36-13 and Upper Hutt kept Rimutaka winless in 2013 with a 51-5 victory in their local derby at Maidstone Park.

Northern United scored six tries, including a hat-trick to left wing Aukuso Tuitavia, while seven individuals scored eight tries for Upper Hutt against Rimutaka. Nick Pearson scored two tries.

Upper Hutt have now won their last five matches and they host Norths in the Hardham Cup game of the round next week.

The MSP Blues won the U85 kg JC Bowl final against the Tawa Titans at Te Whaea. More to come.

In Women's Victoria Tavern matches, Northern United beat Avalon 41-9, Ories beat MSP-Poneke 83-0 and Wainuiomata defeated Old Boys University 25-15.

Norths and Ories are unbeaten on maximum points after two rounds, while Wainuiomata and OBU each have one win from two.

In the Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup, the two promoted teams from the first round's Senior 2 grade, Ories and HOBM sit atop the table and unbeaten after two rounds.

Ories earned their second successive bonus point win, beating Poneke 29-17, while HOBM defeated first round Harper Lock Shield side Wainuiomata 17-11.In three other close games, Paremata-Plimmerton and MSP drew 27-27, Petone beat Tawa 22-20 and Upper Hutt edged Norths 23-21.

In the Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup, the Wests Roosters made it two bonus point wins from two to start the second round, beating MSP 40-20.Avalon are also unbeaten after two matches, pipping Norths 22-17.

The other Senior 2 results were also extremely close, Johnsonville beating OBU 17-10, Poneke beating Stokes Valley 14-7 and Wainuiomata pipping Petone 15-14.

In Premier 1 First XV rugby, Scots College joined St Pat's Silverstream at the top of the table after beating Porirua College with a bonus point 40-20, Rongotai College squeezed past Hutt International Boys' School 18-17 and St Pat's College beat Naenae Collge 26-24.

St Pat's Town's win over Naenae College came courtesy of a last-gasp match winning dropped goal to Alex Ropeti for St Pat's. Both teams earned four-try bonus points in the match after St Pat's led 20-5 at halftime.