Cocktail of college, club, representative and international rugby tomorrow

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Above: Wellington Samoans first five-eighth Fa’atonu Fili gets a pass way in last week’s match against the Wellington U20s. The Wellington Samoans will field several familiar players tomorrow against the Wellington Development side, including Fili, Samoans Sevens captain Afa Aiono, Genesis Mamea, Wellington club Best & Fairest winner Sam Tui and James So’oialo ahead of his departure next week to Connacht in Ireland.

If you like rugby there’s something for everyone in Wellington tomorrow.

From? the opening kick-off of the first five matches at college Finals Day at St Pat’s Silverstream at 10.00 am to the fulltime whistle at Westpac Stadium in the Bledisloe Cup Test between the All Blacks and Australia, there’s almost 12 hours of near-continuous rugby to look forward to.

As well as college finals day, there’s two representative matches in Wellington involving three local teams,? several lower club rugby finals and semi-finals, a full round of President’s grade rugby and for good measure an international club match at Prince of Wales Park at 11.00 am between the OBU Colts team and a visiting Australian student team from New England University in northern NSW.

Club Rugby

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HD Morgan Senior 2 final

Old Boys University and Johnsonville contest the Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup final at Nairnville Park at 2.30 pm.

This is a match between the second placed finishers at the end of the round-robin (OBU) and the fourth (Johnsonville) and both will? be desperate to win. In last week’s semi-finals, OBU ended Avalon’s season 19-3 at Nairnville and Johnsonville upset top qualifier the Wests Roosters 20-17 in an extra time thriller further up the road at Ian Galloway Park.

In fact, Johnsonville’s Senior 2 are riding a wave at the moment after stuttering along to win just one from their first five games played in the second round, before a stunning reversal of form saw them win three in a row and then take 3 points from an abandoned match against MSP to sneak into the semi-finals. Like last week against Wests, Johnsonville head into this match as underdogs but OBU won’t see it that way, especially given Johnsonville’s only win in the first? half of the competition was a 17-10 victory over the Billy Goats.

Johnsonville, who have three sets of brothers and two sets of cousins in their team, are also playing to win a trophy presented by one of their own. Johnsonviile’s HD Morgan was a Wellington Rugby administrator from 1926-1962 and a Life Member. He died in 1967 and the trophy was subsequently presented in his honour.

The two teams for the Senior 2 final are:

Old Boys University:

1. Mike Lui; 2. Phil Kauika; 3. Simon de Rose (Captain); 4. Dan Webster; 5. Sam Walker; 6. Scott Arnold; 7. Steve Aki; 8. Corey Burgess; 9. Hayden Gore; 10. Jack Hawkins; 11. Kevin Lee; 12. Dan Toleafoa; 13. Moses Fruean; 14. Sam Kepes; 15. Stanley Chung; 16.Phil Worner; 17. Jamie Dale; 18. Jacob Bailey; 19. David Pearce; 20. Simon Malu; 21. Matt Summerell; 22. George Vaeau. Coaches: Matt Anderson, Hamish Vance and Robert Vance. Managers: Marc Mirlyaz nd Brandon Anderson

Johnsonville:

1. Daniel Fletcher; 2. Zion Malolua; 3. Meyer Peteli; 4. Pat Atkinson; 5. Isaac Matthews; 6. Ben Lambert (Captain); 7. Morgan Kennedy; 8. Nick Binet (top try scorer, 9 tries); 9. Aaron Franklin; 10. Scott Mudgway; 11. Hayden (Gore) Rodgers; 12. Anthony Hay; 13. Tekaha (TK) Paku; 14. Ryan Selkirk; 15. Brian Wolley; 16. Hayden Compton; 17. George Faletolu; 18. Daniel Pickersgill; 19. Andrew Mitchell; 20. Logan Atkinson; 21. Mone Vitale; 22. Ethan Rikihana. Coaches: Matt Pervan and Tane Solomon

Colts Division 2 final

OBU have the chance to win two trophies in as many hours if they capture the Colts Division 2 trophy in the curtain-raiser to the Senior 2 final at Nairnville Park at 12.30 pm.

OBU’s Black team (apparently not funded by the NZRU, despite their name) take on Tawa in the Colts Division 2 Vic Calcanai Cup. If OBU win it will be a one-two for the club in the two top U21 grades after their Division 1 Green side took out the main event on finals day three weeks ago. For Tawa, more silverware beckons in what’s already been a vintage season for the club.

OBU beat Tawa 29-24 when these two teams met in round-robin play three weeks ago, with Tawa out scoring OBU four tries to three but OBU kicking their way to victory.

In last week’s semi-finals, second placed qualifier OBU overcame third placed HOBM Red 11-7 while fourth placed Tawa toppled top qualifier Upper Hutt 30-15.

Reserve Grade Division 1 Final

The Reserve Grade Division 1 final at Kilbirnie Park at 2.30 pm is a local derby between home side the Poneke Ruffnuts and the MSP Internationals from across the road at Evans Bay Park.

This will be the second successive final in this grade between these two teams, after MSP beat Poneke last year. This year their rivalry has reached new heights, with Poneke winning their first round match 25-20 and prevailing again in the second round, 26-19. Poneke are also gunning for their first win in four straight final appearances.

In last week’s semi-finals, top qualifier Poneke maimed the Johnsonville Cripples 36-15 ad the MSP Internationals sunk the OBU Bergs 30-0.

Paul Potiki Memorial Shield semi-finals

The semi-finals of the U85 kg Paul Potiki Memorial Shield are tomorrow, with playoff matches at Lyndhurst Park and Evans Bay Park.

In beating the MSP Blues 14-11 last week, the Tawa Titans qualified top and they will host the Onslow OBU Spartans in one semi-final at Lyndhurst Park and the defending champions MSP Blues will welcome 1930s Jubilee Cup contenders Eastbourne on to Evans Bay Park. Both U85 kg playoffs are 2.30 pm kick-offs.

Johnsonville Centennium Cup Semi-Finals

The semi-finals of the Senior 3 Johnsonville Centennium Cup sees two teams from Hutt Old Boys Marist and one each from Petone and Wellington involved.

Top qualifier the HOBM Barbarians swept to eight consecutive victories in the round-robin stage of the competition, including a 21-20 win over the Wellington Axemen just last weekend whom they play in one semi-final at the Hutt Recreation Ground at 2.30 pm.

This will be preceded by the minor semi-final at the same venue as the curtain raiser at 12.30 pm between the HOBM Originals and third placed Petone. In their round-robin match back in mid-June, the HOBM Originals defeated Petone 28-19.

Representative Rugby

The two representative matches being played in Wellington involve two local teams going head to head and an inter-provincial clash. A third match is in Taupo. These fixtures are:

• Wellington Development v Wellington Samoans, Lyndhurst Park at 1.00 pm

• Wellington Maori v Manawatu Maori, Helston Park at 12.30 pm???
• Wellington U20 v Waikato U20 at Taupo at 1.00 pm

The Wellington Development team is (starting XV):

1. Steve Fa’atau; 2. Poasa Poasa; 3. Taniela Koroi; 4. Shahn Eru; 5. James Wall; 6. Issac O’Connor; 7. Mateaki Kafatolu; 8. Andrew McWhirter; 9. Kayne Hammington; 10. Hamish Buick; 11. Ambrose Curtis; 12. Marvin Karawana; 13. Paulo Aukoso; 14. Te Wehi Wright; 15. Hayden Whelan

The Wellington Samoans team is (starting XV):

1. Soti Faamausili; 2. Valentine Meacham; 3. Elijah Fonoti (Captain); 4. Fala Tuala; 5. Sam Tui; 6. Josh Hunt; 7. Murphy Taramai; 8. Genesis Mamea; 9. Simon Tevita; 10; Fa’atonu Fili; 11. Joyner Key; 12. Isaia Petelo; 13. Afa Aiono; 14. Alfred Pelenise; 15. James So’oialo

The Wellington Maori team is:

1. Kenny Anderson; 2. Jo Hopkins; 3. Ryan Nepia; 4. Arapeta Nikora; 5. Yanni Hilder; 6. Ainsley Mei; 7. TJ Fermanis; 8. Tane McMillian-Parata; 9. Campbell Woodmass; 10. Deina Morete; 11. Jason Love; 12. Eden Monu; 13. Daley Harper; 14. Tawera Styles; 15. Randall Bishop; 16. Doug Jones; 17. Ryan Nepia; 18. Jamie Norman; 19. Eamon Tawhiwhirangi; 20. Taylor Henry; 21. Graeme Upton; 22. Louis Karl

The Wellington U20 team is (24 players for this match):

1. Donald Brighhouse; 2. Zeke Sopoaga; 3. Eti Sului; 4. Nick Harrison; 5. Eduan Struwig; 6. Taamilo Va’a; 7. Jordie Maxey; 8. Dylan Hayes; 9. Luke Campbell; 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop; 11. Andrew Ellis; 12. Tyler Tane; 13. Aukuso Tuitavia; 14. Sosi Tuimavave; 15. Andrew Wells; 16. James O’Reilly; 17. Saio Salevao; 18. Gabe Papuni; 19. Cameron Ross; 20. Issac Marriner; 21. Aviata Silago; 22. Siosi Finau; 23. Adam Stewart; 24. Zac Power