Wellington College and Wellington Pride headline this weekend?s rugby

UPDATED: The start of the Women’s NPC for the Wellington Pride and a national First XV semi-final for Wellington College are two features of representative matches involving Wellington teams on Saturday.

The Wellington Pride open their season in the South Island with a trip to Dunedin to play Otago, while Wellington College are playing to extend their season for another week and to host the national First XV final the following Saturday.

Wellington College will go into their Top Four clash in Rotorua against Hamilton Boys’ High School as underdogs but with nothing to lose against the crack Waikato school who won this tournament in 2008 and 2009 and are regular participants.

Wellington College head into this semi-final without injured first five-eighth Pakaitore Turia, bringing Kemara Hauiti-Parapara into the pivot position. Should Wellington College prevail they will likely do it through the forwards as Hamilton’s strength is their backs and the expansive style of play that has seen them run most teams off their feet this year.

As well as playing for the right to host the final next week, against either St Kent’s of Auckland and Otago Boys’ High School, the two teams as also playing for the prestigious? Moascar Cup which is the Ranfurly Shield of New Zealand Secondary Schools rugby. The Moascar Cup hasn’t been in Wellington for 40 years when St Pat’s Silverstream won it off Wellington College who had captured it the previous year,1972, off Wanganui Collegiate. Hamilton BHS won it earlier this year when they beat Auckland Grammar School 26-20.

Hamilton BHS have won 15 of 16 matches this year, their only loss being 18-24 to Auckland’s King’s College in their first game of the season. They won the Super 8 competition by scoring four or more tries in every game. They have scored 609 points and conceded 192. Players to watch include former Wellington College pupil and fullback Te Raina Richards-Coxhead, first five-eigthh Bryn Gatland (Warren’s son) and Samuel Chongkit. They accounted for Tauranga Boys’ HS 39-9 in last week’s Chiefs semi-final.

Wellington College overcame Napier 22-15 last week to be the Hurricanes representative in the Top Four for the sixth time, after previous visits there in 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2008. They have never won it but made the final in 1995 and 2000. Wellington College’s season record is 18 wins and three losses from 21 games. They have scored 631 points and conceded 284.

In matches in Wellington this week, the Wellington Maori take on the Wellington U20s in the feature match at Porirua Park at 2.00 pm. In the early contest at Porirua Park at 12.00 pm the Wellington U16 Development side play a Norths Development team.

The Wellington Maori Colts side plays Horowhenua Kapiti B in the RDO Cup competition? at Waikanae Park at 12.30 pm. This match is the curtain-raiser to Horowhenua Kapiti’s Heartland Championship fixture against King Country. Down the road at Kapiti College, the Wellington U16A team play the Horowhenua Kapiti U18s.

The Wellington Development XV meets Manawatu Maori in Feilding at 2.30 pm.

Teamlists:

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Wellington College:

1.?Mesake Qalovaki
2.??Leni Apisai
3.?Tristan Fuli
4.?Benjamin Tuiomanufili
5. Matthew Eathorne
6.?James Blackwell
7.?Joe Scott
8.??Nelson Asofa-Solomona
9.?Luke Higgins
10.?Kemara Hauiti-Parapara
11.??Arthur Crawford
12.?Wesley Goosen
13.?Pepesana Patafilo
14.?Dante Matakatea
15.?Tamati Hauraki-Tyrell

?RESERVES
16.?Te Wharerangi Kea
17.?Tao Roi Lupo
18.?Michael Bryan
19.?Brad Forster
20. Sam Baker-Leota
21.?Jack Green
22. Jack Hocking

Wellington Maori

1. Ryan Nepia
2. Doug Jones
3. Kenny Anderson
4. Richard Wasley
5. Andrew Burne
6. Arapeta Nikora
7.Tane Parata
8. Mykel Herewini
9. Campbell Woodmass
10. John Monu
11. Eden Monu
12. Te Kahu Paku
13. Deina Morete
14. Jason Love
15. Randall Bishop

RESERVES
16. Jo Hopkins
17. Manessa Winerra
18. Ainsley Mei
19. Rakaai Maxwell
20. Eamon Tauwhiwhirangi
21. Taylor Henry
22. Graeme Upto
23. Mike Williams
24. James Solomon

Wellington Development (starting XV - subject to change):

1.?????? Donal McNamara
2.?????? Poasa Poasa
3.?????? Whetu Henry
4.?????? James Wall
5.?????? Vaea Fafita
6.?????? Presley Tufuga
7.?????? Isaac O’Conner
8.?????? Ian Kennedy
9.?????? Kayne Hammington
10.?? Brandyn Laursen
11.?? Afa Fa’atau
12.?? Nick Grigg
13.?? Marvin Karawana
14.?? Hayden Whelan
15.?? Tau Mamea

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U20s (starting XV):

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15?? Andrew Wells; 14??? LA Moimoi? 13?? Aukuso Tuitavia??? ?? 12?????? Jackson Garden-Bachop??? ?? 11?????? Tauasosi Tuimavave??? ????? 10??? Aviata Silago??? ?? 9??? Luke Campbell??? ?? 8?????? Cameron Ross??? ?? 7?????? Francis McKeefry??? ?? 6??? Gabe Papuni??? ?? 5????? Taamilo Va’a??? ?? 4?? Zac Power ?? 3??? Eti Sului??? ?? 2??? James O’Reilly??? ?? 1??? Donald Brighouse??? ?

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