HOBM hosting the Spillane Cup this weekend

This weekend’s New Zealand Marist Spillane Cup tournament being hosted by the Hutt Old Boys Marist club at the Hutt Recreation Ground features Senior and Colts club teams from nine clubs around the country.

The Spillane (Division? 1), Ham Cumming (Division 2), Brennan (Division 3) and Moran (Colts) Cups will be contested by teams from Auckland, Hamilton, Hastings, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Christchurch and Wellington (both HOBM and Marist St Pat’s).

First round games are being played on Saturday starting at 11.00 am, 12.45 pm, and 2.30 pm. The finals are played on Sunday at 9.30am, 11.00am, and 12.30 pm.

Senior and Colts games on the Hutt Rec will be made up of four 20 minute quarters. The winners of Saturday’s matches will progress to the second round of the Tournament on Sunday while the losers move into the Plate Section.

The Liston Cup for Presidents teams will be played at North Park over two 20 minute halves, between Tukapa of New Plymouth, HOBM, MSP and Wellington club the Wests Roosters, with games at 11.00 am, 12.00 noon, 1.00pm, and 2.00 pm on Saturday.

HOBM has won the Spillane Cup for the last four years and is thus gunning for a five-peat on home soil in 2014. Last year HOBM defeated Auckland Marist 33-12 in the final of the tournament that was hosted by the Greerton Marist club in the Bay of Plenty. HOBM’s previous three consecutive finals wins were over MSP in 2012 (20-7), Napier Old Boys Marist in 2011 (66-17) and MSP again in 2010 (26-18).

MSP are returning in 2014 after not competing in last year’s tournament and are playing in the Ham Cumming Cup.

As well as rugby, a netball tournament is also being played. Saturday night festivities at the Angus Inn include a New Zealand Marist’s Got Talent competition and other music and entertainment. Tournament rugby and netball teams will be announced on Saturday evening.

About the Spillane Cup:

The Spillane Cup was donated in 1926 by the late Mr. C. I. Spillane and from 1926-1929 and was contested annually between Wanganui and Wellington. In 1930 Hamilton issued a challenge to then holders Wellington and the Spillane tournament was started - Wellington beating Hamilton 29-21. Auckland entered in 1931, Napier in 1932 and Gisborne in 1933. In 1935, eight teams entered and the following year it was split into two sections, the first section of four playing for the Spillane Cup and the second section for the Brennan Cup. The Moran and Ham Cumming Cups were subsequently instituted.

The Spillane Tournament was originally played over the long Easter Weekend. A round of matches was played on Easter Saturday followed by a formal Dinner/Dance on Saturday night. Sunday featured a Tournament Mass followed other sporting and social events in the afternoon and evening. Final matches for all divisions were held on Easter Monday. The advent of professional rugby and the scheduling by most unions of regular club rugby competitions over Easter brought the tournament forward to early March.

Tournament draw

Hutt Recreation Ground Saturday:

11.00 am
Game 1 - Moran Cup HOBM v Hamilton Marist (field 1)
Game 2 - Moran Cup MSP v Auckland Marist (field 2)

12.45 pm
Game 3 – Spillane Cup Tukapa v Marist Albion Christchurch (field 1)
Game 4 – Ham Cumming Cup HOBM [2] v Hastings Rugby and Sports (field 2)
Game 5 – Brennan Cup MSP [2] v Wanganui (field 3)

2.30 pm
Game 6 - Spillane Cup HOBM [1] v Auckland Marist (field 1)
Game 7 – Ham Cumming Cup MSP [1] v Palmerston North Marist (field 2)

North Park Saturday:

11.00 am
Liston Cup President’s HOBM v Wests

12.00 pm
Liston Cup President’s Tukapa v MSP

1.00 pm
Liston Cup President’s loser game 1 v loser game 2

2.00 pm
Liston Cup President’s winner game 1 v winner game 2

Hutt Recreation Ground Sunday:

9.30 am
Moran Cup winner game 1 v winner game 2 (field 1)
Moran Cup loser game 1 v loser game 2 (field 2)

11.00 am
Spillane Cup loser game 3 v loser game 6 (field 1)
Ham Cumming Cup loser game? 4 v loser game 7 (field 2)
Brennan Cup winner game 5 v HOBM [3] (field 3)

12.30 pm
Spillane Cup winner game 3 v winner 6 (field 1)
Ham Cumming Cup wnner game 4 v winner game 7 (field 2)

Draw subject to change.

?