Preview: More questions to be answered in second round

The opening round of the season is in the books, and as alluded to in this column last week it perhaps raised more questions than answers for the twelve Premier sides. Week two is a chance for teams to build on or atone for last week, but just over the horizon is Derby Day, followed by a period of three games in eight days over Easter and Anzac weekends.

In the only game that pits opening-round winners against each other, the Upper Hutt Rams welcome Marist St Pat's to Maidstone Park in the Club Rugby Extra Time game of the week. The Rams debut was a memorable one as they dispatched Old Boys University 22-8, and will look to keep that momentum going. In recording their first opening day win since 2011 MSP never really seemed threatened by a dogged Northern United side but also didn't look like they had put them completely away until scoring their third try late on, so a more cohesive and disciplined performance will be sought this time out. Two head-to-head matchups to look forward to in this game; one between a pair of counter-attacking fullbacks in the Rams Jordan Simpson-Heft and the Scarlets Andrew Wells, while opensides Murphy Taramai (Rams) and Issac O'Connor (MSP) both picked up Billy Wallace Best & Fairest points last week and will do battle at the breakdown.

Tawa sent out an ominous warning with its scoring spree over Hutt Old Boys Marist last week. This week they remain at home at Lyndhurst where Wainuiomata are the visitors and the Bill Brien Challenge Cup is once again at stake, along with the Chris Stirling Cup the two clubs play for. Tawa didn't have it all their own way last week, but were clinical when chances presented themselves and scored points in bunches. Wainuiomata held Ories to a draw at the Polo Ground, but may feel that they let the chance to start the year with a win away from home slip through their fingers. With both sides looking to play expansive rugby, this game could be non-stop action.

Petone make their first appearance on the Rec this year when they host Old Boys-University. The Villagers recorded a comfortable first-up win away against Wellington, and will be looking for their first win at home since Round 9 of the Swindale Shield last year when they toppled MSP. OBU will be disappointed with their performance against Upper Hutt and an improvement will be sought by coaches Phil Proctor and Ray MacDonald this week.

The two sides will contest the Marc Verhoeven Memorial Trophy, named for the former Wellington captain who played lock for both OBU and Petone and captained the latter to Jubilee Cup success in 1990; before his untimely death following surgery in Australia in 2011 aged 50. OBU are the holders, having won last year 63-28 in a game that was played at Wellington College.

Poneke are back in the familiar surroundings of Kilbirnie Park this week, where they will take on Hutt Old Boys Marist with the interclub Roy John Trophy, after the 1940s and 50s Hutt halfback/first five-eighth, at stake. The Red and Blacks were the only team to go tryless in round one with the boot of Mike Cody to thank in getting them past Johnsonville, so crossing the whitewash this week will be something they'll want to achieve. The Eagles must have wondered just what hit them last week at Lyndhurst Park and will feel that the final score didn't do their efforts any justice at all, giving that they had the run of play for much of the first half.

The Wellington Axemen will make the short trip east around Evans Bay to Miramar to face Oriental-Rongotai at the Polo Ground. Ories were made to work for a comeback draw at the same venue last week by Wainuiomata, and while they perhaps will look for any easier time of it this week, that may not be the case. Although they went down at home to Petone in their first Swindale game since 2002, Wellington were missing a number of players who were away with the IRANZ team in Hong Kong and should have those players, including No8 Vaea Fifita and openside recruit Dean Brunsdon available to them this week.? The match will also see the Alby Jack Memorial Cup at stake between the two clubs for the first time since 2012, when it was played at Senior 2 level.

The final match of the round is at Helston Park, where home side Johnsonville faces Northern United. Johnsonville went down to Poneke last week, but a gritty performance saw them score the only try of the contest and salvage a bonus point. Norths had no such luck against MSP, where they didn't take advantage of opportunities that presented themselves until the last moments of the match. Both sides will be eager to notch their first win of the season and with it the Barlow Trophy that the two clubs contest.

All Premier matches are at the usual kickoff time of 3.00 pm.

Senior 1 and Senior 2

In Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield matches the early kickoffs see first round winners Upper Hutt Rams face Marist St Pat's and Tawa host Wainuomata, while opening round losers Petone and Old Boys-University square off. The match of the round may be at the Polo Ground where Oriental-Rongotai welcomes Avalon, with both teams having recorded convincing first-up wins.? The two 3.00 pm games see the Wests Roosters again at home in the Ian Galloway Cage - this time up against Norths second side, while Paremata-Plimmerton, who had a convincing win against Wests, make their first appearance on Ngatitoa Domain with Hutt Old Boys Marist the visitors.

The National Mutual Cup Senior 2 matches are 1.15 pm kickoffs with Wests hosting Wellington, Poneke against HOBM, Upper Hutt face MSP, Petone take on OBU and Johnsonville play Norths, assuming the latter can field a team this week. The remaining game is at 3pm with Stokes Valley on home turf at Delaney Park against neighbours Avalon with the Roger Mildenhall Cup between the two clubs on the line.?? ?

Colts/Under 85kg

This weekend also sees the start of the competitive season in both Colts and Under 85kg with grading games ahead of the competition proper. The Colts competition has 20 entries with OBU fielding three teams and Upper Hutt and Petone two each; there is also again a Kapiti-based team plus a team entered by Levin club Rahui. The ever-popular Under 85kg grade has 19 teams entered including one from the Waikanae club, with the Marist St Pats Blues side looking to add yet another JC Bowl/Paul Potiki Shield double.?

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