Eagles qualify top, but all teams still in playoff contention after day of drama

Above: Racing towards the semi-finals. Norths second five-eighth Konelio Feaunati dashes ahead to help his side book a home semi-final, and at the same time eliminate Johnsonville from the playoff race. Norths won 31-5.

Updated: The Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles have qualified top for a home Jubilee Cup semi-final and have won the Andy Leslie Trophy with a week to spare, and Wainuiomata have qualified inside the top four. But the other two semi-finalists still need to be found and all six other teams are all mathematically still in the playoff race after a dramatic penultimate round of matches today.

The competition's leading try scorer, left wing Chase Tiatia, flew in to score the Eagles' match winning try in injury time to see his side win 17-16 over defending champions Tawa and ensure that all eight teams are still in the hunt to make the semi-finals heading into next week's final round.

With the Hutt Rec clock showing past 80 minutes, Tawa was forced to ground in-goal when a kick found space and a hoard of HOBM attackers poured through. From the five-metre scrum, Tiatia found room on the blindside and scored his 14^th try of the season.

Other results today, on the first wet day of the season in Wellington club rugby, resulted in Marist St Pat's getting up to win over Wainuiomata 16-13,? Old Boys University defeating Petone 18-6 and a star-laden Oriental-Rongotai team smoking the Upper Hutt Rams 40-10.

Playing in his 150th match for the club, MSP first five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili stepped up to kick the match winning penalty over Wainuiomata with about five minutes to play. In a super-charged match throughout, both sides had scored converted tries and it had been all square at 7-7 at the break. Goal kicking decided the match, and fittingly it was Fili in his milestone appearance who won the game for the home side.

OBU made the decisive scoring plays of the contest midway through the second half with a penalty to give them an 11-6 lead and then, from the re-start, a try to left wing Te Wehi Wright, who sliced clean through a ruck, after prop Finbarr Kerr-Newell had made a powerful bust that was carried on by flanker Adam Hill hot in support. Previously, Petone had hammered away inside OBU's territory but last week's goal kicking hero Carne Green's boot ran cold and outstanding OBU lock and former Hurricane Ross Kennedy snaffled what could be his most important defensive lineout steal of the season in a particularly key passage of play.

Ories had the services of several of its star performers, who proved the difference against the Upper Hutt Rams. Ories opened up a 14-0 lead with tries to No. 8 Lucky Tuiatua and recent NZ Sevens player and replacement wing Ambrose Curtis. The Rams hit back with a try though the midfield and a penalty to close the gap to 10-14 at the turn. But it was all Ories from that point on. Fullback Matt Proctor, replacement flanker Ardie Savea and replacement hooker Motu Matu'u were all prominent.

The Jubilee Cup points table with a round to play reads: HOBM 25; Wainuiomata 18; OBU 15; MSP 14; Tawa 12; Ories 12; Upper Hutt Rams 11, Petone 10.

If you've got tickets to the football at Westpac Stadium on 26 July you better sell them this week. The Jubilee Cup semi-finals will be where its at that day.?

With a six-point buffer to fifth placed Tawa, Wainuiomata have joined their Hutt Valley counterparts the Eagles in the semi-finals, and they will be playing for a home semi-final next week. Of note, Wainuiomata hosts the Eagles at William Jones Park in next week's final round-robin match of the season.

All the other six teams are still in with a hope of making the playoffs on 26 July, a remarkable situation.

OBU and Marist St Pat's are the only other two teams that beat Wainuiomata to the punch and host home semi-finals.

The Old Boys University Fighting Goats showed all their battling qualities today to shut out Petone and they venture through the tunnel to play Marist St Pat's next week in their last round match.

The Upper Hutt Rams play Tawa at Maidstone Park and Petone hosts Ories in what will be virtual quarter-finals for these teams.

The situation in the Premier 2 Hardham Cup is significantly more clear-cut after today's matches.

All semi-finalists have been found. These are Northern United (on 26 points), Poneke (24), Wellington (20) and Avalon (19).

Defending Hardham Cup champions Northern United have booked themselves a home semi-final at Porirua Park after beating Johnsonville 31-5.

The defeat for Johnsonville (13) also means they miss out on the semi-finals. Any normal year and they would be relegated to Senior 1 status at the expense of Avalon. However, the WRFU competitions are under review and are likely to change next season.

Poneke beat Old Boys University B (5) 28-0, racing in to score their fourth and bonus point try with the last play of the match. Scores had been locked up at 0-0 until the stroke of halftime when Poneke finally clicked and centre Cole Stewart crossed for the first points of the match. The tenacious OBU second XV hung in there but Poneke crossed for three further tries to close out the match.

Poneke haven't quite booked themselves a home semi-final, being just a point ahead of the Axemen heading into the final round.

The Axemen enjoyed their biggest win of the season, over-running the MSP B side (5) 70-7. Wellington scored 10 tries, with wing Tony Smith, No. 8 Dean Brunsdon and first five-eighth Hilton Mexed all scoring braces. Mexted kicked all 10 conversions for a personal haul of 30 points.

Avalon defeated Paremata-Plimmerton (8) 20-9 in the other Hardham Cup match.

It was the sixth round of nine of the Senior 1 Ed Chaney Cup today, with Poneke's second XV striding out to a seven-point lead at the top of the standings in beating Wainuiomata 22-6.

Poneke head a group of four teams all within a point of each other. Petone are second after beating lower table Wellington 28-5, the Upper Hutt Rams are third after beating winless Ories 42-31 and Tawa beat fifth placed HOBM 22-15.

It was also the sixth round of nine of the Senior 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup this afternoon.

The HOBM third XV are the pacesetters in this grade, beating Stokes Valley and winning their sixth straight match, and Avalon are second after beating the Upper Hutt Rams 45-0. There's then an 8-point gap to third equal where OBU beat Petone 19-12, while Johnsonville firmed in the middle of the table after beating strugglers Norths 61-0.

Oriental-Rongotai accounted for Wainuiomata 36-5 in today's feature Victoria Tavern Trophy Women's fourth round match. Ories are now second behind leaders Norths on 15 points, with Wainuiomata on 13.

As expected, Norths grabbed their fourth straight bonus point win to move to 20 in defeating Stokes Valley 34-0.

OBU and Avalon are fourth equal on 10 points with respective bonus point wins today. OBU defeated Poneke-MSP 53-9 and Avalon defeated Tawa 67-0.

The OBU Women's team played a fantastic version of scrappy structured rugby while poneke struggled in the mud to get their best foot forward in their game. Opportunastic tries by OBU came from finding holes in Poneke's defensive line and capitalising on poneke lack of urgency for 50mins. Poneke Poneke stuck to their gameplan and toiled hard all match but were was just out-classed by a stronger and more cohesive outfit on the day.

With one round to play in the John E Kelly Cup Colts Division 1 competition, the OBU Green side have qualified top with a round to spare after beating Old Boys University Black 65-3.

HOBM Green and Norths have both qualified for the semi-finals along with OBU Green, but the fourth semi-finalist will be determined next week. HOBM beat MSP 29-0 and Norths beat Petone 20-7.

Fourth placed Petone failed to get a bonus point, so can still be caught by fifth placed Wellington who were defaulted to by the Wellington Axemen in their match.

Waikanae and the Tawa Titans are out in front on 17 points and unbeaten after four rounds of the Paul Potiki Shield U85kg Division 1 competition.

Waikanae beat the OBU Onslow Spartans 32-0 and the Titans beat Poneke 13-7.

The MSP Blues have already had their bye and have a game in hand, but beat Eastbourne 38-11 today.

The Upper Hutt Rams had their bye today, while down the table, Avalon beat the OBU Onslow Bunnie 20-15.

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