You are here
Home > Club Rugby > Axemen take down MSP, while HOBM and Poneke win three in a row

Axemen take down MSP, while HOBM and Poneke win three in a row

Petone halfback Logan Henry scoring against Norths in their 19-19 draw. PHOTO: NZ Lenz.

Swindale Shield Draws & Results HERE

UPDATED SUNDAY MORNING: The Wellington Axemen beating Marist St Pat’s and Hutt Old Boys Marist and Poneke sealing their third straight wins were three of the talking points of the third round of the Swindale Shield on a wet an wild Wellington afternoon today.

The Wellington Axemen caused a boilover at home at Hataitai Park, beating Marist St Pat’s 13-10.

The Axemen scored their only try of the match midway through the first half through first five-eighth Eremia Tapsell, while right wing Ollie Marshall had his kicking boots on and landed two penalties. This included a booming 50 metre effort soon after halftime which extended their halftime lead to 10-5. Left wing Wilie Schultz scored MSP’s first half try.

Later in the second half, MSP second five-eighth Isaia Petelo cut through to score a try to close the gap to 10-13, but he was to be sinbinned in the dying minutes and Wellington held on for a famous win. Hurricanes halfback Richard Judd was also instrumental in this victory for this Axemen with a big game.

Down the road at Kilbirnie Park, Poneke beat the Upper Hutt Rams 27-15 to register their third consecutive win and also win the Alby Makeham Shield.

After conceding a try to the Rams in the opening 90 seconds of the match, Poneke were to come back in the second half with the wind in their favour after the Rams had established a 12-5 lead at the break. Poneke led 20-15 late and secured a four-try bonus point at the end when No. 8 James Mose scored again.

At Nairnville Park, the HOBM Eagles lifted the Wood Cup off Old Boys University in an emphatic third straight win to start their season, winning 38-17.

The Eagles took a 14-7 lead midway through the first half through tries to left wing Salesi Rayasi and centre Jordan Bradbrook, but OBU came back to make it 14-14. OBU then kicked a penalty on the oranges to out them ahead 17-14 at the turnaround.

The Eagles continued to take the game to the Goats in the second half. Hitting back, a Fereti Soloa try on 60 minutes put them ahead 24-17 and they were able to finish strongly and take the five competition points.

At the Polo Ground, visitors Tawa held on to beat Oriental-Rongotai 22-19 and register a vital opening win of the season for themselves.

With the wind advantage, Tawa blasted to a 12-0 lead with tries to left wing Faraimo Nofoaiga and loose forward Folau Vea, extending this to 19-0 at the halftime interval when lock Jack Sturmey crossed the whitewash.

Ories had the wind in the second half, but it took 20 minutes for centre Malachai Unasa to score for them to cut the deficit to 19-7. The Magpies rallied from there, but Tawa had enough points in the bank to hold on and take the win for their supporters.

At the Petone Recreation Ground, nothing could separate Northern United and Petone after 80 minutes, the match ending in a 19-19 draw.

The two teams shaded each other throughout, Petone taking a 8-7 lead but Norths coming back with prolific try-scorer Luca Rees scoring one of his two tries to make it 14-13. Rees’ second try, following two to Petone’s left wing Mark Telea put Norths ahead 19-16, but a penalty a couple of minutes before fulltime to halfback Logan Henry made it a stalemate. Norths retained the Murray Henderston Trophy.

At Helston Park Paremata-Plimmerton emerged from the battle of the winless with the victory, edging Johnsonville 23-20.  Pare-Plim took a narrow 9-8 win into halftime through the boot of Hayden Saunders, before the lead swapped hand during the second half. Johnsonville took the initiative through a try to winger Tawera Rameka-Styles, before Stu Simonsen responded for the visitors. His equally veteran opposite, Hemi Remuera, then took the lead back for the hosts before Pare-Plim used a dominant scrum to give No8 Peni Taupau a pushover try. Johnsonville had their chances in the dying minutes, but a combination of stout defence and handling errors denied them.

At Fraser Park, visitors Wainuiomata spoiled Avalon’s 40th anniversary celebrations with the biggest win of the day in the Swindale Shield – winning 33-3 and taking home the Anthony Waldrom Trophy.

Wainuiomata took advantage of a dominant scrum and an error-ridden Wolves side to score five tries. All five tries were scored from first or second phase off attacking scrums.

Playing into the wind and rain that picked up just as the game got underway, Wainuiomata set the tone by scoring through No. 8 Ben Tupuola from the set-piece.

The Wolves could count themselves unlucky not to score the game’s next try, but a kick and chase was knocked back over the deadline line rugby league style by midfidler Michael Lealava’a, who was also sin-binned. A penalty to lock and captain Daniel Smith followed, but that was close as they came.

Wainuiomata veteran halfback Uale Mai scored on halftime to make it 12-3 at halftime, and the green and blacks scored twice more soon after the break to push them out to 26-3. John Monu sliced through with a few minutes to play to seal the game.

The curtain-raiser to this match saw Wainuiomata win 22-19, with first five-eighth TJ Va’a scoring one try and setting up another at the end in a come from behind win.

In other curtain-raiser Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield matches around the grounds, MSP and Tawa both made it three bonus point wins from three. MSP beat Wellington 57-5 and Tawa defeated Ories 37-17.

The Upper Hutt Rams beat Poneke 29-20, Johnsonville beat Paremata-Plimmerton 26-5, Norths defeated Petone 39-5 and OBU comfortably beat HOBM’s second team, 64-12.

Women’s Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy

Women’s competition Draws & Results HERE

The Hutt Old Boys Marist Lady Eagles got off to the perfect start without leaving their nest, beating Poneke by default.

The three matches that went ahead on the Gala Day resulted in bonus point wins to defending champions Northern United, Oriental-Rongotai and Paremata-Plimmerton.

Northern United picked up from where they left off last season with a dominant 66-0 win over Marist St Pat’s. The Norths forwards were powerful and committed all match and will be hard to stop again this year.

On the adjacent field, last year’s runners-up Ories defeated Petone 46-24. It took Ories left wing Ayesha Leti—L’iga 10 minutes to score her first try of the season and she was to cross for two in the first half. Petone were competitive and enjoyed several long spells pressing Ories on attack. Their four tries were split between flanker Fai Auimatagi, halfback Milly Mackey, centre Sieni Mose and first five-eighth Accacia Te Iwimate.

On the No.1 field at Ngatitoa Domain, home side Paremata-Plimmerton enjoyed a solid first up 38-12 victory over the Old Boys University Impalas. Paremata-Plimmerton’s inside backs, first five-eighth Lesina Obeda and second five-eighth Sherri Burgess (and former OBU player) ran hard at the Impalas line all morning and into the afternoon.

Les Mills Colts

Paris Memorial Trophy Colts Draws & Results HERE 

Last year’s Colts championship winners Old Boys University Green got their Les Mills Paris Memorial Trophy campaign off to a winning start with a 27-0 win over Hutt OId Boys Green.

In the remaining games Norths saw of neighbours Tawa 41-17, MSP made no race of things against Pare-Plim 51-6, while Petone edged the Upper Hutt Rams 31-27 in a tight match at Maoribank Park.

Petone won by scoring a 79th minute try and then withstanding a frantic final flourish by the Junior Rams.

In Division 2 Colts clashes, the Avalon Colts beat the Wainuiomata Colts 43-24 in front of the new Ricoh Sports Centre at Fraser Park. Poneke accounted for Johnsonville 56-10 and Ories beat the Axemen 68-0 in the other opening weekend fixture.

U85kg JC Bowl

A worrying three defaults and one thrashing in six games to start the U85kg JC Bowl competition.

MSP beat the OBU Spartans outfit by default, the HOBM Howlers beat the Johnsonville Terrahawks by default and the Wellington Light Axemen beat Petone by default.

The Paraparaumu team beat the Wests Roosters 88-3.

In the other two matches, last years first round champions the Avalon Wolves beat Eastbourne 10-0, while the Upper Hutt Rams accounted for the other OBU team 32-7.

Elsewhere, St Pat’s Town beat Marlborough Boys’ College 22-7, while the Reserve and First Grade competitions were in their first weeks of grading rounds.

 

Similar Articles

Leave a Reply

Top