Ories and Petone stay in contention with clutch wins

Oriental-Rongotai and Petone both went into today’s fourth round of the Jubilee Cup needing wins to keep themselves in semi-final contention, and both delivered with bonus point wins over previously unbeaten opposition.

In a pair of exciting Championship round-robin matches, Ories beat Tawa 32-27 on Lyndhurst Park and Petone ended Wainuiomata‘s seven-game winning streak to win 33-22 at home at the Petone Recreation Ground.

The Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles defeated visitors Poneke 44-26 at the Hutt Recreation Ground in the third match, while Northern United had the bye.

These three results mean there are no unbeaten teams left in the Jubilee Cup, with three rounds to play before the 2019 semi-finals.

The Jubilee Cup points table after the opening month of play reads: Wainuiomata 13, HOBM 11, Norths 10, Tawa 10, Ories 6, Petone 6, Poneke 6.

Petone captain Jarrod Adams was a key figure in his side’s win over Wainuiomata, The midfielder was sin-binned early in the second half and in his absence Wainuiomata scored their third try to close the game up to 19-17. He returned to score a try to give his side a buffer, followed by centre Willie Fine crossing for his second try that proved to be the match-winner.

Earlier, Wainuiomata had withstood a withering early Petone assault to score the game’s first two tries to lead 12-0. Fullback Josh Robertson-Weepu scored first and then laid in a second to lock Bevan Clark. Petone came roaring back with tries to wing Sam Blackburn and No . 8 Tupou Sopoaga to lock it up at 12-12, before going ahead with Fine’s first try when he latched on to a Carne Green kick and chase.

Left wing Ruben Va’a scored a hat-trick and right wing Tuga Mativa scored one try as Ories beat Tawa in a thriller at Lyndhurst Park. But it was Tawa that scored the game’s first try, one minute into the match, when No. 8 Folau Vea off-loaded to flying fullback PJ Iosefo to put the home side up 7-0. Ories fought back to take a 17-8 lead into halftime and then scored a key try to Mativa after a booming break by flyhalf Trent Renata.

Tawa fought hit back with back-to-back tries, to halfback Kemara Hauiti-Parapara and front rower Sitiveni Paongo, the former scoring from a similar break from a long-range scrum by centre Pepesana Patafilo and the latter from the penalty and lineout drive in the corner. Sam Clarke’s sideline conversion made it 22-22. Ories got back in front with a Renata penalty and then Va’a crossed for the match-winner after halfback Hinckley Siaosi collected a high kick and took off up the shortside.

Poneke scored the game’s first try at the Hutt Rec, No. 8 Greg Foe galloping 40 metres to cross the whitewash. HOBM struck back with a try to fullback Brandyn Laursen to move ahead 7-5, a lead that they would never relinquish. The run of play remained tight, before prop Brett Manaia crossed to double their lead and then Laursen kicked a penalty to see the Eagles turn with a 17-5 lead.

The Eagles then surged ahead to 24-5 just after the break with their third try, and then scored again on 50 minutes to make it 31-5. Another try made it 38-5, before Poneke broke out from deep inside their own territory to score twice on the trot. One more try made it 38-19, but HOBM sealed their win with two late penalties.

In the Premier 2 Hardham Cup, there was a draw and two comfortable wins.

At Ngati Toa Domain, Paremata-Plimmerton drew 25-25 with the Avalon Wolves on their Old Timers’ Day, while the Wellington Axemen surged to their third straight bonus point win in beating Johnsonville 53-15 at Helston Park and Marist St Pat’s put away the Upper Hutt Rams 59-22.

Paremata-Plmmerton fought back from 3-17 down to score two converted tries on either side of halftime to draw level 17-17. Avalon kicked a penalty to move ahead 20-17, and then scored another try to go ahead 25-17. Paremata-Plimmerton came back with a penalty and a try but neither side was able to break the deadlock before 80 minutes was up.

The Axemen out-scored Johnsonville seven tries to two at Helston Park, with seven different try-scorers crossing the whitewash. Wing Ollie Marshall continued his strong form, scoring 23 points, made up of a try, six conversions and two penalties. The Axemen led 32-8 at halftime.

At Maoribank Park, the Upper Hutt Rams opened the scoring with a penalty, but from there it was largely one-way traffic in favour of visitors Marist St Pat’s. Bouncing back from their loss to OBU last week, MSP steadily moved ahead and eventually won the match nine tries to three. Wing three-quarter Faresa Tasale enjoyed freedom out wide and crossed for four tries. Isaia Petelo scored two tries. Right wing Todd Svenson (2) and flanker Josh Dewar scored the Rams’ tries.

The four Women’s matches saw Ories beat Old Boys University 45-5 and Norths beat Petone 58-12 in the top flight Tia Paasi Memorial Trophy, while Wainuiomata beat Poneke 22-5 and Paremata-Plimmerton defeated HOBM 36-7. MSP had the bye.

The Division 1 Colts grade remains tight through four of seven rounds. The Tawa Colts beat Ories 44-31 in a rollicking affair at Redwood Park, in a match that saw Tawa score two early tries before losing a player to the sinbin and Ories coming back to draw level with two of their own. Tawa crossed twice more before the break to see them leading 26-14. They kept their noses in front in the second spell.

Tawa are joined at the top of the John E Kelly Cup Memorial table on 15 points by HOBM Green who defeated Marist St Pat’s 40-17. Norths are third after beating Paremata-Plimmerton 59-18, with OBU Green back in fourth after beating up Petone 69-12.

The Upper Hutt Rams Colts and Poneke are both on 15 points at the top of the Division 2 Colts table after securing maximum points today. The Rams edged Wainuiomata 17-10, while Poneke beat OBU Black by default. Wellington beat Johnsonville 36-12.

In the Ed Chaney Cup Premier Reserve Division 1, Petone maintained their lead, beating Wainuiomata 62-5. Tawa beat Ories 44-22 in the early fixture on Lyndhurst Park and Poneke also reversed their Premier’s result by overcoming HOBM 37-22.

In Division 2 Premier Reserve, MSP maintained their unbeaten record by easing past the Upper Hutt Rams 58-17, Johnsonville beat Wellington 28-17 in a reversal of the main game that followed and Paremata-Plimmerton beat Avalon 47-32 at Ngati Toa Domain.

The leading two teams from the first round opened their second round U85kg Paul Potiki Shield round, with Avalon beating the HOBM Howlers 16-9 and the Upper Hutt Rams overcoming Paraparaumu 33-17.

In Premiership First XV fixtures today, Scots College again signaled that they are a team to beat this year, slaying Wellington College 59-20.

St Pat’s Town were also comfortable winners this afternoon, beating St Bernard’s College 53-5.

Rongotai College blanked Kapiti College 36-0, Wairarapa College saw off a competitive Hutt International Boys’ School side 43-20 and St Pat’s Silverstream were able to beat Aotea College 20-6.

In Premier 2, Porirua College beat Silverstream’s second XV 42-24, Mana College beat Rongotai College second XV 36-14, Tawa College overcame Wainuiomata High School 43-27, Upper Hutt College beat HVHS 45-31 and Taita and St Pat’s Town second XV met.

In Premier 3, Paraparaumu College beat Onslow College 29-14, Heretaunga beat Aotea’s second XV 63-7 and the Wellington College second XV toppled the St Pat’s Town second XV 73-7.