Last round of Hurricanes U18s competition, final Development team match and Ranfurly Shield challenge tomorrow

UPDATED: The Hurricanes Youth Council’s U18 competition is finely poised heading into this weekend’s third and final round of matches, heading into next week’s Finals Day.

Added to the mix, the scheduled eight-team competition at the start of the term has been further reduced, with Wairarapa-Bush joining Manawatu in withdrawing from the Trustbank Secondary School Shield.

This leaves the three Wellington teams, Hawke’s Bay, Poverty Bay, Whanganui and Horowhenua-Kapiti in the mix for the 1 v 2, 3 v 4 and 5 v 6 Finals Day games next weekend.

Both Poverty Bay and Whanganui have been awarded maximum competition points this weekend as a consequence of defaults.

The points table heading into tomorrow’s games is thus: Poverty Bay 11 (played 3), Wellington Māori 10, Wellington Samoans 10, Wellington, Hawke’s Bay Saracens 10, Whanganui 6 (played 3), Wellington Centurions 5, Horowhenua-Kapiti 0, Wairarapa-Bush 0 (withdrawn).

The top-two teams to compete for the Shield tomorrow won’t be known before fulltime tomorrow – the Hawke’s Bay and Wellington Samoa and Wellington Māori sides can each qualify for the main final with wins tomorrow.

Games tomorrow are:

• Wellington Centurions U18s v Hawke’s Bay U18s, Lyndhurst Park, 1.00pm
• Wellington Māori U18s v Wellington Samoans U18s, Evans Bay Park, 1.00pm

The Wellington Centurions play their final match of the year, hosting Tasman Development at 12.00pm at the Petone Rec.

Little can be gleaned about the Tasman side and their results so far beyond pretty social media graphics, but it can be safely assumed they will prove stern opposition for the Centurions.

The Wellington team bounced back from defeat to Manawatu a fortnight ago to beat Hawke’s Bay last Saturday and will want to finish their campaign on a high.

The fourth scheduled match involving a Wellington team tomorrow is between the Wellington Centurions U18s Girls against the Whanganui U18s Girls at Whanganui.

Moving into the evening, the Wellington Lions play the Hawke’s Bay Magpies for the Ranfurly Shield at McLean Park on Saturday evening.

See the link below for facts and figures and some history about this game.

As a curtain-raiser to the Ranfurly Shield match in Napier, there is the inaugural “Glen Osborne Cup” fixture between the Hurricanes Heartland Under 20 team and the Chiefs U20s.

Former All Blacks fullback Osborne played for the Chiefs from 1996 to1998, before moving to the Hurricanes in 1999.

Teamlists (as received):

Wellington Centurions

1 Meinrad Fitisemanu

2 Penieli Poasa

3 Ha’amea Ahio

4 Hugo Plummer (C)

5 Ezekiel Fiso

6 Akira Ieremia

7 William Rua

8 Mika Alaifatu

9 Kyle Preston

10 Harrison Boyle

11 Ethan Webster-Nonu

12 Callum Harkin

13 Pena Va’a

14 Isi Saumaki

15 Zane Ainslie

16 Luca Rees

17 Nonu Tuia

19 Joyner Gaulofa

25 Daley Ena

20 Jimmy Hewitt

21 Logan Love

22 Brandyn Laursen

23 Joe Faleafaga

Injured / Unavailable: Albert Polu, Brett Manaia, Cam Ferriera, George Sims, Jordan Gillies, Josh Southall, Lester Maulolo, Noah Ironside, Pakai Turia, Lipa Saveatama, Vili Tauofaga

Wellington:

Centurions U18s

Hawke’s Bay U18s

Wellington Samoans U18s

Hurricanes Heartland U20s

1, PUAPII Stanley, (Whanganui RFU)
2,  PARKE George, (Wairarapa-Bush RFU)
3,  FONOTI Henry, (Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU)
4,  HIGGINSON Callum (VC), (Wairarapa-Bush RFU)
5,  HARVEY Mikaere, (Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU)
6,  MCGLASHAN Cody, (Wairarapa-Bush RFU)
7,  TICHBON Neo, (Whanganui RFU)
8,  KARAITANA Tawhiwhi, (Whanganui RFU)
9,  MEIHANA Rehimana, (Whanganui RFU)
10,  ESCHENBACH Fredrick, (Wairarapa-Bush RFU)
11,  LEIASAMAINAO-TURVEY Jordyn, (Whanganui RFU)
12,  TAKIARI-AH CHING Lafo (C), (Whanganui RFU)
13,  FALANIKO Darren (VC), (Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU)
14,  COOPER Hayden, (Wairarapa-Bush RFU)
15,  HOSKING Max, (Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU)
16,  COOPER Heremaia, (Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU)
17,  LULI Oscar, (Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU)
18,  HAWKINS Caedman, (Wairarapa-Bush RFU)
19,  HOLLIS Kyah, (Poverty Bay RFU)
20,  WATERSON James, (Wairarapa-Bush RFU)
21,  BUCK Henry, (Wairarapa-Bush RFU)
22,  KARAITANA Tarquin, (Whanganui RFU)
23,  SELLERS Anthony, (Whanganui RFU)

24,  HEMI Mitai, (Whanganui RFU)
25,  ALAGA Caleb, (Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU)

Tasman Development

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About the Wellington – Hawke’s Bay Ranfurly Shield match:

Ranfurly Shield challenge for Wellington on Saturday in 100th match

Wellington with the Ranfurly Shield in 2008: