- By Scott Maclean & Steven White
Week One Swindale Shield teamlists and draw HERE
And so it begins once again, with Saturday seeing the 145th year of rugby competition organised by the Wellington Rugby Football Union since its formation in 1879. Fourteen clubs will seek to claim the Swindale Shield – in play since it’s rediscovery in 1969 – and the ultimate prize of the Jubilee Cup, which dates from the union’s 50th Jubilee in 1929.
The opening weekend sees no fewer than five grades take to the field, and each searching to claim silverware in a few months’ time.
The E Tu Whanau Footy Show returns on 1161AM and 87.6 FM from 2.00pm on Saturday, with this week’s feature live commentary match being broadcast from the Petone Recreation Ground.
Premier Swindale Shield
As seems to be the tradition now, the season kicks off with a repeat of last year’s Jubilee Cup final as Swindale holders Petone hosts winners Norths at the Petone Rec. The pair met three times last year with Petone taking the win in two of those, but Norths took the win in the game that people remember. Must has changed in the months since; the champs have been hammered by defections from their back division while the Villagers have experienced a slew of retirements and season-long injuries.
In team news Losi Filipo returns to his first senior club to face his last one and reunites with former Silverstream teammates Lester Maulolo and Jarrod Adams in the Villagers backline. Logan Henry is also back and starts at halfback, Mason Henry moves into the forwards to take the openside berth vacated by Jacob Gooch, and there are starting debuts for ex-Wolf Jordan Sului at prop and former HIBS standout Leyton Tapa on the wing. Norths will lean heavily on their forward pack headed by tryscoring machine Luca Rees and a lot of responsibility will rest on veteran backs Dudley Parsons and Liki Siliga.
Four of the seven matches tomorrow are south of the Terrace. One of those sees Premier Rugby return to Rugby League Park as Old Boys-University return to the inner-city (and much closer to their Cambridge Hotel ‘home’) and their new grazing block to take on Tawa. The Goats will be hoping for far better fortune on the injury front as their 2022 campaign was bedevilled by them, while Tawa will be fuelled by the memory of how their season and title defence ended.
As usually expected, there’s a raft of new faces in the Goats side with eight on debut tomorrow. Five of those are up front where props Nico Aandewiel and Samson Koneferenisi and lock Connor Chatfield are the only holdovers. Kyle Preston and new captain Callum Harkin will run the flock while the bench includes former Wellington College standout Ish Perkins who has returned from Christchurch.
Siale Lauaki and Tofuka Paongo return from U20s duty and go straight into Tawa’s lineup at tighthead and centre, while wingers Samanoa Euta and former Silverstream standout Tony Solomona are both on debut. Joyner Gaualofa starts at hooker with the ageless Randall Bishop anchoring the side from fullback.
Next around the bays is Kilbirnie Park, where the team that surprised most last year – Poneke – welcomes Johnsonville. The Streetkids will be out to prove that last season’s third-place finish in the Swindale was no fluke and will be looking to make a statement early but will need to be wary of a Hawks side that can spring the surprise.
Both teams have a raft of new faces as well as absent ones, with Gisborne Boys’ star Carlos Hihi going straight into Poneke’s #10 jersey to replace the departed Pakai Turia and will partner up with Sam Howling who returns from the U20s. Fellow newcomers Julius Masoe and Jahzeel Marais both start while there is no shortage of experience with skipper Andrew Jones, Nick Robertson, 200-gamer Ben Huntley, and the return at No.8 of centurion and former captain Cole Stewart.
Andy Ellis captains the Hawks in his return and joined by fellow veterans Ha’amea Ahio, Mark Sutton, and Jacob Walmsley, with Anthony Pettett and Jack Taulapapa also back in the blue hoops after extended hiatuses. The Tuitama brothers, Aukuso and Jason, seem set to be the focal points of their attack.
Across the border Evans Bay Parade Marist St Pat’s start their season by hosting Avalon. Both sides will be looking for better campaigns than 2022 and each will be looking to make a statement. The home side will be favourites but have had a trying preseason campaign and while the Wolves are the underdogs its not that many years since they sprung a massive surprise on this very ground.
Andrew Wells starts at #10 as he brings up 150 games in the scarlet jersey. He’s joined by fellow 150-gamers Isaia Petelo and Ryan Setefano, and the vastly experienced Tuga Mativa in the back division. Up front James Tuiatua starts at No8 alongside Keelan Whitman, with debuts for prop Sanasco Crichton and blindside Mikaere Wiki.
The Wolves have a young and raw edge to them, but there’s plenty of nous in their loose trio of Ale Peni, Phil Green, and Faalolo Wright and backs Jordan Aquila and Site Timu.
The fourth match is the city is out on the peninsula, as Wellington make the short journey through the cutting to Miramar, the Polo Ground, and Hardham Cup holders Oriental-Rongotai.
The Axemen may be at long odds to pull out a win here, but you can be certain there won’t be any quit from their ranks, while the Magpies will be looking to make a strong start in their quest for a piece of silverware they’ve never held.
The hosts have put out a strong looking side led by captain Penieli Poasa at hooker. His twin brother Peteli starts at No8. Ex-Goat Dominic Ropeti starts at look and the returning Ronaldo Seumanufagai on the blindside, while Siatai Taituave inherits the #3 jersey from retired club legend Whetu Henry. Isaac Bracewell returns to Wellington club footy to face the club he served for many years and Skivi Va’a plays his 50th. Plenty of thump on the bench too with Lions loosie Sione Halolilo and Siaosi Lavea to come from there.
Wellington have several new faces, including former Wolf Chris Lafaele who starts at No. 8, but familiar ones include the halves pairing of William Cosgriff and Matt Day, openside/hooker Ben Hendry, midfielder Philip Elo, and prop Joe Reid and they’ll shoulder plenty of the load.
Across the water Hutt Old Boys Marist make the trek up and over the hill into Wainuiomata to face the home club at William Jones Park. The Eagles preseason has been positive as they made their way back into the Spillane Cup top-flight, while Wainuiomata have had steady diet of matches that included tomorrow’s opponent three weeks ago.
The experienced due of Greg Leolofi and Teru Time form the core of Wainuiomata’s side with Tyler Tane making yet another return home in midfield. Zane Humphrey starts at lock after missing 2022 through injury, while they’ll be looking to make space for their back three of the imposing Niko Patalesio and fellow outsides Jacob Stowers-Kasiano and Renata Kotuhi. HOBM have gone for a monster pack with a front row of Rei Manaia, Ben Power, and Nonu Tuia, and the returning Lise Soloa packs down at No8 as he nears 100 games for the Eagles. Their backs include new arrival Moo Falaniko and Colts graduates Kobe-Joe Vulu and Sapati Tagoai.
And finally, there will be plenty of intrigue at the head of the valley as two of the off-season’s heaviest recruiters, the Upper Hutt Rams and Paremata-Plimmerton, meet at Maidstone Park with both looking to force themselves into the top-eight sides – at minimum – for the playoff rounds.
The Rams have gone heavily for youth and three of those straight out of Silverstream are in their 22 tomorrow; Emmanuel Solomona starts in midfield with front-rowers Toby Mallon and Senio Sanele on the bench. Another newcomer, Fritz Rayasi, starts on the wing with Soli Malatai returning at centre, but there’s experience in the forward pack with Aidan Woodward, Jared Woodward, and Eli Hunt.
For their part the Hammerheads have brought experience to Ngati Toa Domain and start a new midfield pairing of Dale Sabbagh and Ethan Webster-Nonu, and Tony Coburn brings over 100 games at this level to the front row. They’re three of seven starters on club debut, which includes the surprise addition of former Tawa and Norths first-five Sam Clarke, and local product Scott Gillard at blindside.
There’s three pieces of interclub silverware in play tomorrow:
- Petone and Norths contest their Murray Henderson Trophy. Henderson was one of many the facilitated the merger of Porirua and Titahi Bay that created Norths, was a friend of many at Petone, and was honoured with Life Membership of the WRFU. Petone hold it after their 30-20 win the corresponding match last year. There is also the Collins Medal – honouring late cousins Jerry and Willie – for the player of the match.
- MSP and Avalon play for their Joe Aspell Cup, donated by former Marist player Aspell for play between Marist and Taita when he was the licensee of the Taita Hotel, one of many hotels he ran in Wellington, and was President and a Life Member of the Marist club. It’s now contested by the two respective successor clubs, and presently held by MSP.
- Oriental Rongotai and Wellington have their Alby Jack Memorial Cup in play. Jack played for Oriental before and after World War II – during which he served in the Army in the Middle East and Africa – before switching to the Axemen in 1950, and later became a Vice-President of the WRFU. Ories are the holders.
All seven matches get underway at 2.45pm
Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield
As mentioned in Monday’s column, the second tier reverts to a single-division format for 2023. That should simplify matters as clubs will have their top-two teams at the same venue on any given bar Saturday, bar those sides who are drawn away to Wellington in which case their second teams will venture to Stokes Valley at the same time.
Defending ‘double-double’ champions Tawa put their two-season-long unbeaten streak on the line against the only side to have tarnished that in OBU in the early game at Rugby League Park. Ed Chaney runners-up Norths take on last year’s Division 2 winners Petone at the Petone Rec, while beaten semi-finalists Poneke face Johnsonville at Kilbirnie and HOBM are over the hill against Wainuiomata at William Jones respectively.
Elsewhere MSP hosts Avalon at Evans Bay, Ories welcome Stokes Valley to the Polo Ground for the first time in many seasons, and the Upper Hutt Rams and Pare-Plim meet at Maidstone.
All seven matches kickoff at 1pm.
Under 85kg JC Bowl
The only other grade that enters competition action is the Under 85s, and the grade seems wide open at the outset. Johnsonville return as defending champions and wear the favourites tag by virtue of that, but their chief challengers Upper Hutt and Avalon have both entered hibernation and are non-starters this season.
The grade remains at 12 teams though with the return of both Tawa and Paremata-Plimmerton; the former after five years and the latter after more than a decade, and credit needs to be given to those who essentially restarted these teams from scratch. Tawa starts their return away at Nairnville against OBU, with Pare-Plim hosting HOBM at Ngati Toa. The champs are at home at Helston against the Wellington Axemen, Stokes Valley host MSP, and Poneke head around the harbour to take on Eastbourne at HW Shortt.
The final match of the opening round would have seen Petone taking on Wests at the Petone Rec. However, the Roosters haven’t been able to make the start line and have defaulted with the lightweight Villagers now having a hitout against the Hutt Valley HS 1st XV instead.
All five matches get underway at 2.45pm.
Colts
The Colts grade returns with the first of an anticipated two grading rounds. 12 sides are entered – every Premier club bar Avalon and Pare-Plim – with returns this year for the Upper Hutt Rams, Ories, and Norths making a slight but pleasant increase in numbers.
The draw for tomorrow has defending champions Petone taking on MSP at Petone, with perennial contenders OBU and the returning Rams meeting at Nairnville. Through the tunnels Wellington takes on Tawa at Hataitai while back north Norths’ return sees them take on HOBM at Porirua Park. Wainuiomata and Poneke are scheduled to meet at Mary Crowther, while Johnsonville have had to pull the pin on their match with Ories at the Polo Ground due to unavailability.
Women’s
The Women also start their season tomorrow with what amounts to an organised preseason meeting at Ngati Toa Domain. While it is pleasing to see the continued emphasis on the grade, it is somewhat disappointing that that, the World Cup success, and the recent WRFU decision allowing for a more relaxed second tier hasn’t led to more teams despite the efforts some clubs have made. But focusing on the rugby the order of play tomorrow has MSP and Ories on the #1 ground, Norths and Petone on #2, Avalon and Poneke on #3, and home team Pare-Plim and Wainuiomata on the #4 ground in the western corner with all four matches getting underway at 11.30am.
Elsewhere
There’s some school preseason action tomorrow with the extended Silverstream and St Pats Town squads meeting at the former, with Rongotai and St Bernard’s also doing likewise. Wellington College are in Palmerston North for their traditional early season meeting.
The second round of Horowhenua-Kapiti Ramsbotham Cup contests is tomorrow, with defending champions Waikanae coming off their opening round bye to host Foxton at Waikanae Park.
Levin College Old Boys and Rahui were first round bonus point winners, with COB playing away at Shannon who won last week without a bonus point and Rahui playing Wanderers at the Levin Domain.
All matches kick-off at 2.45pm.
The Paraparaumu Soldiers have the bye.
It is opening day in the Manawatu Senior A competition.
The seven-team competition sees first up games between College Old Boys and Palmerston North Old Boys Marist at the Arena, Kia Toa and Te Kawau across at Bill Brown Park and Varsity and Freyberg over at Massey.
The Feilding Yellows have the first round bye.
Kick-offs are 2.45pm.
It’s a big weekend for rugby in Palmerston North, with the Hurricanes playing the Force there on Sunday afternoon, although with club rugby underway Super Rugby is relegated to a sideshow for the rest of its competition.
The curtain-raiser is a pre-season First XV fixture between Palmerston North Boys’ High School and Wellington College.