Elimination rugby comes to town on Saturday

Tawa and Petone are both in the hunt for silverware over the next three weeks, but in two different competitions. Tomorrow Tawa meets Old Boys University at Nairnville Park in the Jubilee Cup, while Petone plays Avalon in the Hardham Cup. The winners progress to their prospective semi-finals, the losers face the end of the line as far as this season goes.

• By Scott MacLean

This week’s Jubilee Cup draw and teamlists (as received) HERE

This week’s Hardham Cup draw and teamlists (as received) HERE 

UPDATED: It’s elimination day in the top grades tomorrow, as the season will end for twelve teams across Premier and Premier 2 and just eight in each moving on to next week’s semi-finals. Elsewhere the Under 85s start their championship round, while there’s no Colts or College rugby owing to the school and tertiary holidays.

This week’s radio broadcast is the Jubilee Cup match at Maidstone Par between the Upper Hutt Rams and Oriental-Rongotai, on air from 2.00pm and building towards a 2.45pm kick-off. Tune in Te Upoko o Te Ika Radio 1161AM, 87.6FM around the city and streaming iHeart Radio and Te Whare Korero Apps.

Premier Jubilee Cup

There’s little doubt as to what the feature games are tomorrow, as four sides fight for the right to remain in the Jubilee Cup for another week.

Old Boys-University (3) will need to put their Helston Horror of last week behind them and quickly, as they head to their old grazing block at Nairnville Park this time out to face a Tawa (7) side that has fast-rounded into form as they tend to do at this time of year and having ended Petone’s Jubilee hopes last Saturday.

The Goats get a boost with the inclusion of Caleb Delany at the back of a much-changed forward pack that has former Wellington College prop Geordie Bean making his first Premier start with Samson Koneferenisi returning from his one-week stand-down back on the other side, Jack Riley slipping into lock, and Cody Quin on the openside. Jackson Wright and Ty Poe form the midfield this week, with Reece Plumtree moving over to the left wing. By contrast, Tawa makes just one change with Rewiti Leat onto the left wing for Isi Saumaki so retain the same starting pack that was effective against Petone last Saturday.

The second match is out at Maidstone Park as the Upper Hutt Rams (4) seek their place next week but take on an Oriental Rongotai (8) side that beat them just a fortnight ago and on a high from beating Marist St Pats in last week’s elimination game.

The Rams have, perhaps curiously, elected to make changes from the sides that started those games. Notably both props Senio Sanele and Francisco Wolfgramm, as well as halfback Kaide McCashin and flanker Josh Brown, drop to the bench tomorrow with their places taken by Soa Fainga’a, Nic Apikatoa, Devon Sopoaga and Jared Woodward. Captain Aiden Woodward is back after missing the past two weeks, with Daniel Schrijvers again popping up in midfield. Ories have named a similar team from that which won last week, plus the addition of Dominic Ropeti at blindside flanker. He slots in beside Wellington Lions Sione Halalilo and with Siaosi Lavea at No. 8. In the backs, Sivi Va’a is on the right wing for Pose Tuileaepa, making his first start since his leg injury 10 weeks ago.

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Teamlists for tomorrow's two Jubilee Cup elimination matches. The winners to play Paremata-Plimmerton an Johnsonville in next week's semi-finals. pic.twitter.com/232X0YmuuR

— ClubRugby (@ClubRugby) July 6, 2023

Premier Hardham Cup

Last week’s six sides are joined this week by Marist St Pat’s (5) and Petone (6), who have the difficulty of putting last week’s losses and elimination from the main prize behind them and refocusing on the new task at hand. Fortunately, the structure means they face the two bottom sides: Wellington (14) at Evans Bay and Avalon (13) at the Petone Rec respectively. Both will be heavy favourites to go on and host next week’s semi-finals, but funny things can happen in playoff matches.

Keelan Whitman starts this week for MSP as he continues his return from injury, with James Tuiatua dropping to the bench. Ken Kapeli takes the #10 jersey this time out, with Ben Tuiatua and Zack Paterson as the starting midfield. As usual, the Axemen side has plenty of changes with Dermot Frengley in the front row and Samuela Kurusiga dropping to No. 8, and Harry Healy and Henry Walker coming into the back three.

The Villagers have opted to rotate their squad for this one, but still have plenty in reserve should it be required. In come Luke Flett, Jordan Sului, Sam Tonise, Cam Ferreira, and Max Hosking with Josh Southall on the bench alongside Logan Henry and Sam Blackburn as they look to arrest a slide of three matches in a row. Faalolo Wright returns for Avalon in place of Laman Ah Wong on the flank, with Niko Tuinasau and Victor Misa forming the halves pairing. Captain Jordan Aquila is at fullback this week, but top try-scorer Gerry Tuilekutu is absent.

In the two other Hardham quarter-finals, Hutt Old Boys Marist (9) are back on the Hutt Rec once again with Norths (12) trekking over the Haywards for the second time in a month, while Wainuiomata (11) make the journey around the harbour to Kilbirnie Park and a meeting with Poneke (10).

The Eagles restore Aisea Mafileo and Willie Rua to their forward pack, while their backline has returns for Harrison Boyle and a long-awaited one for fullback Zane Ainslie in an injury-ruined season so far for last year’s Best & Fairest runner-up. Looking to prolong their season, Norths start veteran prop Dan Filemoni up front alongside a starting debut for Augustino Afele. Flavius Roberts-Vili is on the openside while the backline is largely unchanged, so Luca Rees again starts in midfield.

Poneke made no rush of things against Avalon a week ago and are largely unchanged. In the two they have made, prop George Jacobs makes his 50^th start up front, while experienced halfback Jordan Hoerara steps in for Sam Howling. Abraham Mataitini and Charlie Siale continue to deputise at lock, while fullback Nick Robertson is in some form at present with seven tries in the last fortnight. Wainuiomata likewise make few changes from the side that beat Norths with Mike Sa’u in at prop and Mikade Fono at centre. Veteran Tyler Tane, who’s haul of 33 points last week included a hattrick and scoring all four ways, starts again at first-five.

All six matches are at 2.45pm

Premier 2 Ed Chaney Cup and HD Morgan Memorial

As with the Premiers, it’s win-or-go-home for the second-tier sides as well. In the Ed Chaney Cup matches Petone (2) have a second bite when they host the Upper Hutt Rams (7) in the early game at the Petone Rec, while across the river HOBM (4) welcomes their Marist cousins MSP (5) to the Hutt Rec with the winners to face Tawa and Poneke respectively next weekend.

In the HD Morgan Memorial matches its straight quarter-finals getting underway tonight under the lights at Te Whaea from 7pm. That match has Ories (6) – the highest ranked side dropping down – taking on Avalon (14) with Norths (11) facing Johnsonville (13) – who upset OBU last Saturday – tomorrow in the other match on this side of the bracket. Across on the other side of the draw Pare-Plim (9) are at Ngati Toa to face OBU (10) for the second time in a fortnight with Stokes Valley (8) at home at Delaney to take on Wainuiomata (12).

All Saturday matches are scheduled for 1.00pm, bar the Stokes Valley vs Wainuiomata game which is timed for 2.45pm.

Under 85kg Paul Potiki and Tony O’Brien Shields

The lightweight grade splits now for the balance of their season, which comprises a round-robin and then straight final in each division on August 12. In the championship Paul Potiki Shield there’s three big clashes right out of the gate; runaway JC Bowl winners the OBU Scallywags head to runners-up Tawa at Lyndhurst, Poneke are on the road to Stokes Valley, and Pare-Plim takes on Petone at Ngati Toa Domain.

Just five teams make up Division 2 with Wests having withdrawn from the week. That means Johnsonville have the bye with MSP and Wellington clashing at the Polo Ground, and Eastbourne are at home at HW Shortt against HOBM.

There are no Colts or College fixtures this weekend due to the school and university holidays.

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