Wins for Ories, Petone and Tawa on Finals Day

Oriental-Rongotai – Jubilee Cup winners 2023. Photo: Andy McArt

• By Steven White & Adam Julian

Oriental-Rongotai won the Jubilee Cup and Premier 2, Division 2 HD Morgan Memorial Finals today, while Petone annexed the Hardham Cup and Tawa won the Premier 2, Division 1 Ed Chaney Cup.

An extended round-up of Finals Day matches at the Hutt Rec follows.

Jubilee Cup: Oriental-Rongotai (34) – Paremata-Plimmerton (21)

Last year’s Hardham Cup winners are this year’s Jubilee Cup champions.

Oriental-Rongotai won their second Wellington club rugby championship title of the modern era this afternoon with a 34-21 win over first round winners and top qualifiers Paremata-Plimmerton.

Fulltime in the Jubilee Cup, and @oriesrugby have beaten @ParePlimRugby 34-21 pic.twitter.com/PZNZL2EeXx

— ClubRugby (@ClubRugby) July 22, 2023

The boys from the Miramar peninsula lit up a dull afternoon at the Hutt Rec and approximate 3,000 strong crowd with a powerful and clinical forwards effort.

Blindside flanker Dominic Ropeti led a dominant Ories display with a storming game in the loose and at the front of a lineout that systematically dismantled their opposites. Ropeti won the Jim Brown Memorial Medal as the Player of the Final.

On attack, Ories also effectively targeted Paremata-Plimmerton’s defence up the middle of the park, a telling tactic.

Ories led 27-14 at halftime playing with a strong southerly wind in their favour and then knuckled down in the second to shut the Hammerheads out of the game.

Paremata-Plimmerton had a chance to get back into the match early in the second spell, but following the sinbinning for a deliberate slap-down by Ories wing Daniel Tafili But were unable to resist the Ories forwards, who brought fresh players off the bench including in-form prop Jonty Bird and it was game over as soon as the 60^th minute mark when the Magpies rumbled over through Dominic Ropeti again for their only scoring play of the second half to go up by 20 points.

Ories ultimately won the final with a two-try burst just prior to halftime. With Paremata-Plimmerton ahead 14-13, Ories scored twice through hard-running No. 8 Siaosi Lavea, both tries converted by fullback Declan Hay.

Lavea also made the play that led to the first of his two tries, kicking ahead in general play into the in-goal, that led to an attacking scrum an his first try. Centre Alex Ropeti crashed hard at the line and from the next phase Lavea flew over to score. Hay’s conversion put the Magpies up 20-14.

Ories attacked from deep and kicked ahead into the in-goal. Pare-Plim were caught behind their line and Ories packed down another 5-metre scrum. A strong defensive scrum by Pare-Plim saw Lavea throw a wild pass intended for his blindside wing into touch. From the very next lineout, Pare-Plim threw long and the jumpers missed the ball altogether. That man Lavea grabbed the ball and dived over the line to score his second try. Hay kicked another conversion and suddenly Ories were up 27-14.

Earlier, Ories had first use of the stiff wind and had the first attacking opportunity of the final with a scrum on the 22, 10 metres in from the far touchline.

Centre Ropeti made in-roads but Pare-Plim No. 8 Tane McMillan-Parata made a big turnover. Ories re-launched and were soon awarded the opening penalty of the final. Fullback Declan Hay obliged from in front and Ories led 3-0.

Pare-Plim made their first clean break of the final up into the corner, with openside flanker Christian Fa’avae offloading to a steaming first five Sam Clarke in support, and it was all Ories could do to prevent the try.

Ories built phases with ball in hand inside Pare-Plim’s territory. Punching it up the middle and then going wide, they created an overlap and lock Samson Alaimoana offloaded to storming loosehead prop Connor Lemon, who sent a flying right wing Pose Tuielepa in for the opening try in the far corner. Ories led 8-0 in the 14th minute.

Pare-Plim went desperately close to replying in kind through right wing Knox Tuinasau but he was bundled into touch after a break up the middle by lock Mellenniumma Leota. Pare-Plim regained possession from the next set-piece and loosehead prop James Coburn came with the try. Clarke’s conversion was good and Ories led 8-7 after 17 minutes.

Pare-Plim doubled their lead two minutes later when right wing Tuinasau intercepted an inside Ories pass and sprinted 60 metres for the converted try.

Ories packed down a scrum from a penalty inside the 22, soon leading to blindside flanker Dom Ropeti scoring his side’s second try and his first. Hay’s conversion was missed and Pare-Plim led 14-13 after 25 minutes.

Ories had a prime chance to move ahead in the 33rd minute, after a hashed exit play from Pare-Plim led to an attacking scrum for Ories under the posts. But the Hammerheads held on. Not for long. Ories opted for a scrum from a subsequent penalty.

Pare-Plim got the break they needed early in the second half, courtesy of a yellow card for a deliberate slapdown. Clarke kicked for the corner, but Dom Ropeti stole the lineout.

The 14-man Ories brought on their Calvary off the bench and quickly re-established field position. They went close to adding to their score in the 55^th minute but their forwards drive was pushed out in the corner.

Ories forwards regrouped and after a patient build-up and several phases at line they profited again. Hay’s conversion made it 34-14 – a 20-point lead with almost as many minutes to play.

The remainder of the final ebbed and flowed, but there would be no way through for Pare-Plim until the very end when right wing Louis Northcott finished off a kick and chase try with two minutes to play for a well-deserved consolation try.

Ories effectively won six consecutive knockout matches to claim the spoils. Since 2011 Ories have made nine Jubilee Cup semi finals and their women have won four Tia Passi Memorial trophy titles since 2017.

Coach Mason Malagamaali’i achieved the rare distinction of winning a senior men’s and women’s title.

Hardham Cup: Petone 30 – Marist St Pat’s 13

Petone sailed to a 30-13 win with the strong wind at their backs to claim the Hardham Cup in the decider against Marist St Pat’s.

New Wellington Lions fullback TJ Clarke kicked six second half penalties and first five-five Stanley Solomon atoned for an earlier error in conceding a charge-down that led to MSP’s only try to score the match-sealing try in Petone’s win.

The Hardham Cup kicked off in pouring rain, with the wind blowing from the south in MSP’s favour.

MSP halfback Logan Love got the scoreboard ticking over early with a pair of penalties to put his side up 6-0 inside 10 minutes.

The rain abated and Petone established momentum and built phases and territory. Their first chance of the final from an attacking lineout drive was thwarted, but, from an attacking scrum, Petone ripped the ball out to their midfield where centre Lester Maulolo fended off his defender and crashed over to the score to the left of the uprights.

The conversion was missed, but MSP held a 6-5 lead with a quarter of the final played.

MSP first five Ken Kapeli drove a touch-finder into the 22, leading to a third penalty attempt by Love but the halfback sprayed it wide.

In the 36^th minute, MSP had another big chance to post points, but their attacking lineout was nabbed by Petone openside Mason Henry. In the 38^th minute, MSP effected a turnover and kicked ahead to force a scrambling kick for touch by Petone first five Solomon, but their lineout from the same spot wasn’t straight.

MSP almost made it third time lucky when they kicked back Petone’s clearance into the in-goal in the far corner, but Petone won the race to the ball and MSP went into halftime holding their one-point lead but turning into the stiff wind for the second 40 minutes.

Would it be enough?

MSP spent the first two minutes of the second half in possession, but an ambitious pass out wide was turned over.

Petone got themselves down into the 22 and fullback TJ Clarke kicked a penalty to put them in the lead for the first time at 8-6.

Barely a minute later MSP hit back emphatically, when Petone first five Solomon’s exit kick from an attacking scrum was charged down by his opposite, Ken Kapeli, who chased up and poured through to score their first try.  Halfback Love made no mistake with the conversion and MSP were back in front, 13-8.

Clarke replied with a 48-metre penalty, cutting it to 13-11.

MSP were offside at the ruck at their own 22, but the penalty and sure three points for Petone was reversed owing to a scuffle.

Petone remained hot on attack as they brought on effective replacements such as halfback Logan Henry, hoker Josh Southall and prop Kaliopasi Uluilakepa.

Henry ran 15 metres from a ruck, carried on by lock and captain Dylan Williamson, leading to another penalty. Clarke obliged and Petone were back in front, 14-13, with 20 minutes to play.

MSP probed but struggled to make inroads into the wind. Conceding a penalty a metre on their own side of halfway, they watched Clarke kick a booming penalty from this spot to push their lead out to 17-13 with just over 10 minutes to play.

It was a repeat dose for MSP two minutes later, this time Clarke kicking his fifth penalty from almost 40 metres out on the angle.

Petone then won the game with a Stanley Solomon special. The flyhalf kicked ahead twice in loose play and his sheer pace won the race for the ball in the in-goal. Clarke added the extras to put Petone up 27-13 with 90 seconds to play.

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There would be no consolation try for MSP, the pattern of the second half continuing right to the end with Clarke smashing his sixth penalty.

Premier 2 Ed Chaney and HD Morgan Memorial Cups

Oriental-Rongotai won a tight battle for the Premier 2, Division 2, HD Morgan Memorial Cup, beating Stokes Valley 12-8 in the first decider of the day at the Hutt Rec.

These teams perhaps received the worst of the weather, with lashings of rain and a difficult cross-kick dominating the first half and more. Stokes Valley scored the game’s first try after about 15 minutes, but Ories replied with a converted try. Stokes Valley added a penalty to lead 8-7 at halftime. Ories scored the only try of the second half quite early on and held on for their title.

The rain held off, but the wind was a significant factor in the Ed Chaney Cup that kicked off at 2.15pm. Poneke had early chances, and they opened the scoring inside 10 minutes with a pair of penalties.

Tawa plugged away and were rewarded with a bulldozing try to tighthead prop Dan Leone. They doubled their lead two minutes later with a wonderful try from an attacking scrum on halfback and a sweeping raid that was finished off the right-hand corner by wing
Sene Nofoaiga. Tawa were now up 10-6.

Poneke went close to scoring a try, leading to a third penalty, and first five Max Rodgers was successful in cutting Tawa’s lead back to a point. Poneke then moved ahead 17-10 by halftime with another penalty and try.

Tawa opened the second half scoring seven minutes with a try to the left wing in the corner.

The score remained 17-15 in Poneke’s favour right up the final two minutes of play when Tawa first five Mika Cooper-Finau slotted the winning penalty to give them an 18-17 win.

This was also Tawa’s 50th match in a tow that they haven’t been beaten (including two draws).

Colts

It was John E Kelly Memorial Cup Colts competition this weekend, which started on Friday night with Tawa winning 17-14 under lights at Rugby League Park.

The second game saw top qualifier Hutt Old Boys beat OBU Green at neutral Fraser Park, with OBU causing a boilover by winning 12-8 and knocking the Eagles out.

Next week’s Colts Division 1 final will be between Tawa and OBU.

Poneke and the Upper Hutt Rams will contest next week’s Colts Division 2 (Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup. Poneke beat 22-19 and the Rams beat MSP in today’s two semi-finals.

Under 85kg Restricted

The Tawa Ducks continued their strong late season form, beating Paremata-Plimmerton 75-5 in today’s third round of the U85kg Division 1 Paul Potiki Shield.

The other two Paul Potiki matches saw Stokes Valley beat Petone 17-0 and the OBU Scallywags overcome Poneke 31-3.

In Division 2, Johnsonville beat Eastbourne 53-0 and MSP defeated HOBM 21-15. Wellington had the bye.

College

By Joe @tackld

Mud, mud, mud and a try at the end could be one way to describe today’s important Premiership clash between Wellington College and HIBS. The former, playing at home won 5-0, can put this down to stamina, determination and playing to the conditions.  A vital result as Wellington College needed the win to stay alive in the race for a Top 4 spot.

HIBS started the game with the wind behind them and with their normal efficiency. Putting together phase after phase of attacking rugby. However as the ground worsened and the ball got slipperier they started to lose their offensive edge.

Given they were up against the wind and given the amount of tackles they made in the first half, the expectation was that WC may be down in energy during the second spell. However a simple game plan of keeping their opponents stuck in their own half (often deep in their red zone) would pay dividends as HIBS eventually succumbed to the pressure and conceded a try in the corner with 5-6 minutes remaining. Even then, as HIBS rallied for a late charge, they struggled to get the ball in their opponents’ half.

With Terms 3 starting there was a full round of games, this week. St Patrick’s College (Stream) defeated Town 27-16 in their midweek traditional. Meaning the Old Boys Cup made its way back up State Highway 2 after spending a summer in Kilbirnie.

Wairarapa College did just enough to beat St Bernard’s 20-14 in Masterton. This result means it’s the end of the road for the “183” in 2023. Rongotai College and Scots both had strong wins over Mana and Tawa respectively.

Next week is the last round of pool play in the Premiership. The last two remaining berths in this year’s Premiership play-offs are still mathematically accessible for four schools. Two of which meet next week, HIBS vs St Pat’s (Town), in what is a virtual final. Wellington plays Tawa and will be hunting a four-try-bonus-point win. Wairarapa College with 5 wins and 3 losses have only accumulated one bonus point, something they might become costly as they travel to Rongotai College in the final round. The latter are out of play-off contention but the squad will no doubt be looking to end the season on a high note.

Scots (unbeaten) and Silverstream have qualified, with their first and second seedings already confirmed. They will be awaiting next week’s results to see who they will play in the semis.

In Premier 2 (Murray Jensen Cup) the Silverstream 2ndXV notched a significant win over the Town 2ndXV. In terms of the table, they are now ten points clear of second placed Wellington College 2ndXV. WC and third-placed Paraparaumu College fought out a 19-all draw. Hutt Valley High School enjoyed a 29-7 win over local rivals NaeNae College. In another local battle, Bishop Viard beat Porirua 17-0. Aotea finished off the round with a strong win over Newlands.