
The Ories Colts celebrating their Division 1 title win today. Photo: Andy McArthur.
By Steven White & Adam Julian
Oriental-Rongotai and the Upper Hutt Rams won the two Colts titles on offer this afternoon in Wellington club rugby, while first time semi-finalists Hutt International Boys’ High School and Wellington College grabbed the final two Premiership First XV top spots for next weekend.
Ories won the Division 1 John E Kelly Cup with a 39-26 win over Old Boys University Green, in a not dissimilar fashion to how their Premiers won the Jubilee Cup last year. Superior physicality was a key facet to their win in front of a big crowd ringing the Polo Ground #2 field. More on this match below.
The Rams beat Poneke 31-7 at Maidstone Park to annex this year’s Division 2 Vic Calcinai Cup title. Poneke pushed the Rams hard in the first half and led 7-0 right up until the interval when the Rams scored to close it to 7-5 at halftime. The home side then scored again early in the second to go ahead 10-7, followed by two consecutive converted tries to move ahead 24-7. Poneke hammered away for a period, but the Rams held on and rallied to score another try at the end.
In the First XV competition, top qualifiers Scots College will host HIBS and St Patrick’s College, Silverstream will host Wellington College in next week’s semi-finals. More on the school games below.
Oriental Rongotai beat Old Boys University 39-26 in an end-to-end Division 1 Colts final at the Polo Ground this afternoon. In front of a large crowd ringing the No. 2 field, both sides played positive rugby. This was Ories’ second ever Colts John E Kelly Cup title since their first since 1994.
Home side Ories ultimately won the game in the first 20 minutes with a three-try burst of scoring that gave them a 17-0 lead.
After losing three straight lineouts on their own throw, Ories won a fourth, built multiple phases inside the 22, and stretched OBU out wide and hooker Elijah Ti’a scored the first try.
The Junior Magpies doubled their lead soon after following a turnover from an attacking OBU scrum on their own line, and an 80-metre counterattack that soon led to another lineout inside the 22 and their second try in the corner to loosehead prop Selesa Seumanufagai.
Hooker Ti’a scored his second try and Ories’ third, after a rampant period of play up into OBU’s territory. At this stage, Ories were seemingly well on top with their physical ball runners causing multiple problems for OBU across the park.
Ories could have extended their lead even further if not for a try-saving tackle by OBU near the goal line. The sting of the Ories attack seemed to wane at this point, and OBU gained some momentum. A long period of probing phase play was kept out, but Ories couldn’t prevent them running back a kick and scoring a try a minutes before halftime to close the deficit to 17-7 at the turnaround.

OBU scored straight away in the second half after lock Barker Carroll charged down a kick in general play and kicked ahead again into the 22. After several more phases, OBU crossed for a converted try to close the gap to 17-14, but Ories quickly regrouped and after a two minute buildup, scored to pull away again. Ories then scored again to make it 27-14.
OBU replied again to close it to 27-19, but Ories sealed the final with back-to-back tries heading into the final 10 minutes, with fullback Ethan Smyth-Rangi taking a tap from a penalty 70 metres out and running the length of the field to clinch the game.
OBU fought hard to the end and were rewarded with a well-deserved consolation try at the end to tighthead prop Poe Ailoi.

U85kg
There were National Knockout Cup U85kg matches played in Wellington this afternoon and a handful of second round Division 1 and 2 games.
The two Knockout Cup matches saw Wellington teams welcome Taranaki visitors.
At the Hutt Rec, the HOBM Howlers took on New Plymouth Old Boys and lost 72-0.
At Lyndhurst Park, Tawa hosted Tukapa and won 15-0.
In two Division 1 Paul Potiki Shield this afternoon, Poneke beat Petone 34-21 and the OBU Scallywags beat Paremata-Plimmerton by default.
In two Division 2 Tony O’Brien Shield matches, Johnsonville defeated Marist St Pat’s 35-17 and MSP overcame Eastbourne 53-17.
Horowhenua-Kapiti
This afternoon’s Horowhenua-Kapiti Ramsbotham Cup final went down to the wire, with Rāhui beating Shannon 23-22. Rāhui led 11-9 at halftime.
Representative
A Wellington XV took on Taranaki in the southern Taranaki township of Manaia this afternoon, with Taranaki winning 49-22 – after being ahead 42-7 after 71 m
The opening weekend of the Hurricanes Heartland U20s series kicked off with two scheduled matches.
Whanganui beat Poverty Bay 48-7 and Wairarapa Bush beat Horowhenua-Kapiti by default.
Rounds 2 and 3 are next weekend.
College Rugby
For the first time in its history, Hutt International Boys’ School (HIBS) has made the Premiership semi-finals after a wild climax to the regular season.
HIBS was beaten 14-12 by St Pat’s Town but a failure by Town to secure a four-try bonus point and a last-play victory by Rongotai College over Wairarapa College secured HIBS fourth place.
In Miramar, Rongotai was down 10-19, and Nico Metuariki red-carded in the 35th minute. The score stayed that way until the 68th minute when Phoenix Hague-Smith scored to make it 19-15. Wairarapa, who beat both Wellington College and St Pats Town earlier in the season, would have their hearts broken when Teddy Stanley crossed for an improbable winner. Rongotai victors 20-19.
At NZCIS the story was similar. Tenacious HIBS led St Pat’s Town 12-0 with five minutes remaining. As had been the case from much of the match the larger blue forwards battered away unimaginatively at the stubborn HIBS defence. Eventually, Cazna Logovae-Sale found a minuscule crack underneath a pile of bodies and dotted down to make it 12-5. A conversion to Jayde Burns closed the deficit to 12-7.

At the kick-off, HIBS were pinged for having defenders over the hallway stripe, and Panadol was suddenly in short supply among the coaching staff. With foreign exuberance Town busted down the right wing and HIBS were scrambling rather than staunch.
Unusual patience, greater continuity, and Jake Townsend scored beside the post to square the scores. Bruns was cool under pressure and suddenly Town led 14-12.
HIBS remedied their restart blunder emphatically. The ball was deflected acrobatically with a pair of hands into their grasp. The short side was swiftly hit, and whippet winger Theodore Potter dashed clear with a headline in his sight.
A 25m surge saw him reach the line but the ball bobbled and squirted away from his clinch as he dived over the paint. No try but only temporary relief for Town.
A shallow clearance kept Town kept HIBS inside the 22. HIBS won the lineout and following a solitary ruck, an impulsive drop kick was attempted which drifted lamely wide of the target.
It was a harsh defeat for HIBS whose ability to attack the ball in the tackle and disrupt Town was truly heroic at times. HIBS resisted almost 15 minutes of sustained Town attack inside their 22 just before halftime.
HIBS’ first try was opportunism, capitalising on Town muddle. Thomas Devery was worthy of the spoils; the No.8 was imperious. His ability to gain ground from the back of the scrum when the hosts’ pack was under duress was particularly eye-catching.
There were no points for 15 minutes in the second half until a one-handed steal by Devery set Rhys Evans free.
The gangly, lion-hearted, lock avoided the stampede behind him to score a 25m epic and double HIBS score. A conversion beside the corner flag, on the 22, to sturdy second-five Brodee Tetevano made it 12-0.
HIBS first-five Sean Carter grew in stature throughout while Town openside Mitirimal Leota was a hive of activity. The referee was Ollie Michie.
Wellington College thrashed Tawa College 54-6 to jump into third place. Jacob Kennedy, who scored six tries against Mana College, scored another three today.
Top qualifier Scots College overpowered St Bernard’s College 59-19 and St Patrick’s College Silverstream were the biggest winner of the day 71-3 over Mana College.
After Scots (9 wins) and Stream (8 wins) the next four teams had five wins each.
The semi-finals next Saturday are Scots College v Hutt International Boys’ School and St Patrick’s College, Silverstream v Wellington College.
In Premier 2, the St Patrick’s (Silverstream) Second XV maintained their unbeaten record with a win over Viard. Wellington College 2nd XV beat Naenae College, HVHS won over Porirua, and Paraparaumu were too strong for Newlands.
In a minor upset, Aotea pipped St Patrick’s (Town) 2nd XV 15-12. This result could be crucial, as standings on the College Sport App show that HVHS has taken fourth spot and thus a play-off berth in this year’s Murray Jensen Cup semis. If this is correct, HVHS will travel up SH2 to play Silverstream next week. Wellington College 2ndXV will host Paraparaumu in the other semi.