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A tense and willing Premiership semi-final today saw St Pat’s Silverstream hold off Wellington College. They will meet Scots College in next week’s semi-final. PHOTO: Andy McArthur.
- By Steven White & Adam Julian
The finalists have been determined for next week’s Premiership and Premier 2 First XV college competitions and Reserve Grade and U85kg Division 1 and 2 club finals, while represeantive rugby got underway this afternoon for four Wellington teams.
In college rugby, Scots College and St Pat’s Silverstream will meet in next Sunday’s Premiership final, while the St Pat’s Silverstream second XV and Paraparaumu will contest the Premier 2 decider.
In club rugby, The Tawa Ducks and OBU Scallywags were already confirmed Division 1 Paul Potiki Shield finalists before today, while Johnsonville and Hutt Old Boys Marist will contest the Division 2 Tony O’Brien Shield decider.
In today’s final round set of Division 1 matches, OBU beat Petone 40-5 and Tawa beat Poneke 57-10, while in Division 2 HOBM defeated Wellington 62-12 and Johnsonville overcame MSP 20-12.
In the John Davies Cup Reserve Grade Division 1 competition, the Poneke Ruffnuts took down the MSP Internationals 47-17 and the Upper Hutt Rams J8s edged the Johnsonville Cripples 24-19. The Rams J8s and the Ruffnuts will contest next week’s final.
The Division 2 Allan Seerup Cup Reserve Grade final will be between Tawa and Petone, after each won tight semi-finals today. Tawa beat Wellington 22-18 and Petone pipped the OBU Righteous Pink Ginners 10-6.
College Rugby
For the fifth time since 2014, Scots College and St Patrick’s College Silverstream will contest the Premiership final following victories at home in their respective semis this afternoon.
Unbeaten Scots blanked Hutt International Boys’ School (HIBS) 43-0 in Strathmore while Silverstream scrapped their way to an ugly 17-7 win over Wellington College.
Silverstream scored all their points on a heavy field in the first half and would have been largely satisfied with a muscular forward effort. They did, however, blow several scoring chances by flocking to rucks likes bees to a nest.
Wing Jermiah Peleseuma scored the first try in the 13th minute when Silverstream showed rare expansion and finished a simple overlap.
Both lineouts lack continuity and a fumble by Wellington College allowed Silverstream No.8 Braydon Soi to pounce from close range.
The tenacious Drew Berg-McLean, this week selected for the Wellington Under 16s, has a bundle of energy and aggression this season. When the openside thrust ahead like a dagger to make it 17-0 after 27 minutes it looked like the floodgates might open.
Instead, Silverstream lapsed and committed a litany of mistakes. Wellington upped their physicality and outside backs Sam Braddock and Shea Bosher proved lively. Unfortunately, gun winger Jacob Kennedy hardly saw the ball. Wellington’s only try was scored via a dozen-man rolling maul. With 25 minutes remaining it was 17-7. It could have been interesting, but Wellington struggled with their handling too.
No.8 Jack Riley and lock Joe McGuinness were the pick of the Wellington forwards with typically honest industry. Locks Blaine Knapman and Alex Hewitt were tireless and disruptive for Silverstream.
A glance at the scoreboard at Scots College on fulltime would have suggested a comfortable win to the home side. Not so. Scots were made to work hard for long periods in their 43-0 win over HIBS.
Any predictions of an initial blowout win to the home team and top qualifier were quickly dispelled as a plucky and well organised HIBS team took the game to Scots.
HIBS were disruptive at the breakdown and positive and expansive with ball in hand and forced Scots into a slew of early mistakes that would continue for much of the game.
HIBS were unlucky not to score in the first 25 minutes before conceding two quickfire tries in the 27th and 29th minutes, partly against the run of play, to see Scots ahead 12-0.
Scots scored their first try going wide to left wing Happy Valley Patu for a happy ending in the corner. This followed Scots’ first clean break of the match into the 22, by centre Zion Opetaia-Tiata.
Almost from the next re-start Scots broke up-field, which led to lock Sione Latu powering over for their second try.
Just before halftime, second five Ieti Campbell took a quick tap penalty and fed his outside backs one of whom made a beeline for the corner but was bundled into touch. Scots won the HIBS lineout, leading to hooker Semurana Fepulea’I barging over for the third try to make it 19-0 at halftime.
Now playing into the wind, Scots went dangerously close to scoring with the first play of the second half, after nabbing another HIBS lineout throw on halfway and attacking up-field but knocked on in the corner.
From that point, HIBS rallied and completely dominated the next 15 minutes of play. HIBS battled away inside the 22, receiving multiple penalties, leading to Scots lock Carter Gifford being sinbinned. But try as they might, HIBS were unable to break through, and Scots counter attacked up-field led by the dancing feet of first five Pyrenees Boyle-Tiatia, and second five Campbell scored near the posts to give Scots an unassailable 26-0 lead with more than minutes to play.
Scots would then pull clear with three more tries.
HIBS might have been well beaten on the scoreboard, but they can end their 2023 campaign on a high with several players standing out in the semi-final, such as captain and No. 8 Tom Devery, blindside flanker Ben Drummond, tighthead prop Oscar Reid and second five Brodee Tetevano.
In the other Premiership games played today, St Pat’s Town beat Wairarapa College 33-12 to finish fifth and Rongotai finished their season with a flourish with a 30-14 win over St Bernard’s College.
In the Premier 2 semi-finals, the Silverstream second XV and top qualifier brushed off the St Pat’s Town second XV 46-8 and Paraparaumu College beat the Wellington College second XV 15-14 in town.
There were also some college finals today, with the Rongotai second XV beating the Silverstream third XV 34-22 to win the Premier 3 Paul Cameron Cup, Kapiti College beating Rongotai 44-7 to win the U65kg Division 1 Ina Hansen Cup and Paraparaumu beating St Pat’s Town 57-0 to claim the U65kg Division 2 spoils.
Representative
The Wellington U19s beat their Waikato counterparts 42-27 at Memorial Park, Taihape this afternoon.
Try scorers were prop Salesa Seumanufagai (2), Toby Mallon, Daniel Tafili, Xavier Tavai and Stanley Solomon. The latter also kicked six conversions.
The Wellington Samoans lost 26-19 met the Wairarapa-Bush Heartland team at William Jones Park and the Wellington Maori lost 26-36 to the Horowhenua-Kapiti squad at Levin.
The Wairarapa-Bush and Wellington Samoans squads after their match at Wainuiomata this afternoon. Wai-Bush won 26-19. Photos: Mike Lewis Pictures. pic.twitter.com/CmMJYu5il9
— ClubRugby (@ClubRugby) August 5, 2023
The Wellington Centurions opened their representative campaign with a 33-17 win over the Whanganui Heartland squad on a pristine Porirua Park No 2 field this afternoon.
In bright sunshine, the Centurions led 19-12 after 40 minutes following the scoring of their third try on the stroke of halftime to fullback Zane Ainslie after a break by halfback Logan Henry.
Whanganui hit back early in the second half through their long-serving halfback Lindsay Horrocks off an attacking lineout in the corner to close the gap to 19-17.
That was as close as they came, however, as two yellow cards in short order hampered their chances. One was for a deliberate slap-down, and the other was for a lazy tackle.
With a two-man advantage, the Centurions finally scored their fourth try, to midfield back Ethan Webster-Nonu under the posts, to make it 26-17.
Both teams carried large squads into the match and made multiple changes off the bench which hindered much of the flow of the second half.
There was one more try scored, with Centurions loosehead prop Julius Masoe crossing after a counterattack up the touchline by wing Louis Northcott after fielding a kick o halfway.
Earlier, the Centurions opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a slick try in the entrance corner of the ground to Northcott’s Paremata-Plimmerton teammate and right wing Joe Faleafaga.
Whanganui hit back in the 20th minute after a two-minute buildup of multiple phases and tighthead prop Gabriel Hakaraia scored their first try.
In the 25th minute Centurions starting prop Kaliopasi Uliuilalakepa scored a barnstorming try from close range. Second five Alex Ropeti converted and the Centurions led 12-5.
Whanganui levelled at 12-12 approaching half time when they stole a Centurions lineout 40 metres out which led to second five Timoti Serawalu making a bombastic break in midfield to set up a try under the posts for centre Josiah Bogileka who would later be one of the two Butcher Boys players sent to the sinbin.
