U85kg, Reserve Grade club rugby and Premiership, Premier 2, 4 College Finals this weekend

Aerial action from the match just over a month ago between the UH J8s and the Poneke Ruffnuts. The J8s won 31-27 and meet again tomorrow in their Reserve Grade Division 1 final for the John Davies Cup.

By Scott MacLean & Steven White

Friday afternoon updates: Four more champions will be crowned in Wellington club rugby tomorrow, with the U85kg Division 1 and 2 finals and the Reserve Grade Division 1 and 2 finals being contested tomorrow.

There are also three college rugby finals tomorrow, in Premier 2 and Premier 4, and the flagship Premiership First XV decider on Sunday.

In representative rugby, there is one match in Wellington tomorrow, and a clutch of games elsewhere.

The Wellington Lions and Wellington Pride are also in action tomorrow afternoon in away fixtures in Dunedin and Tauranga respectively.

Club

The final four championship trophies of the club season will be handed out tomorrow afternoon to bring down the curtain.

The highlight clash is the final of the Under 85kg Paul Potiki Shield between the two side that have emerged as the real heavyweights of the grade in 2023; the Tawa Ducks and the Old Boys University Scallywags at Lyndhurst Park at 2.45pm. It shapes as a titanic battle, as the pair have each lost just once this season – to each other. OBU won 40-5 way back in the very first round of the year, while Tawa were victorious 29-17 in the return match to open the second slate of matches.

The Ducks, named for those regular residents of Lyndhurst Park, are in their debut season with the club having – through the efforts of former club and Pare-Plim Premier player Jonty Boyd and others – resurrected a weight-restricted side following the demise of their former title-winning Titans side a few years ago. Boyd, Adam Preston, and if he plays Matt Treeby, are amongst those with Premier grade experience in their side.

Says Boyd; “We’ve had a really good season, better than we could have expected starting out. But now we’re in this position we’re looking to finish the job. OBU are a quality side and they’ve showed that across the whole season so we’re expecting it to be tough.”

“We’ll be looking to play our game our way on our field. We know that our supporters will be out to back us, so at the very least we’ll look to put on a show for them.”

The Scallywags aren’t short on Premier-level know-how either, being led by player-coach, Goats veteran, and Jubilee Cup winner Matt “Unit” Fowler, while midfielder Jack Green is another experienced at the top-flight. They plundered all before them on route to winning the first-round JC Bowl but have found matters slightly more challenging in recent weeks.

“We’re extremely excited to have made the final, and to be playing Tawa who have set the benchmark, particularly in the second round. They’ve got strengths all over the park and, with home ground advantage, they will be a massive challenge.” Says Fowler.

For the first time this year, we’re injury-free and able to name our best possible side. We love chucking the ball around and playing a Scallywags brand of footy, and we won’t be looking to change that in the decider. The passing of Tom Murray – the best #7 in Scallywags history – brought us even closer together and reminded us that while winning is nice, there’s far more to rugby than the scoreline after 80 minutes. Given Tom’s connection to several the Tawa boys, this weekend will double with the inaugural match for the Thomas Murray Memorial Trophy.

There’s plenty of matchups to keep an eye on, but a pivotal one is likely to be that of the two #10s. Former Colts standout Liam Rongonui – who played for the Scallywags last season – will look to guide Tawa around the park while opposing him is former Silverstream star Nic Mannix who’ll be running the Scallywags ship. Whoever gets the upper hand there could decide the destination of the trophy.

Kick-off is at 2.45pm.

The Division 2 final for the Tony O’Brien Shield is also on tomorrow, with Hutt Old Boys Marist hosting last years grade champions Johnsonville at the Hutt Rec after both won last weekend to secure their place in that decider. It also kicks off at 2.45pm.

The two other finals on tomorrow are in the Reserve Grade. The championship John Davies Cup final pit the Upper Hutt Rams J8’s against perennial contenders the Poneke Ruffnuts out at Maidstone Park. The J8’s have lost just once this season – to the MSP Internationals – and saw off the Johnsonville Cripples last Saturday – while the Ruffnuts beat MSP and will be looking to go one better than last year when beaten in the final by the currently defunct Ories Vatos.

The second-tier Alan Seerup Cup provides the early entertainment at Lyndhurst, with Tawa facing Petone from 1pm.

The Reserve Grade Division 1 Final is being livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/events/950304969395959/?ref=newsfeed

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College

The school season is rapidly winding down as well, with more finals this weekend.

Tomorrow is highlighted by the Premier 2 decider for the Murray Jensen Cup between reigning champions and grade powerhouse the Silverstream 2^nd XV, and a resurgent Paraparaumu 1^st XV. The Streamers had made little race of things this season, winning all nine round-robin matches and then dispatched their Town cousins 46-8 in last weekend’s semi-final. Paraparaumu finished third on the ladder and reached the final by tipping over the Wellington College 2nds 15-14 in their semi-final.

Also concluding is the Premier 4 grade with the Onslow Cup to go to the winner between St Bernard’s 2^nd XV and the Silverstream 4^ths, while it’s semi-finals in the Under 15 grades with the flagship Division 1 matches seeing top qualifiers Wellington College Gold hosting St Bernard’s A, and St Pats Town A doing likewise for the Silverstream A side.

After that, all eyes turn to Sunday and the return of rugby to Jerry Collins Stadium at Porirua Park for the Premiership decider at 1pm between Scots College and Silverstream. The two have once again been the dominant sides in 2023, with Scots the favourites going in having gone unbeaten and beaten Silverstream 32-19 in their round-robin contest despite a first-half red card.

Representative

The Lions take to the road again this week, heading south to Dunedin and a meeting with Otago under the roof at Forsyth Barr on Saturday afternoon. The defending NPC champions will be all the better for their opening clash against Manawatu, where they struggled to break down and finish opportunities against their stubborn opponents. Otago lost to Tasman in Nelson in their opening match, so Wellington should go into this as favourites.

Before that, the Pride face what amounts to a do-or-drop clash away against fellow winless side Bay of Plenty. With four losses already including last week’s reverse against Hawkes Bay, the bye next week and then a visit to Hamilton against competition leaders Waikato to come any hope of making the playoffs is gone and retaining their Premiership status for 2024 is now the priority.

Locally, all other Men’s sides are in action though only two are here in Wellington with the Samoans and Fijians meeting at Ngati Toa Domain at 2.30pm. The Centurions are in Feilding for the first of two matches against the Manawatu Evergreens, the Māori are in Hawera to play their Taranaki counterparts, and the U19s are across Cook Strait to take on the Tasman U20s in Blenheim.

Teamlists (as received):

Wellington U19s

Senio Sanele
Leon Tuiloma
Ruben Ape-Tuputala
Seth Clayton
Lennox Easthope
Matolu Petaia
Blake Love
Jeremiah Avei-Collins
Devon Sopoaga
Stanley Solomon
Daniel Tafili
Emmanuel Solomona
Tofuka Paongo (Capt.)
Francis Mettrick
Carlos Hihi
Toby Mallon
Salesa Seumanufagai
Ben Kershaw
Conner Tuifao
Samanoa Euta
Keanu Kotuhi
Junior Paulo
Tana Maene-Lokeni

Wellington Centurions

Julius Masoe
Joyner Gaulofa
Ha’amea ‘Ahio
Eammon Carr
Teofilo Paulo
George Risale (vc)
William Rua
Toby Crosby
Logan Henry (c)
Harrison Boyle
Isi Saumaki
Sam Clarke
Todd Svenson
Nash Fiso-Vaelei
Zane Ainslie
Louie Calvert / Penieli Poasa
Connor Lemmon
Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe
Boston Hunt
John Tuia
Sam Howling
Alex Ropeti
Chicago Doyle
Louis Northcott
Ruperake Oloapu

Wellington Samoans:

Tui Tuiatua (Marist St Pats) – Matatufu Lalomauga
Dion Lealofi (Wainuiomata) – Sinamoga Samatau
Jonty Bird (Oriental Rongotai) – Malifa Safotu
Malachi Ti’a (Oriental Rongotai) – Falefa Lefaga Manono
Samson Alaimoana (Oriental Rongotai) – Sala’ilua Tafatafa Malie
Sergio Hollis (Johnsonville) – Tanumalala Vaimoso
Alex Fidow (Oriental Rongotai) – Malifa Safotu
Ta’alise Soloa [c] (Hutt Old Boys’ Marist) – Moata’a Lauli’i
Solomona Uelese (Tawa) – Solosolo Vaimoso
Grayson Whitman (Oriental Rongotai) – Gataivai
Ben Tuiatua (Marist St Pats) – Matatufu Fasito’outa
Skivi Va’a (Oriental Rongotai) – Salamumu Asau
Ethan Webster-Nonu (Paremata-Plimmerton) – Iva Fasito’otai
Joe Faleafaga (Paremata-Plimmerton) – Falealili Salesatele
Isaac Moe-Jenkins (Poneke) – Faleapuna Lefaga
Davis Eni (Paremata-Plimmerton) – Lefagaoali’i Sato’alepai
Laurence-Jarel Lim (Old Boys’ University) – Leauva’a Vailoa Faleata
Noah Tuifao-Galuvao (Poneke) – Falelatai Salaevalu
Werdna Maligi-Leota (Paremata-Plimmerton) – Sala’ilua Vaiusu Mulifanua Manono Iva
Chris Simone (Marist St Pats) – Luatuanu’u Samusu
Kitiona Leitufia (Wainuiomata) – Lauli’i Sala’ilua Savai’i
Iakopo Stowers (Wainuiomata) – Fasito’outa Lefaga
Pose Tuilaepa (Oriental Rongotai) – Solosolo Fasito’outa
Niko Patelesio (Wainuiomata) – Lepea Lotofaga
Campbell Cowie (Wainuiomata) – Vaivase Tai