MSP and HOBM unbeaten as Petone and Ories come from behind to win

• Article contributors: Steven White, Scott MacLean, Adam Julian and Martyn Bridge
• Photos: Andy McArthur, Caroline Lewis

Results and scoring (as received) at: https://www.clubrugby.co.nz/wellington/games-results.php?competition=1&season=21&round=3

There will be plenty of Hail Marys said tonight as the two Marist clubs lead the way in Wellington Premier rugby, while Petone and Oriental-Rongotai both came from behind to win their Swindale Shield matches today.

Marist St Pat’s over-ran Tawa 57-41 at home at Evans Bay Park this afternoon (more below), while Hutt Old Boys Marist defeated Northern United 45-12 at Porirua Park, their third straight bonus point win.

Elsewhere, both Petone and Ories reeled in deficits to win their third round fixtures, Petone coming back from 7-24 to beat Old Boys University 40-29 for the Marc Verhoeven Trophy (more below) and Ories pipping the Upper Hutt Rams 22-19 for both the Bob Lendrum and Bill Brien Challenge Cups, after being 8-19 in arrears (more below).

At the other end of the points table, Avalon and the Wellington Axemen both missed out for the third week, Avalon losing heavily to Paremata-Plimmerton 10-74 and the Axemen finishing 20-49 against Johnsonville for the Mick Kenny Cup.

The thriller of the round was at Kilbirnie Park where Poneke edged Wainuiomata 40-39 for the Hakaraia Trophy.

Poneke held off a fast-finishing Wainuiomata after first five Carlos Hihi’s 68^th minute penalty gave them a 40-32 lead. Wainuiomata pressed hard over the final minutes, but could only score a try with a last play of the game to close to within a point. Poneke led 25-17 at halftime. Fullback Nick Robertson scored a hat-trick. Wainuiomata played 20 minutes with 14 players with the red card of fullback Campbell Cowie a setback. Hurricane Peter Umaga-Jensen was a big influence for the visitors all match.

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Petone overturned a big halftime deficit to run down Old Boys University 40-29 on Old Timers’ Day at Nairnville Park.

OBU led 24-7 at the break, but Petone hit the lead and held it with about 15 minutes to play when popular replacement wing Belgium Tuatagaloa ran in his second try in the space of five minutes. From the very next kickoff, Petone scooped up a loose ball near halfway and fullback TJ Clarke ran in to score and convert his own try to make it 33-24. Petone had scored 26 unanswered points since half time and after losing  a player to the sinbin early in the half.

A shellshocked OBU regrouped, and fullback Jermaine Pepe crossed after almost a minute of concerted attack. But it wasn’t enough, Petone having the final say with their other wing Jarrod Adams scoring their sixth try and Clarke converting from the sideline for the 11 point final advantage.

Earlier, the match started in front of a big crowd in ideal conditions. Would it be Petone’s rockstar backline or OBU’s unheralded forward pack that would dictate the run of play?

For almost the entire first half, it was the latter as Petone’s representative players, first five Harry Godfrey, second five Riley Higgins, centre Losi Filipo, and fullback Clarke, struggled to find their combinations and cohesion. Instead, it was OBU’s tight five, led by such players as lock Jack Riley, prop Nico Aandewiel and hooker and captain Louie Calvert, who got stuck into their opposites.

The result was a 24-0 lead after half an hour, with Hurricanes Development halfback Kyle Preston scoring the game’s first try in the 14th minute. This was followed by two carbon-copy tries to hooker Calvert off lineouts in the corner which were both converted from out wide by wing Ben Brooking, while Brooking also kicked a penalty.

Petone finished the first half with a try from phase play to centre Filipo wearing outrageous pink boots.

Petone started the second half with a dying breeze at their back, and were reduced to 14 players for 10 minutes almost immediately due to a high tackle, but instead they rallied and whipped the ball out to Adams who scored the first of his two tries to start the comeback.

With Petone’s backs now clicking into life, their forwards rose a notch, with openside flanker Mason Henry, lock Sam Tonise and No. 8 Conner Tuifao all pitching in.

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Ories and Upper Hutt produced another cliffhanger at Maidstone Park with the Magpies once again prevailing. In 2023 Ories beat Upper Hutt 24-23 and 30-27. Today Ories rallied from 19-8 down to prevail 22-19.

With three minutes remaining Rams first-five Tynan Barrett had a chance to tie the scores with a penalty shot, 20 in from touch, 25 shy of the target. Barrett sprayed the ball to the right as Ories consigned the hosts to another slender defeat.  The Rams last dozen games have been decided by ten points or less.

The first half was a cagey, error-ridden affair with no scoring until the 28th minute. Ories wing Herman Seumanufagi poached an intercept from halfway. Upper Hutt had been held up over the line and dropped the ball with a clear rain to the paint as they generally enjoyed superior field position.

The Upper Hutt Rams’ first half try was scored by wing Soli Malatai capitalising on an overlap from a scrum. Ories lock Malachai Tia was yellow carded following persistent team infringements.

Upper Hutt hooker Leon Tuiloma is on the cusp of New Zealand U20 selection. The combative and athletic hooker showed why at the start of the second half. He extravagantly dummied to his right and flashed into a hole, bursting 25 meters in a spectacular strike.

Upper Hutt had palpable momentum and halfback Kaide McCashin emulated Tuiloma’s theatre from 10 metres out.

The bench helped a listless Ories come to life. Wellington Lions Dominic Ropeti and Sione Halalilo caught fire and when Ropeti scored a try with 20 minutes remaining a tense finish ensued.

The winning try was scored with about a dozen minutes left when Ories was the first to run after a prolonged kicking duel.  Ories shifted urgently to the left and Seumanufagi was unstoppable, scoring a second try from halfway.

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It was a gnarly win for Ories who were more composed in the last twenty minutes. Their kicking for territory was smarter and their breakdown work improved. Reserve prop Connor Lemon and centre Alex Ropeti were among other standouts for the Magpies. For Upper Hutt lock Aidan Woodward was a hive of activity, Malatai lively and second five Emmanuel Solomona threatening.

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At Evans Bay Park, visitors Tawa kicked two penalties to go up 6-0 early.

Tawa lost a player to the sin-bin, leading to MSP scoring their first try to take the lead to lock James Zino.

MSP scored their second try on 17 minutes through captain and openside Milan Kriletich in the corner, following a big run by No. 8 Keelan Whitman.

Tawa returned to 15 players and they hit back with a try to right wing Rewiti Leat, converted from the sideline by first five Luke Walmsley, to go up 13-12.

MSP packed down a scrum from a penalty in front of the poles and No. 8 Whitman crashed over to make it 19-13, before Tawa regained the lead at 20-19 with a try to halfback Solomon Uelese to end a lively first half.

It resumed with gusto early in the second spell, with MSP fullback Francis Mettrick kicking ahead and halfback Sam Connor scoring to put MSP up 26-20. The ever-changing lead then saw Tawa go up 27-26 with a pick and go try under the posts.

MSP then won the game with two consecutive converted tries, the second by tighthead prop Vince Sakaria who sold a dummy and crossed the line. MSP now led 40-27. Fullback Mettrick ran in the next try to put MSP up 47-27 with about 10 minutes to play.

Tawa’s N0. 8 Matolu Petaia scored next, followed by a MSP penalty to advance the score to 50-34, before a run and chip ahead by replacement MSP wing Viliame Saukuru was regathered by captain Kiretich to seal victory. Tawa then scored a consolation try at the end to No. 8 Petaia.

Premier 2

Plenty of heavy scoring in the Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield this afternoon.

OBU won the match of the unbeatens, beating Petone 32-24 in the Cage at Ian Galloway Park.

HOBM and Poneke lead the way, HOBM outlasted Norths to win 35-24, with Poneke coming out on top 48-41 over Wainuiomata. Tawa put MSP away 55-12 and Pare-Plim were big winners 71-15 over Avalon.

The margins were closer in the remaining matches as Upper Hutt beat Ories 28-22, and Wellington notched their first win 28-26 over Johnsonville at Newlands Park

Colts

HOBM and Petone lead the way in the Paris Memorial Colts after three rounds.

The Eagles were 35-22 winners over Norths and Petone bested OBU 44-21 (more on this game below). Poneke were 45-5 winners over Wainuiomata, Upper Hutt got up 36-17 over Ories, and Pare-Plim were 44-15 winners over Avalon. Wellington were 25-17 winners over Johnsonville, while it was a humdinger at Evans Bay as Tawa edged out MSP 40-39.

In the Colts curtain raiser on Old Timers’ Day at Nairnville Park, visitors Petone steamrolled OBU Green Colts 44-21.

Petone led 15-7 at half time, but when hooker Regan Shaw barrelled through a lineout to score in front of the cricket nets, Petone were up 20-7. This was quickly followed by consecutive tries to fullback Max Hosking and it was suddenly 32-7.

Hosking then scored his hat trick try from a long-range intercept to put Petone up 39-7 and it was all over with 15 minutes to play.

It got worse for OBU as hooker Shaw scored his second try for a 44-7 lead with 10 minutes left in the game.

OBU averted a rout with two converted tries in the closing stages.

Earlier, Petone had opened the scoring with a sixth minute try from a lineout in the far corner, converted from the sideline by Hosking. There was no scoring for another 20 minutes before Petone scored their second try with that man Hosking running back a kick and passing on his inside to halfback Jake Jupe for try number two.

OBU replied a couple of minutes later with a try to second five Floyd Rose following a period of sustained pressure.

U85kgs

The Tawa Ducks and the OBU Scallywags are the two unbeaten teams after three weeks of the U85kg JC Bowl competition heading into next week’s bye round in this grade.

The Tawa Ducks eased past Marist St Pat’s today, winning 109-7, while the Scallywags defeated Petone 32-5.

It was a tight match between Poneke and the HOBM Howlers, with Poneke winning 15-5, and between Johnsonville and Wellington, with the Terrahawks winning 29-23. The fifth match today saw Avalon beating Eastbourne 47-12. The Paremata-Plimmerton Piranhas had the bye.

Women’s

Petone and Wainuiomata remain unbeaten after the third round of the Women’s Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy.

Petone were too good for the combined Poneke/OBU side last night winning 77-12, while Wainuiomata held out Pare-Plim to win 24-10.

The clash of the regular heavyweights Ories and Norths at the Polo Ground was an even affair for most of it, before the Magpies pulled away to win 19-5.

College

Nelson College concluded their short North Island tour with a 33-15 defeat by St Patrick’s College, Silverstream.

A vibrant tussle saw eight tries scored and both teams empty their benches. Silverstream led 19-10 at halftime.

Nelson’s kicking was poor in the first half, often finding hand instead of land as the visitors struggled to contain Silverstream’s lively back three. Fullback Liam Slight, centre Jerimah Peleseuma, and first five Thompson Tukapua were creative and silky.

Ironically then four of Silverstream’s five tries were scored by forwards. Hooker Jerico Wharehinga was bustling and busy and scored two tries, tighthead Noah Krijnen burst 25 meters when left unattended at a ruck and lock Preston Moananu benefited from a charge down which led to an overlap.

With 20 returning players, Nelson will be a strong side. Fullback Kaelan Grafton scored two tries. Halfback Ollie Gibbons and first-five Harrison Inch are an accomplish pair who will get better, and the loose forwards are tall and abrasive.

Hutt Valley High School defeated St Bernard’s College 40-22 in their pre-season First XV match at Wainuiomata.

At Porirua Park, the touring New South Wales State Schools representative side defeated the Wellington region’s Western Bays Combined Schools team 22-15. It was 17-5 to NSW at halftime, after the home side has sensationally scored the first try from a kick and chase after two minutes.

The visitors had some good loosies and scored a couple of cracking tries, including one from a scrum near halfway to the right wing just prior to the break.

The home team scored first in the second half, to close to 17-10, but one more try was enough for their win.

At Evans Bay Park, visitors New Plymouth Boys’ High School defeated St Pat’s Town 43-12.

Manawatu

College Old Boys remain at the head of the Manawatu Senior A competition after they won 32-22 over Feilding Yellows at the Arena. Old Boys Marist and Kia Toa are also unbeaten but trail owing to having had the bye. OBM beat Freyberg 32-19 and Kia Toa topped Massey 29-10. The fourth match was between teams down the table with Te Kawau running out 48-21 winners over Feilding Old Boys-Oroua. Linton Army had the bye

Horowhenua-Kapiti

In Horowhenua-Kapiti Rahui’s stranglehold on dominance shows litte sign of abating any time soon after they dispatched Foxton 45-15. College Old Boys dominated the Levin derby by crushing Wanderers 59-0 while it was a high-scoring affair between Waikanae and Paraparaumu with the former prevailing 45-42.

Wairarapa-Bush

The top-of-the-table clash in Wairarapa-Bush didn’t disappoint as East Coast took it to Martinborough. The coasties led at halftime and the 30-29 with 20 minutes to go, but Marty kicked clear in the final quarter to win 39-30. Elsewhere defending champions Carterton fell to a second loss in three matches beaten 37-29 away at Eketahuna, Greytown edged Marist 17-15, and Pioneer won the clash at the bottom of the table over Red Star 24-15.

The Wairarapa-based arm of the Club Rugby team was at Pirinoa – the southernmost club in the North Island – for the top-of-the-table clash between home team Tuhirangi and visitors Pioneer B in the Senior Reserve competition.

The early exchanges had the visitors dominating territory and putting the hosts under serious pressure for the opening 20, and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring. Tuhirangi hit back twice at the half hour, but Pioneer closed out the half with two of their own to lead 19-12. Tuhurangi leveled matters soon after the resumption, but the decisive moment came soon after. Hot on attack Tuhirangi failed to control the ball at ruck on the Pioneer goalline and the visitors streaked way to score in the opposite corner three phases later. Two further tries had Pioneer a hard-earned but well-deserved victory, giving Tuhirangi a first loss in two years and first at home in three. It would be a surprise of these two didn’t contest the grade final at the end of the season.