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Chargedown. The Upper Hutt Rams’ Tynan Barrett gets his kick away as Wellington Axemen halfback Will Cosgriff attempts the chargedown. Photo: Peter Mcdonald.
Monday mid morning updates edition: The biggest weekend yet of rugby in the Wellington region for 2024 has just come to a close, and it’s only just getting underway with college rugby now in full swing alongside club rugby.
A dogfight for the top 8 in the Premier Swindale Shield is already developing. We can see at least two, perhaps three deserving sides missing out on the championship Jubilee Cup round later this season. Has it been this competitive down as far as the field yet since the competition expanded to 14 teams in 2015? There were a few years there, and going back to the old 12-team first round days, where it was a bit of a procession from this point on to the end of the first round.
Four of the seven venues are in the city this weekend. See who is in the mix for round six this coming Saturday by noting this week’s matches at a glance (home teams first and Premier 2 and Colts the same draw):
#1 – Avalon v J’ville
#2 – HOBM v Tawa
#3 – Marist St Pat’s v Wellington
#4 – Norths v Petone
#5 – OBU v Upper Hutt Rams
#6 – Ories v Wainui
#7 – Poneke v Pare-Plim
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Tawa College’s First XV have a big week coming up. First their opening Beard Trophy defence this coming Wednesday at Lyndhurst Park at 4.00pm. This is against Porirua College. Then on Saturday the first round grading winners face St Pat’s Town. If they win that then they’re in the Premiership this year. This match on Wednesday also heralds the start of ‘midweek’ First XV rugby this year.
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Tofuka Paongo will make his New Zealand U20s debut on Tuesday in their second match against Argentina. The current OBU and recent Tawa player out of Wellington College will line up at second-five for the team. He is the only player from Wellington in this match, with Stanley Solomon and Senio Sanele the other players in the squad.
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In overnight news, the New Zealand Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams won their Singapore SVNS [that’s what it is called] tournament. Lots more in this week’s ‘Sevens Chat’ segment at the bottom of this article.
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A special day for Ridge Studd and his family with Ridge playing his first game of rugby since being assailed in the Ambassador Sevens tournament on November 14, 2020. Ridge was uncertain until Thursday that he would play but itchy feet and a clearance by a specialist won the day. Studd played 30 minutes at flanker in the Petone Premier 2’s 50-24 win against Wainuiomata at William Jones Park. In an eventful shift, Studd made one 20m break and took a huge (legal tackle) from a Wainuiomata forward. Another highlight from the game was two tries scored by Petone wing Jakib Tainui. Tainui has had a shocking run with shoulder and knee injuries.
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Max Hosking was the head boy of Kapiti College and has scored four tries in 10 games for Petone, including two in their 60-36 win over Wainuiomata on Saturday.
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Our thoughts to Poneke pair Esene Marsters-Moananu and Phoenix-James Kapa for a full recovery from their injuries from their Premier 2 clash with Avalon. Big prop Marsters-Moananu suffered a broken leg early which forced a change of fields, while Kapa dislocated a shoulder. Both injuries had a knock-on effect to their Premiers forcing Ross Bond to shuffle his bench on the fly for the following Swindale match.
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Old Boys University hooker and captain Louie Calvert two tries on Saturday to be the competition’s top try scorer with eight after the opening five rounds. See NZU tour to Japan entry below as well.
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It’s nearing 5.30pm. The sun has dipped below the hills, some bloke is careering around on a dirt bike, and Old Timers’ Day is in full swing in the Ricoh Centre, but Avalon Chairman and Wolves Mr Everything Troy O’Kane is still out on Fraser Park in his Number 1s packing the field down.
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Wainuiomata lock Kitiona Leitufia played an absolute blinder against his former club, Petone. Originally from Auckland, Leitufia played two Swindale Shield matches for Petone in 2021 before moving to Wainuiomata to live with his girlfriend. Leitufia has played 34 games in Green and Black.
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Bring back the North-South game.
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Upper Hutt Rams winger Scott Svenson has scored three hat-tricks in a row against the Wellington Axemen.
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Were the Hurricanes that good or the Waratahs that bad in their Super Rugby match in Wellington on Friday night?
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Belgium Tuatagaloa has scored 31 tries in 57 games for Petone. The 35-year-old played nine tournaments for the All Blacks Sevens from 2012 to 2013 and represented Samoa at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. With the ability to cover both wings and midfield, he could be a good option for a Wellington Lions contract if he desires.
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Fritz Rayasi has scored 11 tries in 21 games for Hutt Old Boys Marist, including two in their 45-22 win against Marist St Pats. Brother Salesi Rayasi scored two tries for the Hurricanes in their 41-12 victory over the Waratahs in Super Rugby Pacific. Salesi has 27 tries in 46 games for the Hurricanes and 40 tries in 52 games for Auckland.
Losi Filipo has scored 64 tries in 82 Premier matches.
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Petone winger Harmony Kautai has scored 7 tries in five games for Petone.
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The Under 85s community is a close-knit one nationwide, in part due to the National Club Cup. So following the tragic loss of Beachland Maraetai player Cory Heather after an accidental head knock last weekend that community rallied around to show their respect for Heather, his family, and his teammates. Beyond the financial contributions, each one of the five matches here started with a minute of silence and the teams laying out their #12 jerseys – the number worn by Heather last Saturday – on the field beforehand.
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It was understood the the WRFU was to have brought out a Billy Wallace competition Best & Fairest update last week. Perhaps this week after five rounds? You’d think it would be open and updated and re-published each week, like it used to be.
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The drums are beating for Billy Proctor to be the All Blacks centre.
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The Colts competition is shaping as a two-horse race between the Petone and Hutt Old Boys Marist Colts – both play an exciting brand of rugby.
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In the past three weeks we have seen two Premier players in action not wearing mouthguards (looking through the lens of the the camera doesn’t lie). Apart from the fact we think this is mandatory (?), trust us, you don’t want to lose teeth or need dental work that could have been preventable, nor does your girlfriend/boyfriend or your bank manager.
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Super Rugby is popular in Fiji.
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Dave Linkhorn, Life Member of the Petone club, Petone club President 2000-02 and past President of the WRFU, passed away last week.
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The long-awaited match between Palmerston North Boys’ High School and Feilding High School was won by Palmerston North 36-22. It’s the first time since 2015 that the Manawatū rivals have clashed. The fixture drew the largest crowd for a rugby match in Palmerston North since the Hurricanes v Rebels Super Rugby fixture on March 22. Palmerston North made a slick and abrasive start rushing to a 17-0 lead. Feilding scored a try to make it 17-5 at halftime but Palmerston North took control of the second half with a late rally at the end by Feilding closing the deficit. Kotahi Cribb was best for Feilding and Hunter Kennedy showed blistering speed for Palmerston North.
PNBHS: 36 (Hunter Kennedy 2, Jamie Viljoen, Tevita Fakahau, Bradley Tocker; Jamie Viljoen 4 con 1 pen) FAHS 22 (James Tuituba, Peni Havea Zach Filer, Dan Maisiri; Tyrese Tane con)
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St Patrick’s, College Silverstream was the only Wellington school to win a match in the first round of the Tranzit Festival, foiling Napier Boys’ High School 26-12. Sam Thompson, William Davis, Jeremiah Peleseuma, and Thompson Tukapua scored tries. Silverstream received two yellow cards in the last 20 minutes of the match but resolutely held out. The previous Saturday, Silverstream battled their way to a 17-13 victory over St Bede’s College in their first traditional fixture of the year in Christchurch. Lock Thompson scored a try in that match along with No.8 Elijah Solomona. St Bede’s were semi-finalists in the 2023 Myles Toyota Championship.
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HIBS was beaten 32-0 by Gisborne BHS in their Tranzit Coachlines Festival debut fixture. HIBS made the semi-finals of the Wellington Premiership for the first time since opening in 1991 last year. HIBS bravely held Gisborne to 10-0 at halftime and finished with no players on the bench. No.8 Rhys Evans was a standout.
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Meanwhile, what is going on with Scots College rugby? We don’t know.
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The commencement of the College season pushed refereeing numbers to their limit on Saturday, with President and appointments convenor Mark Fairmaid burning up the phone lines coaxing several recent referees out to fill the void. While they’ve had some good success in recruiting this year, and it was great to see Monique McCarthy (nee Dalley), Tim Johnston, Himi Orupe, Vinnie Wylie, and Mike Pinfold back out on the field, being able to meet the demand is still a challenge.
Murray Blandford ran touch during top of table woman’s game to that was pretty heroic. No tochie, so he steeped up in casual attire.
And further that front, the Petone Under 85s being on the bye allowed their coaching and management team and recent referees Glen Tapara, Scott Marriner, and Brad Newson to all also help out by filling roles.
If that’s a challenge you’re interested in meeting, get in touch with Mark Fairmaid on 021 748855.
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Southland club rugby this weekend was played on Thursday night. The reason? The start of duck hunting season.
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A jersey auction for the late Rachel Umaga raised $10,070 at the Wainuiomata Rugby club. A stalwart of the club Rachel was the sister of former All Blacks Captain Tana Umaga and Samoan international Mike Umaga. Her sons are the Umaga-Jensen twins Thomas and Peter.
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Tawa supporters will be hoping they get the trio of Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Hugo Plummer (both Highlanders) and PJ Sheck (Blues) back in a few weeks, but will it be too late given the ridiculous encroachment on the season that Super Rugby has these days?
Sheck scored a try for the Blues this weekend – in either his debut match or close to it.
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HOBM Premier 2 left wing Nathan Tunuvasa runs in one of many tries for his team in their 98-7 Harper Lock Shield win over MSP on Saturday. He backed that up by scoring a try off the bench for the Premiers a couple of hours later. Full gallery of this match HERE
In 307 matches recorded in our database going back to 2007, this MSP team has only twice before conceded more than 50 points to fellow Premier 2 opposition – 55 points to Tawa two weeks ago and 51 in 2022 to Norths. They have also conceded 50 or more points in a game on 10 further occasions in this period, but all these were to Premier teams whilst playing in the Hardham Cup. The 98 points conceded on Saturday were broke the record of 80 that the Avalon Premiers scored against them some 15 years ago.
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A new low for the Crusaders. The Reds beat them 33-28 in Christchurch this past weekend, their first win over them in Christchurch for 25 years.
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Sevens Chat
The All Blacks and Black Ferns Sevens have won the same tournament for the ninth time in their history with thrilling victories in the Singapore Sevens. The Black Ferns Sevens won the SVNS League title for the eighth time defeating Australia 31-21 in an exhilarating Cup final. The All Blacks Sevens foiled the emerging force of Ireland 17-14 in an equally gripping climax.
Michaela Blyde holds the record for most SVNS final hattricks with six and finished the regular season as the Black Ferns leading try scorer with 52.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe has scored a record 36 tries in SVNS finals. Blyde has 32 with Australia’s Charlotte Caslick next with 13.
Stacey Waaka has scored 99 SVNS tries.
In the 2023-24 season, New Zealand had 36 wins and scored 192 tries. Australia had 34 wins and scored 185 tries. Maddison Levi scored 56 tries for the Aussies.
SVNS Head to Head: New Zealand 24, Australia 12
In the first five tournaments of the SVNS the All Blacks Sevens were 13-13.
The All Blacks Sevens success in Singapore was their 69th SVNS Cup final victory in 111 starts.
The All Blacks Sevens won their Cup title in Hong Kong scoring just 17 tries, the fewest they’ve scored to win a Cup title in their history (previous was 18 tries to win in Vancouver in 2016).
Since becoming a core team four seasons ago, Ireland has finished 10th in 2020, sixth in 2021, fifth in 2022, ninth in 2023, and second this season. Ireland was third in three events and second in Singapore.
Argentina was crowned SVNS League winners securing enough points to resist Ireland with a fifth-place finish. The Pumas won three of the seven events in Cape Town (Australia, 45-12), Perth (Australia, 31-5), and Vancouver (New Zealand, 36-12). They won 32 of 39 matches and are the sixth country after New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Samoa, and Fiji to win the league.
The Pumas have only beaten New Zealand 16 times in 100 matches, but six of those victories have come since 2019.
Michael Hooper (141 Wallabies Tests) scored his first SVNS try. Australia was fourth in Singapore.
Olympic champions Fiji have not won a Cup title at any location since Toulouse on the 2022 Series, 21 tournaments ago. This is their longest Cup title drought since playing 21 events between Brisbane in 2003 and Dubai in 2005 without lifting a trophy.
23 of Fiji’s 38 matches in the season were decided by a converted try or less.
The Top Eight Grand Final for men and women will be held in Madrid from May 31 to June 2. The teams placed between nine–twelve will compete in a promotion/relegation-style event with other teams to decide which stay as core teams. The Olympics are in Paris from July 24 to 30.
