Jubilee Cup super semi-finals

Campbell Woodmass dives over to score the winning try for Northern United against Tawa in their 2019 semi-final. Photo: Stewart

This coming Saturday sees the 2024 Jubilee Cup semi-finals.

 Tawa and Oriental-Rongotai meet at Lyndhurst Park and Hutt Old Boys Marist and Old Boys University clash at the Hutt Recreation Ground.

 In an article updated from 2020 – here are 10 of the best semi-finals so far.

10. 1999: MARIST ST PAT’S 16 – WESTERN SUBURBS 15

In the last major semi-final played at Athletic Park, Wellington Lions and Hurricanes wing Lome Fa’atau collected a dropped pass and sprinted 85 metres to score the winning try, against the defending champions Wests. Going into the last quarter, Wests held a 12-6 lead on penalties before Fa’atau’s runaway try put MSP ahead,13-12. Scott Leighton retook the lead for Wests with his fifth kick at goal, but Scott McHardy replied to put MSP ahead for the last time late in the match.

9. 1993: PETONE 21 – HARLEQUINS 14

‘Harlequins denied by bad bounce’ said the Dominion’s headline, following Petone’s tense victory over Harlequins [now Old Boys University]. Petone five-eighth Simon Mannix had kicked a penalty for his side’s last points of the game on the 65-minute mark to see them lead 21-14. All that was left for Petone to do was hold on to the end. Harlequins needed to score a converted try to force extra time – and they very nearly did. Replacement wing Alaska Taufa’s kick into the in-goal area sat up for flying centre Sale Sorovaki to race through to go for the try. However the ball was squeezed from his grasp by the cover defenders and Petone clung on to win. Petone went on to win the Jubilee Cup in 1993

8. 2023: Oriental-Rongotai 39 – Johnsonville 26

Oriental-Rongotai came back from 0-23 down late in the first half to beat Johnsonville 39-26 in front of a massive, chanting crowd that was ringing Helston Park. Despite an even run of play, Johnsonville used the wind and the boot of Mark Sutton to amass their lead heading into halftime. Sutton kicked three consecutive penalties to put Johnsonville up 9-0, before scoring tries to first five Niall Delahunt and lock Anthony Pettett. Ories weren’t out of it though, their superior scrum and big ball running forwards were right in the game, a factor that would help propel them to victory later. They scored just before halftime and then flicked into life in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Ories won turnovers and counterattacked beautifully to score consecutive tries to put themselves right back in it. Sutton kicked another penalty to put Johnsonville up 26-24, but Ories moved ahead by one with a penalty to fullback Declan Hay, before Ories scored another try, which proved to be their match-winner.

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7. 2000: PONEKE 27 – MARIST ST PAT’S 26

Wellington and Hurricanes first five-eighth David Holwell kicked five penalties and a conversion and set up the game-clinching try to knock defending champions MSP out of the Jubilee Cup, under lights at the new Wellington Stadium. Twenty minutes into the second half, Holwell caught MSP napping and took a quick tap penalty to set up a try for left wing Tuiavi’i, to put Poneke ahead, 21-12. Holwell kicked two penalties to extend this lead to 27-12. MSP weren’t done however – mounting a gallant comeback and scoring tries to wing Lome Fa’atau (see 1999, above) and replacement Eddie Gray. Fullback James Reilly converted Gray’s try to set up a classic finish, but Poneke held on to fulltime.

6. 2019: Northern United 18 – Tawa 17

Norths halfback Woodmass finished off a counterattack and sweeping raid up the terrace touchline to score in the corner of Lyndhurst Park to put Northern United up 18-17 with a couple of minutes to play against Tawa.The drama wasn’t over there, as replacement Tawa flyhalf Sam Clarke lined up a 79^th minute long-range penalty to re-take the lead and win the game. His kick was on target but didn’t have the legs and from there Norths scrambled to clinch victory. Tawa had stormed to a 17-0 lead. Tries to flanker Hemi Fermanis and prop and skipper James Coburn, both from lineouts, had them on top. Norths replied with a try to left wing Junior Time-Taotua from a chargedown in general play and it was 17-5 at halftime. Norths worked themselves into the game after halftime, as Tawa were reduced to 13 players for a time with both prop Sitiveni Paongo and right wing Tane Heremia shown yellow barely a minute apart. Norths finally scored through recently deceased right wing Connor Garden-Bachop up the clubrooms sideline. Another raid yielded a penalty to close the gap to 13-17, before Woodmass’s late heroics.

5. 2022: Petone 15 – Tawa 12

The only thing bigger than Ben Hur in Petone on this day was Ben Brooking. The fullback scored a try in the 84th minute to earn his side a place in the Jubilee Cup final for the first time since 2005.  Petone really had no right to win the game. They were stranded in their own 22 for the best part of 20 minutes but somehow resisted and were lucky Tom Cutler missed a handy penalty at 12-8 with about eight minutes left. The last try saw Petone cautiously advance the ball, baiting Tawa into conceding three penalties. The winning moment happened just to the left of the posts when a stockpile of forwards were converged in a ruck and Brooking was in wide open space. The halftime score was 5-3.Lock Jack Ross scored first in the second half to put Petone up 8-5. Halfback Cam Ferreira instrumental in the set up with a slashing a 30-metre break. Replacement Tawa lock Hemi Fermanis restored ascendancy for Tawa when he carried three players over the line.

4. 2007: MARIST ST PAT’S 24 – PETONE 23

Another Evans Bay Park nail-biter. MSP left wing Jope Naubo was the hero for his side, scoring two tries including the match winner at the end to help win a seesawing semi-final played in steady rain.MSP held an 11-9 advantage at halftime after Naubo had beaten three defenders to score in the corner,with Petone first five-eighth Dan Kirkpatrick kicking three penalties in reply. The lead changed four times in the second half, with tries to Petone centre Simeon James and MSP openside Victor Vito seeing MSP ahead 19-16, before Petone’s left winger Greg Walker scored and Kirkpatrick converted to see the Villagers in front 23-19. But Naubo had the final say, scoring the winning try.

3. 2005: PETONE 19 – PONEKE 17

The strike of god. Petone’s season was seemingly over with time almost up in this playoff against Poneke. But their hooker Eugene Smith had other ideas when he won a tighthead scrum win 40 metres out from Poneke’s line. Petone moved the ball to left wing Alex Telea who scorched down field and set up a try in the corner to centre Tumanu Martin. With scores now level, first five-eighth Earl Va’a slotted the sideline conversion. That was not all, however. Poneke launched one final frantic attack and won a penalty. A deathly silence descended over the Petone Rec as Poneke fullback Brad Cooper lined up the shot to win the game for the red and blacks. But he pulled it across the front of the uprights and Petone celebrated. The following week they pipped Norths 21-19 in the final.

2. 1989: PETONE 24 – HUTT OLD BOYS 20

The original overtime thriller. Petone won the match after 90 minutes. Swindale Shield winners Hutt Old Boys went into this Sunday semi-final without three players for religious reasons, including All Blacks first five-eighth and goal-kicker Steve Pokere. Ultimately, it was Pokere’s absence that proved most telling – Hutt missing seven of shots on goal. Hutt dominated the first quarter, but only led 10-0 after 20 minutes. Further tries to both sides and Petone penalties advanced the score to 20-16 to Hutt, before Petone locked it up again at 20-20 with a 77th try to wing Matt Lee (later to coach HOBM). First five-eighth Tim Perez could have won the game then and there with his wide-out conversion, followed by a penalty miss to Hutt fullback Steve Bruce to do the same. Extra time was called for and the winning try was scored by Petone wing Glen Curran after he had set up field position with a hack and chase down field.

1. 2013: ORIENTAL-RONGOTAI 30 – HUTT OLD BOYS MARIST 27

The semi-final from the ends of the earth. Ories first five-eighth Fa’atonu Fili won the game for his side in the 17th minute of extra time, after scores had been locked up at 20-20 at fulltime and then 27-27 after 97 minutes. Ories had given themselves every chance to win when flanker Tutasi Masoe crashed over in the corner with the last play of the game and Fili missed a difficult conversion that would have ended it then. Only a few minutes before HOBM themselves had thought they had the game won when their right wing James Kusel had fielded a Fili kick on the fly near halfway and steamed up the right hand touchline to set up a converted try to put them ahead 20-15. Previously, Ories wing Afa Fa’atau crashed up field and set up a try in reply and scores were locked up at 10-10 at halftime. HOBM spent the first 10 minutes of the second half camped inside Ories’ 22 and were twice held up over the line. Eventually they were awarded a penalty and flyhalf Brandyn Laursen took the points to put HOBM ahead 13-10. The match unravelled, with Ories scoring an unconverted try in the corner to All Black Julian Savea to take a 15-13 lead, and both sides scoring twice more to make it 20-20 after 80 minutes.