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Johnsonville’s Olly Paotonu tries his hand at water polo on Saturday against Paremata-Plimmerton. Saturday’s round was just the second in 16 weeks (the other being round two) played in wet conditions. The weather has generally been kind for club rugby in 2024. Supporters will hope it holds this Saturday. Photo: Stewart Baird.
UPDATES: A busy week of rugby coming up in Wellington to play in, watch and follow.
It is 2024 Wellington club rugby Finals Day this coming weekend at Porirua Park. The draw and fields are yet to be confirmed as we publish this, but the six finals on the two fields on Saturday are:
- Colts Division 2, Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup: Northern United v Paremata-Plimmerton
- Colts Division 1, John E Kelly Cup: Hutt Old Boys Marist v Tawa
- Premier 2, Division 2 HD Morgan Memorial Trophy: Oriental-Rongotai v Upper Hutt Rams
- Premier 2, Division 1 Ed Chaney Cup: Tawa v Old Boys University
- Premier, Division 2 Hardham Cup: Paremata-Plimmerton v Wainuiomata
- Premier Championship Jubilee Cup: Old Boys University v Tawa
College Rugby this coming week:
On Wednesday, St Pat’s Town and St Pat’s Silverstream meet in their annual late July First XV traditional, at Evans Bay Park. Kick-off time that we have is 12.40pm but this is to be confirmed. This is also the start of the eighth and penultimate round of the Premiership before the semi-finals. The match will also bring extra emotion to it, following the recent passing of St Pat’s Town’s coach Willie Leota.
The Kapiti College and Taita College First XVs meet at Kapiti College at 2.45pm on Tuesday in their annual fixture for the Hylton Burt Cup. Kapiti are the current holders.
The fourth and final match of the 2024 Beard Trophy series is this Wednesday at 6.00pm at Jerry Collins Stadium. Holders Tawa College will look to defend the Beard Trophy against Aotea College in what promises to be a blockbuster game under lights, starting at 6.00pm/
On Tuesday, the Hutt Valley High School and St Bernard’s College First XVs contest the Challenge Shield. Kick-off on Tuesday at HVHS No. 1 is at 3.00pm. Last year, HVHS beat St Bernard’s 27-19 in this match, which was the first time in in a decade they had done so.
The Wellington Girls U18 competition also gets underway this Wednesday, with the first of five rounds in the 10-team competition. Can St Mary’s College be stopped? They are fielding two teams.
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Pre-season NPC rugby comes to Wellington on Friday.
- Tasman and Manawatu meet on neutral territory at Kilbirnie Park, kick-off 12.00pm
- A Wellington XV takes on the might of defending NPC champions Taranaki at Rugby League Park, kick-off 1.00pm.
The following Friday Wellington plays Manawatu in their second pre-season, ahead of the start of the NPC the following week when Wellington plays Auckland at Eden Park for the Fred Lucas Cup on Friday 9 August.
The Wellington Pride play a pre-season match this coming Saturday against Manawatu in Palmerston North.
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Congratulations to the Upper Hutt Rams J8s for winning the Reserve Grade Division 1 final on Saturday, beating the Johnsonville Cripples 10-7 in the final at Maidstone Park.
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In the past 11 seasons, Old Boys University and Tawa have won all seven Jubilee Cup finals they’ve contested.
OBU wins: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020
Tawa wins: 2013, 2016, 2021
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Below: Flashback to the 2011 Hardham Cup final. This was the only time that Tawa and OBU have contested a final previously.
They have also met in two Jubilee Cup semi-finals, with Tawa beating OBU in 2013 and OBU beating Tawa 50-22 in 2017.
Current Tawa fullback Randall Bishop played in all these three games.
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Hardham Cup finalists Paremata-Plimmerton and Wainuiomata have yet to meet in a final.
Both have been finals bound before of course, Paremata-Plimmerton beaten Jubilee Cup finalists last season and were also beaten Hardham Cup finalists in 2017, and Wainuiomata beaten Jubilee Cup finalists in 2014 and 2019.
Wainuiomata have also appeared in the following Hardham Cup finals:
- 2006: Lost to Upper Hutt 12-25
- 2007: Beat Ories 23-17
- 2008: Lost to Tawa 20-33
- 2010: Beat Avalon 31-10
- 2018: Lost to Petone 26-27
- 2020: Beat HOBM 17-15
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Club Rugby understands that Billy Wallace Best & Fairest competition is still alive heading into this coming Saturday’s Jubilee Cup and Hardham Cup finals with two or more players in the mix to win it. We don’t know who even if you ask, as the once open and popular 3,2,1 competition of not many seasons past is now secret squirrel.
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Will we get the full complement of Wellington Lions squad members for the two club finals, or will one or two or a group of players be held back? Presumably Friday’s match against Taranaki will feature players not from the four clubs involved, Tawa, OBU, Paremata-Plimmerton and Wainuiomata.
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A frenetic finish at Lyndhurst Park on Saturday, with Ories finishing the match under Tawa’s posts searching for the winning try. If they had their time again, would they have thought about a dropped goal? Great defence at the end by PJ Sheck as well.
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When winning streaks end. Rahui had a 27-match winning streak heading into Saturday’s Horowhenua-Kapiti Premier club rugby title against Foxton but were beaten and the Ramsbotham Cup resides in Foxton for the next 12 months.
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Club Rugby was considering going on a long rant about this next item, but have retracted most of this as what is done is done. So will keep it brief.
Our main point is to reiterate what we were saying throughout the Hurricanes season and no doubt into next year that it is our defensive position that SATURDAY AFTERNOONS ARE FOR COMMUNITY SPORT.
So why would someone or a group of people at the WRFU rearrange their own club rugby semi-finals and lower grade finals to accommodate the All Blacks playing what was an exhibition test match on the other side of the world? If it was a test such as the Springboks in Wellington, then perhaps fair enough. No other union in the country did this, just Wellington.
Both Tawa, Oriental-Rongotai and Petone were quick to push back early last week and keep their Premier 2 and Premier semi-finals at 1.00pm and 2.45pm. We were somewhat surprised that other clubs also didn’t and just went along with it.
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The Proctors (Matt & Billy) became just the second set of brothers in All Blacks history to score on their Test debut, after the Whitelocks. George Whitelock (2009) and Sam Whitelock (2010). Billy scored for the All Blacks in their 47-5 win over Fiji. Matt scored in his only Test, a 69-31 win against Japan in Tokyo in 2018. The Proctors are the 28th All Blacks to feature in a Test.
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Between 2016 and 2019, Levi Harmon, a 2017 Wellington Lions Championship winner, played 50 games for Poneke and scored 18 tries. Nowadays Harmon is in Otago. On Saturday Harmon scored two tries for Green Island in their 21-16 victory over Dunedin in the Otago Metro Premier Final. It was the ‘Grizzlies” first silverware since 1978. Green Island is the club of All Blacks 2015 Rugby World Cup winner Ben Smith. Harmon fractured two bones in his lower leg two minutes into the 2021 final loss against Taieri and spent a year in a moon boot.
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Alex Hodgman became the fourth All Black (4 Tests, 2020) to play for the Wallabies in their enthralling 40-29 win over Georgia in Sydney. The others are. Ted Jessep (2x AB 1931-32) & (2x Aus 1934), Des Connor (12x Aus 1958-59) & (12x AB 1961-64), Owen Stephens (1x AB 1968) & (5x Aus 1973-74). Jessep and Connor played in wins for the All Blacks against Australia and the Wallabies against the All Blacks.
Noah Hotham became the youngest All Blacks halfback since Chris Laidlaw in the All Blacks 47-5 win over Fiji in San Diego. The 21-year-old from Hamilton scored one of the All Blacks seven tries in their 12th victory over Fiji. Laidlaw debuted at 19 in a 12-3 win against France in Paris in 1964. Laidlaw played 20 Tests (57 games, 53 wins) until 1970 dominating a golden era alongside names like Sir Colin Meads, Sir Brian Lochore, Kel Tremain, Waka Nathan and Earle Kirton. A Rhodes Scholar, Laidlaw became a respected politician and broadcaster.
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A few physios could be busy this coming weekend, getting their players fit and firing for the finals. Sideline Conversions understands at least a couple of key players will be hitting the physio benches hard this week. Unsure if Tawa will get their human battering ram George Risale back though, he departed Lyndhurst Park with what looked like a nasty lower leg injury late in the game on Saturday.
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Confirmed late Sunday afternoon that Oriental-Rongotai loose forward Ardie Savea is heading to Moana Pasifika for the next three seasons.
This was widely expected after last week’s announcement of this news, and not unexpected to Sideline Conversions since we were told at the time he was heading there two seasons ago and were pleasantly surprised when he re-joined the Hurricanes in 2023.
He joins his brother at the franchise. Will other high profile players follow? Does this mean that NZ players can go and play for Australian teams and still be available for the All Blacks?
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The 10thHurricanes Heartland U20 Series starts this weekend.
The Heartland Under 20 Series was started in 2014 and has been running every season since except for Covid year in 2020.
At the conclusion of the Series, the Hurricanes Heartland Under 20 side is selected, which then plays in the Central Shield against Hawkes Bay RFU, Manawatu RFU and Wellington RFU, also playing a one-off fixture for the Glen Osborne Cup against a Chiefs Heartland Under 20 selection.
Games this coming weekend are:
- Poverty Bay v Wairarapa Bush, in Napier
- Whanganui v Horowhenua Kapiti, in Whanganui
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When the All Blacks beat England 24-17 at Eden Park last Saturday, giant prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi brought up 100 first-class games at Eden Park. The 59-Test All Black has never lost an international on the fabled fortress – additionally anchoring a resurgent, so often disappointing, Blues to their first Super Rugby title in 21 years. The Blues have won 16 on the trot at Eden Park since 2022. The others to crack a century at Eden Park are.
- 129 – Keven Mealamu
- 112 – Sean Fitzpatrick
- 108 – Jerome Kaino
- 106 – Gary Whetton
- 106 – Grant Fox
- 104 – Robin Brooke
- 103 – Hallard “Snow” White
Snow White played a record 196 games for Auckland. A key member of the Auckland team who defended the Ranfurly Shield 25 times between 1960 and 1963, he lost his only All Blacks Test (3-8) against Australia in 1955. Sean Fitzpatrick had 105 wins at Eden Park, Gary Whetton 100. Grant Fox was 102, Mealamu 98 and Brooke had 87 wins. Brooke, Mealamu, Kaino, and Tu’ungafasi helped the All Blacks extend their record of unbeaten Tests at Eden Park to 49 stretching back to 1994.
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World Under 20 Rugby Championship
New Zealand U20 have achieved their highest finish at the World Rugby Under 20 Championships since 2017, overpowering Ireland 38-24 in the playoff for third. New Zealand piled on 38 unanswered points, winning the second half 31-12, after a sluggish start. Hooker Vernon Bason and winger Frank Vaenuku each scored two tries. This was the second time the teams have met in the third place play-off with New Zealand victorious 45-23 in 2014 at Eden Park. Future All Blacks first-five Richie Mo’unga scored two tries.
Ireland have won 33 of their 69 tournament matches with a best result of second twice. New Zealand have won 56 out of 70.
Xavier Taele (second-five), Dylan Pledger (halfback), Josh Smith (tighthead prop) and Johnny Lee (openside flanker) were among the New Zealand standouts in the five-game campaign.
England won the lowest-ever scoring final 21-13 against France at Cape Town Stadium. It’s the fourth time England has prevailed, and the first time since 2016. It was a tense and scrappy first half where France had a try overruled by the television match official, but England gradually gained control of territory and set piece. England broke through for the first time in the 35th minute when lock Joe Bailey drove over after two Hugo Ress penalties had France 6-0 ahead.
England’s forwards continued to outmuscle the French pack after the interval and Arthur Green picked up from the base of the scrum to score their second try. Sean Kerr’s three penalties edged England further in front as Mathis Ferte’s late consolation try could not prevent France from falling short in their pursuit of a fourth consecutive title which would have equalled New Zealand’s record from 2008 to 2011.
France had more possession, but blindside Joe Quere Karaba topped the tackle count with 17, England’s Craig White followed with 12. Green had a fine all-around game with 10 carries and tackles. England openside flanker Henry Pollock was named player of the tournament. Reus finished the tournament’s top points scorer with 55 becoming only the second player after Argentina’s Patricio Fernández (2013 and 2014) to claim that mantle in back-to-back tournaments. Reus finished top points scorer in 2023 with 62. England have won 53 of their 70 matches at the tournament. France 48.
The 14 captains to have lifted the trophy are Chris Smith (New Zealand, 2008), Aaron Cruden (New Zealand, 2009), Tyler Bleyendaal (New Zealand, 2010), Luke Whitelock (New Zealand, 2011), Wiaan Liebenberg (South Africa, 2012), Jack Clifford (England, 2013), Maro Itoje (England, 2014), Atu Moli (New Zealand, 2015), Harry Mallinder (England, 2016), Luke Jacobson (New Zealand, 2017), Arthur Coville (France, 2018), Arthur Vincent (France, 2019), Lenni Nouchi (France, 2023) and Finn Carnduff (England, 2023). Only Smith, Bleyendaal, Liebenberg, Mallinder and Coville have not become senior internationals. Carnduff was capped 20 times by England’s U20s.
The only previous Anglo-French final was in 2018 when tournament hosts France won 33-25 in Béziers, Louis Carbonel kicked 23 points that day and also provided an assist for France’s final try scored by Adrien Seguret. Flanker Cameron Woki scored les Bleuets’ other try. Winger Jordan Olowofela scored twice in vain for England and replacement prop Joe Heyes crashed over to add to two Marcus Smith penalties. Nine of France’s starting line-up from the 2018 final have so far gone on to be capped – Jean-Baptiste Gros, Louis Carbonel, Romain Ntamack, Pierre-Louis Barassi, Demba Bamba, Thomas Lavault, Killian Geraci, Cameron Woki and Jordan Joseph. Five of England’s starting line-up that day have so far gone on to be capped – Smith, captain Ben Curry, Fraser Dingwall and Ted Hill for England and Ben White for Scotland.
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Norm Hewitt and the 1994 French
Norm Hewitt played many extraordinary matches with the 1994 victory by Hawke’s Bay over France at McLean Park in Napier often overlooked. The Magpies rallied from a 25-3 deficit to score an extraordinary 30-25 triumph. Māori All Blacks No.8 Gordon Falcon helped inspire the comeback with two tries before Hewitt rumbled over the line from a maul to slice the deficit to 25-20. Hawke’s Bay claimed the lead when hooker Jean-Francois Tordo (17 Tests) conceded a penalty try for offside play. Hawke’s Bay sealed their victory when Ross McLeod (42 games) kicked a drop goal. It was the first time in four attempts Hawke’s Bay had toppled France
Norm Hewitt is the second high-profile Hawke’s Bay player after Jarrod Cunningham to lose his life to motor neurone disease. Cunningham, who played the French match, succumbed to the illness in 2007 aged 38. A youth sports trust operates in his honour. Cunningham was a Māori All Black (winning all seven matches), foundation Hurricanes fullback and Hawke’s Bay’s all-time leading points scorer with 998 points. He had a successful stint at London Irish, scoring 848 points in 82 games. Fortunately, Havelock North club keeps comprehensive records from 1990 to 2023, and Cunningham was an absolute smash. In 109 premier games, he scored a club-leading 1487 (66 tries) points. Havelock North won the Maddison Trophy with Cunningham in 1991, 1995 and 1996 and Hawke’s Bay club sevens titles in 1993, 1995, 1996.
Remarkably France beat the All Blacks 2-0 in the Test series, despite dropping another provincial match to North Harbour 27-23. Steve Walsh Sr (103 first-class games) dominated proceedings with his whistle. Warren Burton and Yann Delaigue exchanged five penalties each but tries to All Blacks Richard Turner and Glenn Osborne were the telling difference. North Harbour made the NPC final in 1994 and fielded ten past, present, or future All Blacks that day. Late Tongan international Willie Lose was on the bench. Burton is North Harbour’s all-time leading points scorer with 1052.
Yann Delaigue has one of the great rugby nicknames. The first five known as ‘Little Mozart’ played 20 Tests for France (16 wins). He was part of the 1997 Five Nations/Grand Slam winning team. In 2003 Delaigue kicked 17 points for Toulouse in their 22–17 win over Perpignan in the Heineken Cup final.
Also, France lost to Canada 18-16 in Ontario before the New Zealand tour. Champion centre Phillippe Sella, the first man to play 100 Tests, was sent off. World Rugby Hall of Fame first-five Gareth Rees kicked six penalties for Canada. Rees appeared in four Rugby World Cups in a 13-year international career which spanned the amateur and professional eras. From his debut against the USA in 1986, the burly fly-half became Canada’s all-time leading scorer with 491 points from 55 test match appearances (31 wins), a landmark that stood for 14 years. He remained a driving force for Canadian rugby in his role as National Programme Manager and he is a familiar voice as a commentator on the World Sevens Series. France’s New Zealand and Canadian tour record was seven wins and three defeats.
James Pritchard is Canada’s all-time leading points scorer with 607 points in 62 tests (26 wins). The Aussie-born fullback or wing played in four World Cups and scored a staggering 2,883 points for the Bedford Blues, an English second-division team.
The coach on the 1994 French tour of New Zealand was Pierre Berbizier who won 31 of his 46 internationals in charge between 1992 and 1995. Another highlight of his reign was France winning the 1993 Five Nations Grand Slam. The halfback played 56 tests for France (32 wins) between 1981 and 1991. He played in the first Rugby World Cup final against the All Blacks in 1987 which France lost 29-9. However, he did score a wing against New Zealand in Nantes a year earlier. Berbizier was part of Five Nations winning teams in 1981, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989. He coached domestically in France and became a television commentator.
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Aka Tabutsadze 39 tries in 42 tests is a gun – get this man on the wing for Norths ASAP.
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