Bumper weekend of rugby coming up in Wellington

The Wellington Centurions are back at Rugby League Park this week, to host the Manawatu B side in a double header that also features the Wellington and Manawatu U19s sides. 

• By Scott MacLean & Steven White

Another two days of rugby in Wellington coming up, with plenty of club, college and representative action on Saturday and a triple header scheduled for Porirua Park on Sunday.

A preview is below, with teamlists (as received) at the bottom.

Representative

If last weekend was “Taranaki Week”, then this one is about Manawatu with the bucketheads in town en masse. Tomorrow’s slate sees another double header at Rugby League Park with the U19s opening their Central Region campaign against the green-and-whites at 12.00pm, followed at 2.00pm by the Centurions taking on the B side. The Samoans aren’t left out either, as they face Manawatu Pasifika at Ngati Toa Domain, also at 12.00pm.

Before that however, there is rugby on today over at the NZCIS campus in Trentham with Te Upoko o te Ika Wellington Maori hosting a regional 8-team tournament. The hosts are up at 3.30pm against Te Matau a Maui (Hawke’s Bay) with the other Division 1 clash preceding it at 1.30pm with Turanganui-a-kiwa (Poverty Bay) facing Waitaha (Canterbury). The two Division 2 matches have Wairarapa against Horowhenua-Kapiti, followed by Wairoa against Manawatu. The second matches are tomorrow at the same venue starting at 11.00am.

On Sunday the action turns to Porirua Park, where the Pride Development side plays the second half of their home-and-away set against their Manawatu counterparts at 10.30am and looking to repeat their win from last weekend. That’s followed at 12.05pm by the crunch match for the Pride against the Cyclones in the Farah Palmer Cup Championship where even at this early juncture it seems likely to determine who will host the final in a few weeks’ time such is the gulf between these two and the other four sides in the division.

The final match at Jerry Collins Stadium sees the Lions take on the Turbos in the NPC at 2.35pm. The hosts will be warm favourites against a side that’s been well beaten in their two matches so far but will need to build on last weekend and avoid the slow, error-plagued, start that saw them having to play catch-up against Taranaki.

In the Heartland Championship, Horowhenua-Kapiti are at the Levin Domain for the first time in the campaign, looking to make it two-from-two when they take on East Coast. Wairarapa-Bush fly south, where they have the challenge of facing championships South Canterbury in Timaru.

Under 85s

The National Club Cup competition rolls on, with two round three matches in the capital tomorrow. There’s an all-Wellington affair at Kilbirnie Park as Pōneke hosts Avalon while the other sees the OBU Scallywags face a hostile boarding at the Hutt Rec from New Plymouth Old Boys, who walloped Johnsonville a fortnight ago.

Both matches are at 2.00pm.

The Pōneke Livestream Link is – https://youtube.com/live/k_CWcG5vI2Q?feature=share

College

Newly-crowned Wellington champions Silverstream hit the road tomorrow, heading up to Palmy to face Palmerston North Boys’ High in the Hurricanes Top Four playoffs with the winner to face either Feilding High or Gisborne in the final next week. Feilding host Gisborne in tomorrow’s other match.

Elsewhere around the country St Kentigern’s and Kelston Boys clash in the Auckland 1A final, while across the bridge the old firm of Westlake Boys and Rosmini meet in the Harbour decider with the two winners facing each other next week for the Blues region title. In Chiefs country New Plymouth Boys hosts Hamilton Boys and Pukekohe High – who upset Wesley College earlier in the season – meets Rotorua Boys in their semi-finals, while in the south Nelson College hosts last years National Champions Southland Boys to determine the mainland’s representative.

On the Girls side St Mary’s beat Hastings Girls High 58-24 on Wednesday in Masterton, and will face the Manukura powerhouse in Wellington this coming Wednesday for the place at the Top Four.

Locally, the curtain falls on the College season with playing of the last two finals of the year. The Under 15 Division 2B final is at William Jones with Wainuiomata High taking on Tawa College at 10.00am, while the Coed Cup will find its home for the summer as Premiership side Tawa College and Premier 2 Hutt Valley High School contest it’s final at Lyndhurst at 1.00pm.

In the finals played midweek Wellington East beat the Hutt Valley HS/Wainuiomata HS combined side 34-22 to win the Girls Premier 2 final, with Bishop Viard beating Kapiti 58-22 in the Premier 3 decider. The Boys Under 85kg title went the way of the Wellington College Black & Golds over the St Pats Town Colts.

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Taita College win well on Thursday

The Taita College First XV finished their season off in emphatic style on Thursday, scoring a resounding 81-5 victory over Kuranui College First XV from Greytown. This win secured Taita the Adamson Family Cup which was originally contested from 1980 to the mid-nineties.

The original cup was contested in an annual Quadrangular tournament between Kuranui, Taita, Heretaunga and the old Parkway College’s.  For unknown reasons the quadrangular stopped in the mid-nineties. Kuranui were the dominant winner during this period, triumphant on nine occasions. Taita next on four.

The founder of this tournament back in 1980 was the then Kuranui coach Brian Adamson. Kuranui did not have a lot of games outside of the Wairarapa during the late 70s, so Brian invited three similar sized co-ed schools from the Hutt Valley to participate in this quadrangular. Each school would take yearly turns hosting and billeting players during the May holidays. Brian now in his late 80’s still resides in Greytown with his wife. The original cup named after Brian’s father Percy could not be located. A new cup was purchased last year and with the blessing from Brian, the cup was renamed the “Adamson Family Cup.” Taita won the inaugural game last year in a much closer affair, 43-40.

Taita College has one of the smallest co-ed rolls in Wellington, they regularly punch well above their weight against much larger schools in rugby. This season has been a success in many ways. A seventh placing in the challenging Premier 2 grade and successfully winning all traditional games played, making this a memorable season. Next year will see a rebuilding season at Taita, but some solid foundations have been set for further success.

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Teamlists below (as received and subject to change):

Wellington Pride

1. Angelica Schwencke (Petone)
2. Valini Vaka (Poneke-OBU)
3. Lavinia Lea (Petone)
4. Jackie Patea-Fereti (Petone)©
5. Joanah Ngan-Woo (Ories)
6. Fanua Rimoni (Wainuiomata)
7. Sinead Ryder (Ories)
8. Nina Foaese (Norths)
9. Milly Mackey (Petone)
10. Arene Landon-Lane (Norths)
11. Shakira Baker (Pare-Plim)
12. Fa’asua Makisi (Ories)
13. Monica Tagoai (Petone)
14. Harmony Kautai (Petone)
15. Billie Va’a (Wainuiomata)
16. Alicia Print (Petone)
17. Tess Woldring (Petone)
18. Roimata Parata (Pare-Plim)
19. Anyis Drossaerts-Lake (Norths)
20. Sophie Irving (Poneke-OBU)
21. Keira Su’a-Smith (Petone)
22. Sophia Ropeti (Ories)
23. Drenna Falaniko (Petone)

Manawatu Cyclones

1. Ngano Tavake
2. Jayme Nuku
3. Ruby-May Ngaruhe
4. Brianna Wallace
5. Sam Taylor
6. Elinor-Plum King
7. Anahera Hamahona
8. Kahurangi Sturmey
9. Paige Lush
10. Corrineke Windle
11. Maia Davis
12. Rangmarie Sturmey
13. Hollyrae Mete
14. Alesha Williams
15. Selica Winiata
16. Te Uarangi Olsen-Baker
17. Katie Donaldson
18. Sosoli Talawadua
19. Taufa Bason
20. Riahn Brickland
21. Molly Scuffil-McCabe
22. Kaia Walker-Waitoa
23. Wikitoria Doyle

Wellington Centurions (26-man squads for this match)

Wellington U19s

1. Israel Time (HOBM)
2. Semurana Fepulea’I (Ories)
3. Alexander Hewitt (Upper Hutt)
4. Finn O’Sullivan (OBU)
5. Lennox Easthope (Petone)
6. Harry Irving (OBU) ©
7. Braith Ingram (Petone)
8. Taufaeteau Kaufononga (MSP)
9. Thoma Takeuchi (OBU)
10. Elysium Tolova’a-Stanley (MSP)
11. Jacob Kennedy (Johnsonville)
12. Meta Afamasaga (Tawa)
13. Josh Semu (Ories)
14. Emery McGill (Petone)
15. Jacob Denyer (Tawa)
16. Solomona Vaka (OBU)
17. Faenza Snowdon (Petone)
18. Marley Fretton (Pare-Plim)
19. Tane Landon-Lane (Norths)
20. Marcus Alexopoulos (Petone)
21. Jayde Burns (Norths)
22. Siaosi Siupolu (Pare-Plim)
23. Josh Leafa-Paki (Wainuiomata)

Wellington Samoans

1. Malagamaali’i Alapati Soke (Petone) Fa’atoia Ulutautogia Lalomalava
2. Joseph Ulugia Ah Sini (Tawa) Vaiusu Safune
3. Bret Manaia (HOBM) Matautu Lefaga Sale’aumua
4. Ruperake Oloapu (Ories) Tufulele Safune
5. Waylon Baker (Norths Faleapuna Falefa
6. Daniel ‘DJ’ Taoipu (Poneke) Fasito’outa Fogapoa
7. David Leota-Johnson (Ories) Leififi Lalovaea
8. James Tuiatua (Wellington) Matatufu Fasito’outa ©
9. Devon Sopoaga (Poneke) Saleimoa Nofoali’i Ti’avea Aleipata
10. Campbell Cowie (Wainuiomata) Vaivase Tai
11. Isaac Moe-Jenkins (Poneke) Faleapuna Lefaga
12. Ethan Webster-Nonu (Pare-Plim) Iva Fasito’otai
13. Iosefo Aukusitino (MSP) Matatufu Sapapali’I Falealupo Mauga o Vaea
14. Herman Seumanufagai (Ories) Tufulele Malie Palauli
15. Jonty Baker (Norths) Faleapuna Falefa
16. Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe (Norths) Satalo Falealili
17. Laurence-Jarel Lim (OBU) Leauva’a Vailoa Faleata
18. Tui Yandall (Wainuiomata) Fa’atoia Moata’a
19. Christian Semu (Ories) Malie Ti’avea Lalomalava
20. Siale Siale (Poneke) Leauva’a
21. David Taoipu (Poneke) Fasito’outa Fogapoa
22. Tana Maene-Lokeni (OBU) Levili Tutuila Aleipata Leulumoega
23. Raymond Va’a (Wainuiomata) Fagali’I Vaiala Faga Savai’i
24. Tristan So’oialo (Tawa) Vailima Saipipi

Wellington Pride Development

1. Octavia Nanai (Avalon)
2. Faith Vaoliko-Seu (Norths)
3. Faythe Finau (Norths)
4. Sophia Willetts-Solofa (Pare-Plim)
5. Xanthe Somerville (Poneke-OBU)
6. Mele Kupa-Cummings (Pare-Plim)
7. Alex Delves (Pare-Plim)
8. Amiria Hanapia (Wainuiomata)
9. Trinity Keith (Poneke-OBU)
10. Caitlyn Stowers (Poneke-OBU)
11. Hana Te Puni (Pare-Plim)
12. Madi Gold (Petone)
13. Kim Lammers (Poneke-OBU)
14. Te Arani Te Puni (Pare-Plim)
15. Kararaina Te Puni (Pare-Plim)
16. Megan Tulili (Poneke-OBU)
17. Barbra Taumoli (Ories)
18. Trish Tavita (Pare-Plim)
19. Lesileli Tuangalu (Norths)
20. TBC
21. Nahliah Tolova’a (Ories)
22. TBC

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