More tight contests predicted in club rugby Easter Saturday matches

Above: action from Thursday’s night’s affair at Hataitai Park that saw Wainuiomata beat the Wellington Axemen 33-13. Photo: Peter McDonald.

• By Scott Maclean & Steven White

SWINDALE SHIELD TEAMLISTS AND SCORING 2025 Round 3 Teams

For Round 3 Premier teamlists, click the line above (the link opens a Word Document). Sadly, we still don’t have access to our Draws & Results administration pages after the great website breakage event of February-March 2025. All information is being collated offline for now.

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Tipping Competition: Please join us in playing the inaugural Wellington club rugby tipping competition, by signing up at this direct link here https://www.faceyoursfears.com/games/WGTN2025/join and reading about it first at https://clubrugby.nz/wp/tipping-competition/ (tab in menu bar). If you have signed up remember to make your third-round picks by 2.30pm Saturday. It is not too late to join up, there are two ‘wildcard’ rounds so you can quickly catch up. Spot prizes just around the corner.

Radio commentary: This Saturday’s radio commentary broadcast is between the Johnsonville Hawks and the Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles at Helston Park.Tune in to the E Tū Whānau Footy Show from 2.00pm for the live commentary including previews and rugby analysis. Find Te Upoko Radio 1161AM, 87.6FM, streaming iHeart Radio and and online at www.teupoko.nz

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Premier Swindale Shield

One game is already in the books for round three, with Wainuiomata beating the Wellington Axemen 33-13 for the Bill Jones Cup under lights at Hataitai Park last night.

Left wing Niko Paletesio scored two of Wainuiomata’s five tries, but became the second player in five days after Johnsonville’s Andy Ellis to leave the field injured in his 50^th match for his club. Paletesio sustained a hip injury in the act of scoring his second try early the second half and was assisted off the field. That made it 33-3, and after a delay the Axemen rallied and eventually scored two consolation tries.

It’s been a while since Northern United featured in a top-of-the-table clash, but that’s exactly what they’ll be in tomorrow when they clash with also-unbeaten Oriental Rongotai at Porirua Park. It’ll be a good gauge of where the hosts are at following their thumping of Avalon and last-gasp win over Wellington, with the Magpies having started out hot with home wins over both the Upper Hutt Rams and Johnsonville.

Oriental-Rongotai will be led out on to Porirua 2 by Wellington Lion Dominic Ropeti, with David Leota-Johnson on his shoulder at openside flanker a player to look out for. The Maiava brothers, Johnny and Tom, form the Ories midfield, while the ever-dependable Issac Bracewell lines up at halfback.

Home team Norths have a blend of youth and experience in their line-up for tomorrow. Key players include prop Bradley Crichton, blindside flanker Luca Rees – with 95 tries to his name in 156 combined Premier games for both Norths and Ories – ad on the bench Jerome Va’ai and Faifili Levave.

One note on this fixture. It’s up on Porirua #2 owing to the main ground being required for the Phoenix Women’s last home game on Sunday.

Next stop south is Lyndhurst Park where Tawa will be looking to put last week’s defeat behind them in the feature match of their Old Timers’ Day. Poneke though have started out strong with wins over MSP and Avalon and seem to have an edge to them that’s been lacking in recent times, and will be anything but a pushover for the hosts.

In one change to Pōneke’s forwards that defeated Avalon last week, Luca Bellucci comes into openside flanker. Jimmy Lee-Hongara starts at halfback for Mike Brown in one backline switch, with Isaiah Opai looking to back up his hat-trick from last week from the left wing.

Tawa goes into this match with three changes to their starting forwards from that which suffered heartbreak against Petone last Saturday. Joyner Gaualofa replaces Rob Carr at loosehead prop, Evan Bishop comes in for Jacob Mua at tighthead prop and Lafaele Lupo swaps with Luke Bidois at openside flanker. Solomona Uelese is at halfback and Jacob Denyer and Randall Bishop swap at right wing and fullback.

Continuing in that direction, it’s a big weekend at Helston as Johnsonville celebrate their 125^th anniversary. The Hawks might have come back to earth at Ories last week after that opening win over Pare-Plim, but there’s been enough so far to suggest that they’ll be a handful for anyone. That will be put to the test against Hutt Old Boys Marist who have gone two-from-two so far and are looking like real contenders once again.

A handful of changes to the Eagles line-up for this match. One change to their starting forwards sees Noah Krijnen start his first match at tighthead prop. Waylon Tuhoro-Robinson comes in from first-five to halfback to captain the side. Experience on the bench with players such as Lise Soloa, Brett Manaia and Mika Alaifatu riding the pine.

The fifth unbeaten side at this early point are Petone, who will be buoyed by their win in a scrappy affair at Tawa last Saturday. Avalon come down the valley and will be heavy underdogs, having endured two heavy defeats so far.

The visitors have named a mostly settled team that which took the field last week,  but one notable addition is welcoming back circa 90-game tighthead prop Patrick Roil to their pack. Roil last played for the Wolves early last season.

After having the services of Riley Higgins last week, Petone have Losi Filipo tomorrow. Moana Pasifika’s Filipo starts at centre, with Jordan Glen-Bradbrook lining up at second-five. Some changes to Petone’s starting forwards for this game too. Ben Brooking starts at first-five for the injured Thompson Tukapua. Look out for starting hooker Conley Alexander, who has come across from the Wairarapa and was recently part of the Hurricanes U20s squad.

It has been a far from vintage start for Marist St Pat’s, with two defeats at home at Evans Bay Park leaving them without a point so far. They get a change of scenery, as they head out to Ngati Toa Domain to face Paremata-Plimmerton. The hosts rebounded from an opening defeat to Johnsonville to account for Wainuiomata, though there will be some concerns at how they Wainui back into the game and would want to tidy that up.

Paremata-Plimmerton bring in lock Ihakara Masoe to their starting pack for this game, with Leni Apisai a notable exception rotated out for this week. Alex Fidow partners Masoe in that position. The Hammerheads backs are settled, which includes the starting halfback-first-five combination of Esi Komaisavai and Dale Sabbagh for the third week running.

Prop Jake Wetere will lead MSP out on to the Shark Tank, which features five changes to its pack from last week. Players coming into the starting XV’s forwards are rookie hooker Canza Sale, prop Dan Leone, former Counties-Manukau lock Viliame Raresa and openside flanker Ryan Dafel. James Zino, who scored two tries last week at lock, starts at six. Jayde Burnes returns to halfback, with Max Reynolds going to the left wing, Alex Morrisey starts at 12 for Isaia Petelo and excitement on the right wing in debutant Boaz Ikahihifo.

The last game of this preview is at Maidstone Park, where the Upper Hutt Rams get to run out on to for the first time this year having had mixed results on their two forays into Wellington so far. The Old Boys-University Goats are the opposition for the Battle of the Cloven hooved Quadrupeds, with the defending champions and Swindale holders licking their wounds after two defeats – albeit close ones – at home.

Home team the Rams have made few changes from that which took the field last week against MSP. Veteran Mat Luamanu captains the side at lock and is complemented in the front row by up and comer Alex Hewitt and Conor Lemon who starts at hooker in his first start for the Rams. Anglo Robati-Winter plays first-five after Lucas Cashmore played there for them last week.

The Goats go into this match with an unchanged forward pack hoping to get the job done against the Rams. A change at first-five with Malo Tevita Manuao starting for Tom Henderson who rides the bench, and with Enos Palemene coming into second-five to partner centre Jackson Wright. Sam Champion starts at fullback with Riley Forbes on the bench.

A different face in the middle for this one, with the vastly experienced Ali Payne from Wairarapa Bush in charge of events.

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Three more interclub trophies in play tomorrow, while Wellington and Wainuiomata contested their Bill Jones Cup last night:

• Norths and Ories play for the To’omaga Alex Iona Memorial Cup. Alex first played for Ories after arriving in Wellington, then later moved and joined the pre-merger Porirua club where he later coached and was involved in management, and was a strong support of the successor Norths side. Ories hold this from their win last year
• The Kevin Carmichael Cup is the prize for Tawa and Poneke. Carmichael started his rugby at Tawa, but with the club outside of the top-flight he moved to Poneke where he played 118 games. He later returned to Tawa and added another 120 to his tally, and is a Life Member of the Lyndhurst club. Tawa are the holders.
• Petone and Avalon contest their Morgan Family Trophy. Ray Morgan was a Petone player, coach, and administrator who also served as secretary and treasurer of the then-NZRFU. Through his son Trevor and nephew John, the family has ties to both the pre-merger Taita and post-merger Avalon clubs. Petone hold this, and will also be defending the Bill Brien Challenge Trophy they won last weekend.

All six matches tomorrow are at 2.45pm

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Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield

Four unbeatens through two rounds here.

Petone are at home to take on one-win Avalon, OBU are up at Maidstone to face winless Upper Hutt, and Poneke are at Lyndhurst to face Tawa who will be looking to fix their wounded pride. The fourth are Ories, and they take on Norths in the early game at Porirua Park. Behind that one-win sides Pare-Plim and MSP clash at Ngati Toa, HOBM are at Helston to face Johnsonville in the early afternoon’s entertainment at Helston, and Wellington and Wainuiomata have Hataitai Park all to themselves.

All seven matches are at the regular 1.00pm kick-off time.

Women’s Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy

Like the men, one game has already been played this round with the Avalon She-Wolves defeating Wainuiomata 12-0 at Maidstone Park last night. The highlight clash tomorrow is at the Petone Rec, where heavyweights Petone and Norths meet in a match of unbeatens through two rounds.

Oriental Rongotai are also unbeaten and will be three from three after this weekend with their opponent tomorrow, Pōneke, defaulting to them on Thursday.

Marist St Pats head out to Ngati Toa to face Paremata-Plimmerton, where no fewer than four of the locals are bringing up personal milestones.

The two remaining matches tomorrow are at 11.30am.

Colts Paris Memorial Trophy

One match this round is on this afternoon, with Tawa meeting Ories at Lyndhurst at 2.30pm. Update: Tawa have beaten Ories 26-19 in their Good Friday Colts clash. 

Tomorrow’s matches start at at 12.30pm Norths and Petone meet on the top fields at Porirua Park, while the 1.00pm matches have Poneke at home on Kilbirnie against OBU, and MSP are at Ngati Toa to face Pare-Plim.

Johnsonville have defaulted to HOBM Green. The Upper Hutt Rams have the bye.

Under 85kg JC Bowl

The first game of the round is already done, with Eastbourne easing to a 81-17 over Marist St Pat’s on Wednesday night.

The trio of matches to complete the round tomorrow starts at 1pm with Johnsonville and HOBM at Nairnville Park, followed at 2.45pm by the Tawa Ducks at their Redwood pond against Avalon and the Pare-Plim Piranhas welcome Wellington out to Ngati Toa.

With the Axemen having withdrawn their Colts side, the two clubs have agreed that the latter match will play for the Daniel Baldwin Memorial Trophy – as they did in 2023 – in honour of the young Axeman who tragically passed away from injuries suffered in a Colts game a few years ago)

Elsewhere

Fields are quiet this weekend across the rest of the lower North Island, with Manawatu, Horowhenua-Kapiti, and Wairarapa Bush all taking the long weekend off. All will resume next Saturday.