Ories and Petone unbeaten, as MSP win on fulltime against Paremata-Plimmerton

Above: Marist St Pat’s with the winning try on fulltime against Paremata-Plimmerton. Photo: Andy McArthur. 

• By Steven White, Scott MacLean & Adam Julian

Updated: Round 3 scoring results below (link opens a Word document):

SWINDALE SHIELD TEAMLISTS AND SCORING 2025 Round 3 Results

There were five teams unbeaten heading into today’s third round of the Swindale Shield; now there are just two.

Those unbeaten sides are Oriental-Rongotai and Petone, who both piled on the points against their opposition in sultry conditions on Easter Saturday around the Wellington region.

Ories are on a maximum of 15 competition points after defeating Northern United on Porirua Park 2 by 55-10 in their To’omaga Alex Iona Memorial Cup match. More on that match below.

Petone are one back on 14 after taking the howl out of the Avalon Wolfpack to win 73-5.  Following a messy opening where both teams received a yellow card, Petone surged to a 33-0 lead by halftime. Fullback Jermaine Pepe was lively, and Ben Brooking kicked five goals from six attempts in his 65th match to complement his attacking flair. Losi Filipo was let out of Moana Pasifika quarantine and scored two tries as did Wairarapa-Bush U20s hooker Conley Alexander on his Petone debut.  Avalon had the last say when second-five come loosehead prop Ale Peni crashed over. Petone retained the Morgan Family Trophy and defended the Bill Brien Challenge Cup for the first time.

There was some hot scoring to match the unseasonal temperatures, not least down at Ngati Toa Domain where Marist St Pat’s earned their first win of their 2025 home campaign against the home team. MSP beat the Paremata-Plimmerton Hammerheads 41-34.

Tyro hooker Canza Sale came up with the winner on fulltime to ignite MSP following two losses at home to start the season.

Paremata-Plimmerton were up by 12 points with about 15 minutes to play, whose five tries included two to starting halfback Esi Komaisavai who now has six tries to start this season. But MSP came home strongly to score 19 unanswered points. Replacement outside back Broch McCallum scored two of their six tries.

Tawa rallied from an 18-7 deficit to inflict a first defeat upon Poneke 24-18 on Old Timers’ Day at Lyndhurst Park.

Tawa’s resurgence was triggered following a yellow card to Isaac Moe Jenkins. Tawa scored two tries while the Poneke centre warmed the benches. Tawa’s beefy pack assumed command, and the go-ahead try was scored by No.8 George Risale, who finished with a double.

It was an ungraceful finale with Poneke reckless in their territory and Tawa grateful for the boot of James So’oialo. So’oialo kicked four goals, including a 40-metre penalty to make it 24-18 with a minute to spare. Poneke fielded the restart, lamely and inexplicably kicking it out to bring about time. Even boisterous Poneke commentator John Jackson was lost for words.

There was plenty to be said about Poneke in the first hour as they crafted a deserved lead. Openside Luca Bellucci, lock Maea Tema-Schmidt, and second-five Caleb Robson were ‘Street Kid’ standouts. Hooker Tu’ipulotu Nuku was inspirational for Tawa.

Highlights of the Poneke-Tawa match at the very bottom of this article. 

At the top of the Hutt Valley, the Upper Hutt Rams beat Old Boys University 46-25.

The Rams won six tries to four, with prop Senio Sanele scoring a double and wing Rory Brattle, halfback Kaide McCashin, right wing Dan Schrivers and midfielder Ieti Campbell crossing the whitewash. Campbell also kicked five conversions and two penalties for 21 points. The Rams led 22-8 at halftime.

For OBU, prop Gareth Ward-Allen, midfielder Enos Palemene, replacement back Tom Henderson and wing Reece Plumtree were try-scorers.

Defending Swindale Shield-Jubilee Cup champions OBU are 0/3 and in trouble of a explosion when they meet unbeaten Ories next weekend.

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Johnsonville defeated previously unbeaten Hutt Old Boys Marist 25-20 in a gritty, hard fought encounter on their Old Timers’ Day and 125^th anniversary weekend. Johnsonville scored their match-sealing try a couple of minutes before full time to left wing Filimone Sadavo.

Johnsonville had led 13-3 at half time, following a try midway through the first half to flanker Louis Magalogo and two late penalties to first five Niall Delahunt. The Eagles had also lost rookie openside flanker Drew Berg-McLean to a 20-minute red card for an apparent verbal slur.

The Eagles started the second half sensationally when last year’s top Colts grade try-scorer Phelan Rona scored two tries inside five minutes, to put the Eagles up 17-13. The visitors were almost in again shortly after through second five Kienan Higgins but the try was disallowed. The Eagles then lost two players to yellow cards over the middle stages of the second half, but such was their grit and determination that Johnsonville could only break through to score one try to hold a slender 20-17 lead heading into the final minutes of the match.

Johnsonville turned down a late shot at goal but it didn’t matter when Sadavo flashed in to seal the game towards the end.

On Thursday night, beat the Wellington Axemen 33-13 under lights at Hatatai Park for the Bill Jones Cup.

The Swindale Shield points table at a glance is (unofficial): Ories 15, Petone 14, HOBM 11, Pōneke 10, Tawa 10, Norths 10, Johnsonville 10, Upper Hutt Rams 10, Wainuiomata 5, Marist St Pat’s 5, Old Boys University 4, Wellington 2, Avalon 0.

Leaders Ories were convincing 55-10 third round winners over Northern United up on Porirua 2. Ories outflanked and outpaced Norths and won nine tries to two.

Ories had led 33-0 at halftime and if the game wasn’t over already, it was when Norths lock Jalen Lambert got red carded in general play on advice of the assistant referee, and Ories right wing Sam Tautiga ran away to score their sixth try off a Norths dropped ball in centre field to make it 38-0.

Norths then had a lively period on attack, but Ories extinguished any hopes of a revival when they won a turnover and averted danger. Despite having No 8 Dominic Ropeti sent to the sinbin during this phase of play, Ories counter-attacked and fullback Ethan Smyth-Rangi soon scored at the other end to make it 45-0.

To their credit, Norths didn’t fade completely away and came back to score two well worked tries in the southwestern corner to fullback Zion Fuiava and left wing Seth Bailey.

Ories also scored twice more, to left wing Herman Seumanufagai, and dynamic openside flanker David Leota-Johnson who scored on fulltime after collecting another Norths mistake in centre field.

Left wing Seumanufagai opened the scoring in the fifth minute with the first try, converted out wide by centre Tom Maiava.

Ories dominated the next 10 minutes but were held out by a succession of Norths defensive penalties, before lock Tauina Tautiaga broke through from close range to make it 14-0. Ories quickly climbed back on to attack and Norths lost prop Bradley Crichton to the sinbin, after which Ories No. 8 Ropeti scored their third converted try.

Ories closed out the first half with tries to the Maiava brothers, centre Tom and second five Johnny.

Premier 2

The only grade with a full round being played today was the Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield. All four unbeaten sides remained that way; Petone crushed Avalon 78-19, OBU accounted for Upper Hutt 43-35, Ories beat Norths 41-26 and Tawa beat Poneke 41-40, with Poneke missing a sideline conversion on fulltime. In the remaining matches HOBM beat Johnsonville 36-17, MSP beat Pare-Plim 50-19, and Wellington got their first win 36-29 over Wainuiomata.

In the curtain raiser at Porirua Park, visitors Oriental-Rongotai pulled clear in the second half to beat Norths 41-24. Ories scored three exciting tries in the middle stages of the second half, including a try off the kick-off and another off a Dan Carter-esque kick through for the winger to chase by loosehead prop Peteli Poasa, to overtake Norths and run away from them.

At the time, Norths held a 24-14 lead following their bonus point try. Earlier, Norths had scored three of the game’s first four tries to lead 17-7 late in the first half. Ories then scored again on full time to seal the seven tries to four victory.

 Colts

Three matches today in the Colts Paris Memorial Trophy today.

Petone beat Norths 32-20, while up the road MSP headed off Pare-Plim 30-21. The closest result was at Kilbirnie Park where Poneke beat OBU 30-29. Yesterday Tawa beat Ories 31-19, while Johnsonville defaulted yesterday to HOBM. Upper Hutt had the bye.

Women’s

Just the two matches today in the Women’s Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy after Avalon’s 12-0 over Wainuiomata on Thursday night and Poneke’s default to Ories, but in those two of the big guns flexed their muscles.

Petone beat Norths 39-26 on the Rec with Pride winger Harmony Kautai scoring three tries to add to her five from last week, while MSP saw off Pare-Plim 63-12 with Monica Tagoai notching a hat-trick in her return to the red jersey. For Paremata-Plimmerton, two of their tries were scored by players in milestone games, including tighthead prop Roimata Parata in her 75^th game, and first five Lesina Obeda.

College

Tauranga Boys’ College has hit the ground running in 2025. The Super 8 champions have amassed 169 points in four consecutive pre-season victories.

On Saturday, Tauranga topped Wellington College 45-31 in a rare visit to the capital.

In pleasantly autumnal conditions, it was a vibrant spectacle between two sides expected to be leading contenders in their respective competitions.

Wellington gained a brief ascendancy before the interval. Tauranga lock Blake Vrieze was sin-binned and the hosts flipped a 19-12 deficit into a 24-19 advantage with  tries to prop Harry Baddington and No.8 Z’Kdeus Schwalger – absent of his formerly captivating afro but no less of a drawcard with his rigorous athleticism.

The biggest drawcard was Tommy McQuoid. The Tauranga fullback bagged four tries; a feat almost unheard of for visitors at the forebodingly nicknamed graveyard.

McQuoid was rugby ethereal, moving so light and rapid on his feet that he could reject BOB for K-Pop.

Early in the second half, McQuoid latched onto an errant pass and sprinted 80 metres to complete his hat-trick. The conversion followed from assured first five Ivan Ward, and the ‘Titans’ didn’t relinquish the lead again.

Indeed, Wellington began to implode, conceding a raft of penalties and three successive tries. Hooker Zach Horan, whose Dad Sean helps coach Evans Bay based Marist St Pat’s, rumbled over from a maul. Winger Malachi Emmett regathered a chip and chase for a second time, and McQuoid completed his quartet with a 30-metre surge.

Tommy’s Dad, Grant McQuoid, played 50 games for Bay of Plenty, winning the Ranfurly Shield in 2004 and representing the All Blacks Sevens. Injured brother Jay is a handy First XV colleague.

Except kick-off receipts (a headache for Tauranga, too), there’s a lot to like about Wellington College. They regrouped from 45-24 down to score the last try. Mammoth prop Julius Toimata had a conspicuous impact. In his third season, first-five Archie Sims offers variety and stability. Centre Narvin Campbell breached the defence more than once. Openside Connor ‘Notorious’ Gregor was all heart.

Wellington College’s next match is away to Rotorua Boys’ High School.