More tight results in Swindale Shield, as Women’s first round shared

• By Steven White & Scott MacLean

Swindale Shield Round 7 results at a glance (unofficial):

• Marist St Pat’s 22 – Wainuiomata 20
• Paremata-Plimmerton 38 – Wellington Axemen 28
• Poneke 30 – Upper Hutt Rams 22
• Oriental-Rongotai 29 – Petone 24
• Johnsonville 79 – Avalon 0
• Old Boys University 44 – Northern United 27
• Hutt Old Boys Marist 27 – Tawa 17

Swindale Shield points table after 7 rounds (unofficial); Oriental-Rongotai 35; Petone 28, Paremata-Plimmerton 28; Hutt Old Boys Marist, Poneke 26; Johnsonville 24; Upper Hutt Rams 22; Tawa 21; Wainuiomata 16; Marist St Pat’s 15; Old Boys University 13; Northern United 12; Wellington 8; Avalon 2.

It was an afternoon for more tight scoring and competitive matches as the 2025 Swindale Shield reached its halfway mark this afternoon under grey skies and a blustery wind that whipped through most grounds.

In two significant results played at the Polo Ground today, Oriental-Rongotai held on to beat Petone 29-24 with strong defence in a tricky wind in their top of the table fixture and for the Jim Brown Memorial Trophy, to remain unbeaten on maximum points through seven rounds of the men’s Premier competition, while Petone beat Ories 50-21 in the women’s match to ensure themselves a hand on the first round title. Petone will share the first round Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy with Northern United. More below on this.

Petone are still second in the standings behind the now  confirmed competition favourites Ories, but are joined in second placed by Paremata-Plimmerton who defeated the Wellington Axemen 38-28 on their Old Timers’ Day at Hataitai Park.

The Axemen led 38-28 with 10 minutes to play.

Paremata-Plimmerton had first use of the wind and led 14-0. The Axemen got down to business and scored two converted tries to level 14-14.

The visitors then went up 24-14, before the Axemen came back to lead 28-24 with 10 minutes to play, before Paremata-plimmerton got the late win with two more converted tries. For Paremata-Plimmerton, wing Joe Faleafaga scored a hat-trick.

Hutt Old Boys Marist and Poneke share fourth after both winning tight and torrid encounters this afternoon.

HOBM pulled away to beat home side Tawa at Lyndhurst Park 27-17 (more on that match below), while Poneke defeated the Upper Hutt Rams at home 30-22 for the Alby Makeham Shield. Poneke won 5 tries to 4, with fullback Nick Robertson scoring two tries.

Marist St Pat’s edged Wainuiomata 22-20 in a low scoring tense encounter at William Jones for the Rona-Morrissey Cup. More on this match below.

Old Boys University were celebrating their first win of the season at Porirua Park, following their 44-27 victory over Northern United for the Ken Douglas Trophy.  For OBU, hooker and captain Geordie Bean scored a hat-trick in the seven tries to four win.

In the exception to this rule of mostly tight results, the Johnsonville Hawks ran through minnows the Avalon Wolves at home at Helston Park for a 79-0 victory. The Hawks scored 13 tries, with right wing Finlay Sharp and openside flanker Louis Magalogo each scoring hat-tricks.

As part of a closer look at a couple of matches we were at, Marist St Pats defeated Wainuiomata 22-20 in a messy game under grey and blustery skies at Williams Jones Park for a valuable competition win for the mid-table points. MSP’s forward pack put out a tremendous final 20-minute shift to win the game that was hanging in the balance.

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MSP’s forwards worked as a unit and poured into everything, to swing momentum their way when it mattered.

Ironically, this occurred following the departure through injury of their captain and loosehead prop Jake Wetere. But players like lock Preston Moananu and blindside flanker James Zino, and the small jersey numbers who came off the bench, saw them home.

It was two lineouts with a few minutes to play that won MSP the game. The first of these was deep inside their own 22 when leading 15-13 following a 50-22 kick into the corner and a golden chance for the home team. But MSP’s lineout stole the ball and they advanced up-field to ultimately create the winning try.

This try in the 73^rd minute followed a storming run up towards the corner by lock Moananu. He was bundled into touch but MSP disrupted Wainui’s lineout once more, won a free kick which they tapped, and after 60 seconds their forwards came up with the winning try.

Wainui battled hard to the end, and No 8 Braydon Soi scored a bonus try on fulltime.

The first half and into much of the second was an entirely scrappy affair with numerous mistakes by both sides cancelling out opportunities. Both sides had clear chances at different points but neither could capitalise.

It wasn’t until the 26^th minute that the first points were posted through a penalty to Wainuiomata first five and captain Andrew Wells to give them a 3-0 lead.

There was no further scoring until right on half time when MSP finally broke through. Centre Isaia Petelo crashed over the line next to a sea of bodies after 90 seconds of phase play. MSP led 7-3 at the break.

Home team Wainuiomata started the second half with the game’s most fluid try. From a lineout, they broke through in centre field and lock Kitiona Leitufua offloaded to flanker Matt Jacobs to score, putting them up 10-7.

MSP hit back shortly after with a penalty to first five Tomasi Connor, and it was back to all square.

In the 58^th minute, Wainuiomata turned down an easy shot at goal and then fluffed the try. However, they were awarded another penalty shortly thereafter, and Wells kicked it to put them up 13-10.

In the 66^th minute, following the aforementioned resurgence by the visiting forwards, MSP built pressure under the posts for about a minute, and were finally rewarded with a try to put them up 15-13, setting up the tense finish.

At Lyndhurst Park, visitors Hutt Old Boys Marist were happy to come away with a 27-17 win over home side Tawa, their third victory in a row.

In a gritty match that rose to few heights, HOBM led 15-5 at half time, and then extended their lead to 20-5 with the game’s most decisive try scored by replacement hooker Fred Sunia.

Most of the rest of the second half was a tense and tight affair before the Eagles flew in after a scrum to score their bonus point try and extend the lead to 27-7.

Tawa came back with a try and then scored another late one, but they ran out of time.

The game had started with a comparative flurry of scoring. Tawa scored first when hooker Lotu Nuku set up fullback Jacob Denyer to put them up 5-0. Visitors the Eagles drew level when second five Kienan Higgins stole an intercept and ran through to make it 5-5.

The Eagles took the lead for the first time through first five Waylon Tuhoro-Robinson whose penalty made it 8-5.

Much of the rest of the first half was a scrappy situation but the Eagles scored their second try just before half time to establish their 10 point lead, which would also become the margin of victory.

Premier 2

Another day of good scoring in the Harper Lock Shield. Leaders OBU maintained their unbeaten start to the season, but were forced to come from behind against a fired-up Norths side at Jerry Collins Stadium before prevailing 23-15. Poneke moved into sole-second, relatively untroubled in beating the Upper Hutt Rams 54-0 at Kilbirnie, but HOBM dropped out of the top four going down 35-31 against a resurgent Tawa side at Lyndhurst.

Petone and MSP leapfrog the Eagles; the Villagers winning 49-19 away against Ories while MSP were also successful away from home with a 66-26 success at Wainuiomata. Wellington were held scoreless once again, this time 30-0 by Pare-Plim, while at the bottom of the table Johnsonville snuck home 15-14 over Avalon.

In the Williams Jones Park curtain raiser, visitors Marist St Pats raced to a comfortable 66-26 win over Wainuiomata. MSP won 10 tries to four, and kicked eight conversions after leading 26-5 at halftime.

Turning into the wind, MSP struck early with their next try to lead 33-5.

Wainuiomata scored a try in reply, but MSP went on a try-scoring spree throughout the rest of the match which included two quickfire tries at the end that inflated the scoreline.

Earlier, the MSP loosehead prop scored a hat trick of tries, two in the first half and one in the second.

Women’s

Petone and Norths will share the Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy for this season after both accomplished what they needed to in today’s final round.

Playing at home at Jerry Collins Stadium, Norths took care of their business against Wainuiomata 63-10 with stalwart Sanita Levave crossing twice in her milestone 200th match for the side.

By contrast, Petone had to venture to the Polo Ground and face Oriental Rongotai on the Magpies Old Timers’ Day with both sides having a chance going in. In the end the Villagers opened an early lead and weren’t pegged back, with Harmony Kautai scoring yet another hat-trick as they ran out 50-21 winners.

Norths, Petone, and Ories will be joined in the championship Tia Paasi Memorial section by Marist St Pat’s, who were surprisingly held to a 17-all draw by neighbours Poneke.

Poneke and Wainuiomata join Avalon and current holders Pare-Plim in the Izzy Ford Cup, with Avalon having defaulted yesterday to Pare-Plim in the fourth scheduled match.

Colts

It was the fifth round of the Colts Paris Memorial Trophy competition today, with leaders Hutt Old Boys Marist beating Northern United by default.

In the clash between second and third, the Upper Hutt Rams Colts beat Petone Colts 40-0 at Maidstone Park.

The MSP Colts beat Old Boys University Green 10-6 at Ian Galloway Park, Tawa beat Poneke 33-27 at Kilbirnie Park while Ories stream-rolled Johnsonville 75-0 at the Polo Ground.

U85kg

The Tawa Ducks continue to set the pace in the U85kg grade, earning their sixth straight JC Bowl win today by toppling Johnsonville 31-19 in the Helston Park curtain-raiser.

In the day’s other matches, the Old Boys University Scallywags beat Eastbourne 29-22, the HOBM Howlers defeated the Paremata-Plimmerton Piranhas 15-11 and the Wellington Axemen beat Marist St Pat’s 31-7 in the first of three matches at home a Haitaitai Park on the Axemen’s Old Timers’ Day.

College

Wairarapa College, St Bernard’s, Hutt Valley High, and Rongotai booked the final four places in this year’s Premiership with wins today.

Rongotai overcame Tawa 31-24, HVHS saw off Porirua 50-20, and St Bernard’s were too good for Mana by 44-12. Wairarapa College made sure there will be two Wairarapa schools in this year’s top flight as they beat Paraparaumu by 52-19.

Those four losing sides head for Premier 2 joining incumbents the Silverstream and Wellington College 2nd XVs, and the winners of four more matches. Taita beat Upper Hutt-Heretaunga 59-12, Kapiti saw off Aotea 36-26, and the Town 2nds were too good for Bishop Viard by 58-25. The fourth match saw the Silverstream 3rds beat Newlands-Onslow 29-24.

In a non-competition traditional match at St Pat’s Silverstream, that side’s First XV lost 32-35 to Palmerston North Boys’ High School.

Wellington College met Hamilton Boys’ High School away in their match for the Moascar Cup. A result from that game is pending.

Elsewhere

In the Manawatu, clear competition leaders Kia Toa beat Te Kawau 48-31 at Rongotea, Feilding Yellows beat Freyberg 29-22 at Johnston Park, and College Old Boys were emphatic 55-10 winners over Old Boys Marist at the Arena. The fourth match at Ongley Park saw Linton and Massey meet, with the result to be confirmed.

In Wairarapa Bush Greytown stamped their mark on the Moose Kapene Cup round by downing previously unbeaten Martinborough 53-21 away in wine country. Defending champions Carterton were made to work by gallant East Coast winning 31-25, while Masterton Red Star were 41-31 winners away over Eketahuna. The fourth match of the day saw a derby draw between Marist and Pioneer 26-all.

In Horowhenua-Kapiti, leaders Rahui beat Waikanae 24-12 at Otaki Domain, Paraparaumu beat Levin Wanderers 31-21 at home and Shannon overcame Levin College Old Boys 41-21 at the Levin Domain.