Sideline Conversions 2 June (some news and information to start the new week and month)

Above: Club rugby under the stars on Friday night, with the Upper Hutt Rams hosting the Wellington Axemen. 

With King’s Birthday Weekend, the winter rugby season is fast closing in and we are up to week 10 of the Swindale Shield, with five rounds to play before the start of the Jubilee Cup.

Ories have a nine-point lead to the rest of the field, so can afford to drop two games and still win, while there is an 11-point gap between eighth and ninth but still time for movement in this order.

Swindale Shield Round 10 matches are a glance this coming weekend are:

• Wellington Axemen v Tawa (Alan & Murray Mexted Cup), Hataitai Park
• Poneke v Hutt Old Boys Marist (Roy Johns Shield and Bill Brien Challenge Cup), Kilbirnie Park
• Wainuiomata v Upper Hutt Rams (Peter Jones/Dave Ritchie Cup), William Jones Park
• Avalon Wolves v Oriental-Rongotai, Fraser Park
• Old Boys Unviersity v Marist St Pat’s (Jack Lamason Cup), Rugby League Park
• Northern United v Paremata-Plimmerton (Ivan Hardgrave Trophy), Porirua Park
• Johnsonville v Petone, Helston Park

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It is Old Timers’ Day at both Northern United and Old Boys University, where it is understood in the latter there is a 10-year reunion of OBU’s 2015 team that first won the Jubilee Cup and the club’s annual Black Tie Dinner.

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Back to a full round of grades this weekend, with Colts, U85kgs and Reserve Grade still in action. In the U85kg JC Bowl, the Tawa Ducks need just a point from their match against the OBU Scallywags at MacAlister Park for the Thomas Murray Taonga, after the former Wellington College (2018 First XV) and Scallywags player who died two years ago.

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There is some midweek college First XV rugby on Wednesday. This opens at Wellington College at 1.30pm between Wellington College and Rongotai College in their annual traditional. Wellington College are coming off a patchy opening win against St Pat’s Town and then a win by default over Scots College, while Rongotai lost their season opener 18-24 to Hutt International Boys’ School at home. Rongotai last beat Wellington College 25-24 in 2022 so here’s hoping Wednesday’s game is competi

The St Bernard’s First XV hosts the Hato Paora First XV in their traditional at 1.00pm.

The midweek school rugby continues later on Wednesday afternoon with four Co-ed Cup games, all played after school at 3.30pm. These are Porirua College v Aotea College, Wainuiomata High School v Naenae College, Upper Hutt College v Mana College and  Paraparaumu College v Newlands/Onslow Colleges combined.

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Horowhenua-Kapiti, Wairarapa-Bush and Manawatu club rugby all resume this weekend.

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The Hurricanes meet the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday night in their Super Rugby knockout final. When and they progress to likely play the Crusaders, lose and that could be it for the year for them and Super Rugby returns for another spin in 2026.

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Five teams separated by just two points at the top of the Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield! Have we ever seen that before?

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Pretty crazy that Scots College defaulted to Wellington College on Saturday.

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What about Ardie Savea‘s hit around the neck of Peter Umaga Jensen as the latter was scoring his first try on Saturday night?  Nothing to see here, as its Ardie, so its off for the halftime break after the conversion.

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Harmony Kautai try watch. The Petone Women’s player scored a double on Saturday and now has 20 tries in seven matches this year.

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A post shared by Upper Hutt Rams RFC (@uhramsrugby)

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Swindale Shield Top try scorers after 9 rounds:

Esi Komaisavai (Pare Plim)	13
Louis Northcott (Pare-Plim)	11
George Risale (Tawa)	8
Herman Suemanufagai (Ories)	8
Kapu Broughton-Winterburn (HOBM)	8
Dominic Ropeti (Ories)	7
Finlay Sharp (Jville)	7
Ifeanyichukwu Nnebechukwu (Pōneke)	7
Josh Love (UHR)	7
Kienan Higgins (HOBM)	7
Louis Magalogo (Jville)	7
Max Hosking (Petone)	7

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Who’s the best tackle jackler in the Swindale Shield? Petone’s Braith Ingram has been dynamite in 2025. Drew Berg-McLean from Hutt Old Boys Marist is another pest. Poneke’s Luca Bellucci is accomplished on the snaffle. Wainuiomata’s Matt Jacobs is a stubborn veteran.

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Hurricanes highest scores in a game:

1. Hurricanes 83 – Sunwolves 17 (2017)
2. Hurricanes 71 – Rebels 6 (2017)
3. Hurricanes 71 – Moana Pasifika 22 (2023)
4. Hurricanes 67 – Fijian Drua 5 (2022)
5. Hurricanes 66 – 24 – Rebels (2012)
6. Hurricanes 64 – Moana Pasifika 12 (2025)
7. Hurricanes 64 -Bulls 32 (1997)
8. Hurricanes 64 – Waratahs 48 (2021)
9. Hurricanes 62 – Sunwolves 15 (2020)
10. Hurricanes 61 – Cheetahs 7 (2017)

Hurricanes biggest winning margins:

1. 66 – Hurricanes v Sunwolves 2017
2. 65 – Hurricanes v Rebels 2017
3. 62 – Hurricanes v Fijian Drua 2022
4. 59 – Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika 2023
5. 54 – Hurricanes v Cheetahs 2017
6. 52 – Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika 2025
7. 49 – Hurricanes v Brumbies 2009
8. 49 – Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika 2023
9. 47 – Hurricanes v Sunwolves 2020
10. 45 – Hurricanes v Waratahs 2025

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Tipping Competition leaderboard updated – 200 points or over:

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Johnsonville v Petone this Saturday – when was the last time that Johnsonville beat Petone in a Premier fixture?

This could be one of the longest running active head-to-head losing streaks going.

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Pretty wild stuff coming out of Horowhenua-Kapiti last week.

Mainstream media even picked it up (they generally won’t report local sport) and conveyed that it was a stabbing threat on a referee.

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The WRFU confirmed in their own Facebook page late last week that Club Finals Day will be on 26 July at Kilbirnie and Evans Bay Parks. The date confirmed by them, now for the logistics of the day’s event!

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An announced crowd of 20,000 for the game as well, which was probably about right.

The previous three crowds for Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika games were:

12-Apr-22 Super Rugby: Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika 3,369	3,369
13-May-23 Super Rugby: Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika 7,933	7,933
17-May-24 Super Rugby: Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika 7,293	7,293

Note that the first one was a Tuesday night hence the lowest ever non Covid attendance at the Stadium.

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Tom Maiava raises the ton. With 14 points on Saturday, Ories fullback has become the first individual to raise a century of points this season. It is also understood that Johnsonville’s Ken Kuihara has played his last game for the Hawks and is heading home to Japan this week, leaving him on 97 points. The leading scorers so far in the Swindale Shield are:

Tom Maiava (Ories)	112
Ken Kurihara (Jville)	97
Tomasi Connor (MSP)	87
Andrew Wells (WoA)	84
Waylon Tuhoro-Robinson (HOBM)	81
Carlos Hihi (Pōneke)	68
Esi Komaisavai (Pare Plim)	67
Dale Sabbagh (Pare Plim)	61
Tom Henderson (OBU)	59
Ieti Campbell (UHR)	55
Louis Northcott (Pare-Plim)	55

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With only three wins, the Highlanders finished last in Super Rugby for the first time since 1997.

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Moustaches of club rugby: Peni Tapau Paremata-Plimmerton.

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St Pat’s Town outlasted Wairarapa College 45-10 in Masterton. Playing into the wind, Town turned with a 14-5 advantage at halftime. Wairarapa were tenacious, but attacking threats across the park proved telling for Town in a seven tries to two victory. Town’s tries were scored by Ethan Lepou (7), Remy Fitisemanu (4), Ioane Aukusitino (3) x2, Charlie Carter (15) and Zack Kimmins (11). First Five Decodah Silva kicked five conversions from seven attempts.

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St Patrick’s College, Silverstream whitewashed Rathkeale College 60-0 on Saturday. Vaitupu Vaitupu, Teddy Cooling, Fletcher Cooper, Heath Tuifao (2), William Davis, Riley Brown (2) and Abraham Smith scored tries for Silverstream. Cooper kicked a penalty and six conversions.

Fletcher Cooper scored 62 points in a week for St Pat’s Silverstream, 26 v Wairarapa College, 16 v New Plymouth Boys and 20 v Rathkeale College.

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Congratulations to Matt Thomas for refereeing his 50^th Premier game on Saturday and earning his WRRA Blazer, in the Swindale Shield match between Petone and Pōneke.

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The gratitude of leading girls’ schools, Manukura and St Mary’s College, for finding space in their calendars for a meaningful fixture last week was infectious. National champions Manukura won 34-26, with fullback and Selica Winiata-lookalike Keighley-Rein Araia scoring two tries. St Mary’s Ofeira Hunt, daughter of former All Blacks Sevens representative and Tawa stalwart Nigel Hunt, also scored two tries. Manakura coach and former Black Ferns halfback Kristina Sue singled out Kaylee Masoe, India Okanara, Gabby Wright, and Elley-May Taylor for special praise. Masoe held her own in the scrums against a much larger opponent. Flanker and lock Okanara is playing seniors for  Kia Toa and goes back home to Tauranga to play on Sundays. Wright’s vision and distribution were telling at first five-eight and openside May-Taylor topped the tackle count returning from bereavement leave.

Feilding High School Girls First XV hosted New Plymouth Girls’ High School in tough conditions in Feilding on Friday. With the wind behind their back, Feilding pulled out to a 22-0 lead at halftime. New Plymouth made the most of the wind in the second half, pulling the score back to 12-22 with two well-taken tries and playing in the right areas of the field. With the inclusion of impact players, Feilding pulled away to 36-12 with two long-range efforts. New Plymouth had the last say. Feilding’s tries were scored by Elyzah Ray Ashby, Bobbi-Jo Gavan, Malama Paleilei, Nyla Lauridsen, Gracie Carthew Waugh and Peyton Moa. Ray Ashby (2) and Petra Fell added conversions.

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Murray Mexted has become an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to rugby.

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What about this for a crazy finish?

The Sharks defeated Munster 6-4 in a place-kick competition after their hugely dramatic United Rugby Championship quarter-final in Durban ended 24-24 after extra-time.

Rory Scannell’s missed penalty in the shootout – which involved six kicks from three players from each side – proved decisive as Sharks trio Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse and Bradley Davids all converted their two shots at the posts.

Jack Crowley and Conor Murray were also successful with their couple of kicks apiece for the visitors.

The thrilling victory saw Sharks reach the last four of the competition for the first time, having twice previously failed to make it past the quarter-finals.

They face a trip to fellow South African side Bulls next weekend, with Leinster hosting Glasgow in the other semi-final.

Read more HERE

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Today is King’s Birthday Monday. Traditionally this date was a day of rugby at Athletic Park. For many years the Wellington and Manawatu representative teams would play for the Coronation Cup, donated after Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. There would often be a full round of club rugby on this date too and some epic fixtures were contested.

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The rule that former international referee Nigel Owens would get rid of tomorrow is the goal line dropout.

Read more HERE

Any rules that you would change? One we don’t like one bit is the new one where not straight lineouts now result in a tap and go to the opposing team. Much prefer the old style lineout or scrum, even if it slows up the game!

One we have been thinking a bit about lately is the duration of games. College and U19s games are 70 minutes in length with 35 minute halves. This could be something to bring into senior rugby. Perhaps not the top level but other grades. And in turn have one fewer reserve on each team.

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