HOBM heat up at Kilbirnie Park as chasing pack behind leaders Ories tightens up

Hutt Old Boys Marist No. 8 Mika Alaifatu crashes over through the tackle of fullback Nick Robertson and a sea of defenders to score for the Eagles. Photo: Andy McArthur. 

Round 10 Swindale Shield just the scores:

• Hutt Old Boys Marist 52 – Pōneke 15
• Petone 25 – Johnsonville 17
• Tawa 19 – Wellington Axemen 12
• Upper Hutt Rams 48 – Wainuiomata 19
• Old Boys University 29 – Marist St Pat’s 3
• Oriental-Rongotai 55 – Avalon 0
• Paremata-Plimmerton 23 – Northern United 10

Points table after 10 rounds:

• By Steven White, Scott MacLean & Adam Julian 

The Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles were the notable winners today in today’s 10^th round set of premier Swindale Shield matches.

The weather was undoubtedly the coldest of the year so far, leaving many to stay at home, but the rugby warmed the hearts and minds of many that braved the elements.

HOBM beat Pōneke 52-15 in their feature fixture for the Roy Johns Trophy and for the Bill Brien Challenge Trophy, to slide into joint second on the standings alongside Petone who held off Johnsonville 25-17 in more of a gritty fixture at Helston Park. More on these two games below.

Meanwhile it was business as usual for frontrunners Ories who hit the half century of points on the the field in beating Avalon 55-0 and also hit 50 points in the Swindale Shield standings.

Paremata-Plimmerton defeated Northern United 23-10 at Porirua Park for the Ivan Hardgrave Trophy on the home side’s Old Timers’ Day to maintain their position in the top 4. For the visitors, halfback Esi Komaisavai scored his 14th try of the season and Tane McMillan-Parata their other try as Dale Sabbagh kicked the remainder of their points.

The Upper Hutt Rams are alongside the Hammerheads in the top four after beating the Wainuiomata 48-19 over the hill at William Jones Park, out-scoring the green and blacks seven tries to three for the Peter Jones/Dave Ritchie Cup while Tawa are just behind after defeating a plucky Wellington Axemen side 19-12 at Hataitai Park for the Murray & Alan Mexted Cup.

Tawa led 19-5 at halftime, but lost ball-running No. 8 George Risale to injury at this point. There was no further scoring before a consolation try on fulltime to the Axemen. For Tawa, their three tries were scored by Luke Bidois, Hemi Fermanis and Tito Ioane.

Johnsonville, who failed to earn a competition point today, slipped down the standings to eighth, but they still have breathing space to ninth placed Old Boys University who earned their second successive win by defeating Marist St Pat’s 29-3 at Rugby League Park for the Jack Lamason Trophy. OBU scored four tries, through halfback Mitch McLeod and forwards Jack Riley, Louis Calvert and Nico Aandewiel.

In a treacherous southerly at At Kilbirnie Park, the HOBM Eagles trampled Pōneke 52-15. HOBM were more imperious than a dominant server at the French Open. It was 40-love after half an hour.

The HOBM forwards proved far too big and strong for Pōneke, who made little headway into the wind and were bullied into submission. HOBM won eight tries to three.

Locks Ben Tuimanufili and Teofilo Paulo spearheaded an outstanding effort from the Eagles, which included hearty tackling from Jordan Gillies and some panache out wide where HOBM wing Fritz Rayasi was bigger than any of the Pōneke front rowers.  HOBM were quick to pounce on turnover ball and scored four-try bonus point within 15 minutes.

Mika Alaifatu scored two tries, including one in the second half from a pushover scrum. Fritz Rayasi scored a try, fending off smaller tacklers with disdain. Sapatai Tagoai scored two tries at centre and Kapu Broughton-Winterburn also scored a try and engineered much of their good attack.

For Ponekek Moses Tuifao-Galuvao toiled hard and scored  a try late in the first half, lock Adam McRandle battled gamely and there was also an earnest display for Pasia Asiata. But this was a game that they will want to quickly bin and move on from.

A Helston Park, Petone earned an important away from home victory at Johnsonville in a gritty rather than spectacular 25-17 win over the Hawks.

The second half descended into the pits of Hel, but Petone showed much hunger and commitment to hold the home team out and deny them a bonus point for their troubles.

A missed penalty for a bonus point on fulltime by replacement Niall Delahunt summed up a day for Johnsonville that had started so well.

Playing into the wind, the Hawks had monopolised possession and territory to score two tries and lead 12-0 after 10 minutes, and before Petone had barely touched the ball themselves.

Tries to second five Olly Paotonu following three and a half minutes in possession, and to lock Anthony Pettett after a penalty and lineout kick into the far corner and more phase play had the home side well on top.

Johnsonville almost scored a third try but for an error close to the line.

Petone weathered this early storm and came back to score two tries themselves to level it up at 12-12 after 33 minutes. Both these tries followed penalties and lineouts at the clubrooms end of the ground, the first with halfback Cam Ferrerira crossing from a quick tap off another penalty, and Petone’s backs scoring a slick try out to the far corner for the other.

Petone won several penalties off Johnsonville scrums in the first half, the last of which saw them set up with a lineout on halfway. From this, their backs went wide and scored another clinical try in the clubrooms corner, and after trailing early, they found themselves 19-12 ahead at the break.

Now playing with the wind, Johnsonville had the lion’s share of territory in the second half as a steady belt of rain crossed the ground. However, they were unable to break through to score following a couple of clear opportunities, whilst Petone’s workman-like defence came to the fore. Players such as openside flanker Braith Ingram, lock Logan Wakefield and No. 8 Luke Pearson would all play the full 80 minutes and revel in the second half conditions.

With about 15 minutes to play, Johnsonville did finally manage to crack the defence to score their third try which came after a scrum penalty and the backs throwing wide to starting first five Ish Perkins to score in the same clubrooms corner as Petone’s try just before the turnaround. This closed it to 19-17, and a blockbuster finish was potentially in the making.

This failed to eventuate, however, with Petone, aided by their reserve bench, effectively closing the game out over the final 10 minutes. First five Rory Woollett kicked a penalty to extend the lead to 22-17, followed by his replacement Ben Brooking kicking another penalty from the same spot in front of the posts to extend the margin past a converted try.

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Premier 2

The feature clash of the day in the Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield didn’t disappoint as Poneke and HOBM played out a thriller at Kilbirnie Park with the home side winning 41-40 to stay one point behind leaders Petone, who racked up the maximum in beating Johnsonville 52-10. MSP are third after they beat OBU in the early match at Rugby League Park, while Tawa made up some ground in throttling the struggling Axemen 77-0.

Down the table Ories were too good for Avalon winning 42-19, Norths prevailed 24-22 in a close one over neighbours Pare-Plim, and as of writing the records list Wainuiomata as 20-0 victors over Upper Hutt.

In the early game at Helston Park, competition frontrunners Petone won 52-10, a comfortable win in the end.

Petone played into the wind in the first half and built a 19-0 lead after about half an hour. They were then in again for their bonus point try to take a 26-0 lead.

Johnsonville’s next re-start beat everyone and went into touch beside the 22, following which Johnsonville scored their first try to trail 26-5 at halftime.

Johnsonville scored their second try early in the second half, but Petone scored twice more to take a match-winning 38-10 lead into the final quarter.

Women’s

It was all about seeding in the last set of round-robin matches in the two Women’s Divisions today ahead of next weeks playoffs. In the Tia Paasi Memorial Petone will host MSP after the Villagers beat Norths 31-12 (see report below), who will in turn host Ories after the latter beat MSP 29-17.

The match-ups were already determined in the Izzy Ford Cup. Wainuiomata reversed their loss to Avalon earlier in the season to win 32-7, and they’ll do it again next week. Home rights were at stake between Poneke and Pare-Plim, which were decided as Pare-Plim won 33-20.

The Petone Ponies pulled away from Northern United in the second half of their feature game at Porirua Park to win 31-12. Petone outscored Norths five tries to two, which included two tries to hard-running tighthead prop Lavinia Lea and two to elusive left wing Harmony Kautai.

However, scoring took a long time to commence, with the game still locked up at 0-0 only a few minutes before halftime. Home team Norths had first use of the stiff southerly but failed to capitalise on several clear chances. Their forwards were on top and their scrum was dominant, whilst first five Arene Landon-Lane was full of running. But for all this, Norths pushed too many passes and got themselves isolated too often and failed to cross the line at least three times following the 30-minute mark.

On the third of these occasions, Norths pushed Petone off their own scrum ball but then knocked on in the corner, only for Petone centre Litia Bulicakau to scoop up the ball and instigate a 95-metre counterattack which was finished off by left wing Kautai.

Right on halftime, Norths finally scored after Petone failed to exit their own 22, and the ball was turned over and Norths scored to make it 7-7.

Now with the wind, Petone scored four tries inside 20 minutes to take a commanding lead. The first of these was scored by prop Lea after a penalty and quick tap; the second was scored in similar circumstances to centre Bulicakau; and the third was scored by Lea again, following a kick and chase and regather by Petone. Soon after, Petone were in again for the match-winner through left wing Kautai again, to make it 31-7, and Kautai’s 22^nd try of the season.

The next 15 minutes was a scrappy affair, not helped by a heavy shower of rain. When it cleared, Norths had the final say by scoring their second and consolation try on full time.

Colts

Things have tightened up again in the Colts Paris Memorial Trophy, as defending champions HOBM put themselves back in the frame with a 15-14 win over previously unbeaten Upper Hutt at Maidstone, though the young Eagles are yet to have their bye while the Rams and Tawa – who had theirs today – have.

Petone prevailed 18-13 in an arm wrestle in the Ian Galloway cage against OBU, Poneke upset Ories 29-26, MSP kept Johnsonville winless 41-10, and Norths came out on top 26-21 over Pare-Plim.

U85kg

The Tawa Ducks sealed the first round JC Bowl this afternoon.

Just needing one point to win the title outright, the Ducks beat the OBU Scallywags 12-10  to also win the Thomas Murray Taonga after the former openside flanker who recently passed away.

The Johnsonville Terrahawks were second behind the Ducks, after beating Marist St Pat’s 48-14.

In other results, the Paremata-Plimmerton Piranhas fed on the Avalon Wolves 7-0, and the Wellington Axemen beat Eastbourne 18-15.

The second round for the championship Paul Potiki Shield starts next weekend – look out for the second round draw by the WRFU early in the week.

College

Two of the results went as expected in the Premiership today as Silverstream were predictably too strong for St Bernard’s winning 62-3, while St Pats Town were 50-15 winners over Scots in the inaugural contest for the Willie Leota Memorial Tanoa, with the Strathmore side fronting with only 19 players. It was much closer in the third contest of the day out at the CIS campus, where Rathkeale got home at the death to deny Hutt International Boys by 12-7 (see report below). With Wellington College having thumped Rongotai 74-3 midweek, this round will conclude on Wednesday when Wairarapa College hosts Tawa in their annual clash. The same day sees round four start with the blockbuster between Wellington College and Silverstream, while later on Rongotai hosts St Bernards.

Openside Brandon Matthews was the hero for Rathkeale, barging over from close range with time up to snatch victory from Hutt International at the CIS Campus to take not just the competition points, but also the bragging rights in their Traditional clash in an enthralling but low-scoring clash.

A freezing shower just before kick-off didn’t affect the two stirring haka, before the teams got down to business. The visitors started the strongest, with imposing lock Eddie Weatherstone proving a damaging source of metres but were unable to turn that early dominance into points. The half turned when HIBS made a rare incursion into Rathkeale territory only for visiting fullback Luca O’Gorman to see yellow for a high tackle. But even then the match remained scoreless as the hosts twice turned down kickable penalties in favour of a search for seven. The deadlock was only broken in the last minute of play as a Rathkeale break had the HIBS defence all over the place and a rampaging loosehead prop Jock Rutherford carried the defenders over the line with him.

HIBS were ahead within minutes of the restart through some individual magic from redheaded flanker Mylo Guthrie-Thiel was put into space down the left and beat five defenders on his way to a remarkable try under the posts. For the next 20 minutes the match was as even as one could be, with both sides struggling to get a foothold in opposition territory but HIBS looking the more dangerous, particularly through midfielders Liam Phelps and captain Tommy Prichard. Gradually Rathkeale won the territory battle, but when O’Gorman missed three penalty attempts – one of which clanked off the post and nearly fell to his side – it seemed HIBS would hang on. But a further penalty cost the home side a player to a yellow card, and at the fourth time of asking from close range Matthews got the ball over and down for the winner.

In Premier 2 there were wins for both Silverstream squads. The 2nds beat Bishop Viard 52-7, while the 3rds were surprise winners 19-15 over Porirua. The other two 2nds XVs in this competition were also successful, with Wellington College’s beating Paraparaumu 28-7, and Town’s 27-14 over Mana. IN the lone match between 1st XVs, Hutt Valley High School had a successful trip up the coast, winning 39-10 over Kapiti College.

Elsewhere

The Kia Toa machine rumbles on in the Manawatu‘s Hankins Shield as they trampled Freyberg 81-12 today while Massey are doing all they can to remain in touch with a 56-21 win over Old Boys Marist. Elsewhere Linton Army got the points against Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 22-12, while College Old Boys resurgence continued as they spoiled Feilding Yellows legend Brad Carr’s remarkable 400th Senior A appearance for the club with a 29-6 win. Te Kawau had the bye.

The round of matches in the Horowhenua-Kapiti Ramsbotham Cup saw predictable wins for the current Big Two. Champions Foxton were crushing 84-7 winners over Waikanae, while Rahui had to work much harder to subdue Levin College Old Boys by 32-26. The third match saw something of an upset as Shannon went to Paraparaumu and got the win 20-10. Levin Wanderers had the bye.

Nailbiters in the Wairarapa Bush Moose Kapene Cup. Martinborough held on to beat Carterton 41-40 at home, while it was the same margin Memorial Park as Marist held out Masterton Red Star 33-32. Eketahuna got their first win 28-20 over Pioneer, while  Greytown beat East Coast 50-10 in th

It was a dramatic conclusion to events in Martinborough. When No. 8-turned-prop Tupou Lea’aemanu crashed over next to the posts with just minutes remaining to complete his hat-trick it seemed re-taking the Carterton retaking the lead from the conversion was inevitable, only for veteran Daryl Pickering to clank the kick off the post. Earlier the home side had led 14-0 early, only for Carterton to rattle off four unanswered converted tries to lead 28-12 at the break. Needing to fight their way back into the game the home side did, profiting greatly when Carterton had two men in the sin-bin as referee Ali Payne clamped down on infringing and themselves scoring 24 points without reply to lead 36-28.   Lea’aemanu then scored his second to narrow the gap before Martinborough crossed out wide, but the big man’s third would be in vain and the hosts held on.