Sideline Conversions 9 June (some rugby news and information to start the week)

Action from Old Timers’ Day at Porirua Park, where home team Northern United wore a specially designed jersey commemorating Jerry Collins, who tragically died in a car accident in France a decade ago this weekend. Photo: Stewart Baird.

Updated: The Swindale Shield could well be decided with a fortnight to spare after this weekend, while the ‘top 8’ to contest the Jubilee Cup could also be found early, but there is still much to play for amongst most teams with the all-important seeding for those championship rounds throughout July.

As it stands, frontrunners Oriental-Rongotai are on a maximum 50 competition points, 12 clear of joint second placed Petone and Hutt Old Boys Marist. In the mid-table stoush, Johnsonville are currently 8th on 33, eight points clear of ninth placed Old Boys University. We will have all the permutations and scenarios for each team at the end of this week in the Round 11 preview.

In the meantime, 11th round Swindale Shield fixtures at a glance are:

• Pōneke v Old Boys University (Beet Algar Rosebowl), Kilbirnie Park
• Avalon v Wainuiomata (Anthony Waldrom Trophy), Fraser Park
• Marist St Pat’s v Hutt Old Boys Marist (Father Cleary Shield), Evans Bay Park
• Petone v Northern United (Murray Henderson Trophy, Petone Rec.
• Upper Hutt Rams v Paremata-Plimmerton, Maidstone Park.
• Oriental-Rongotai v Wellington (Alby Jack Memorial Cup), Polo Ground.
• Johnsonville v Tawa (Carman Cup), Evans Bay Park

More midweek college rugby coming right up on Wednesday.

• Wellington College v St Pat’s Silverstream (Premiership Round 4), WC 1, 12.00pm
• Rongotai College v St Bernard’s College (Premiership Round 3), RC 1, 2.45pm
• Wairarapa College v Tawa College (Wai Coll 1), 12.00pm
• Porirua College v Aotea College (Co-ed Cup), PC 1, 3.30pm
• Upper Hutt College v Mana College (Co-ed Cup), UHC 1, 3.30pm

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Please support local and free content creators by watching the Wellington College v  St Pat’s Silverstream game on the Huddy Sports You Tube channel and by coming here and to our channels at Club Rugby afterwards for all the post-match coverage. Any other broadcasters covering this game are travelers in this space now (literally, they are flying their commentator to Auckland to call the game off the tube) and generally grifting for your subscription money.

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The Harper Lock Shield Premier 2 competition could be hurtling towards a tight finish. With three rounds to play, leaders Petone are on 45, Poneke are on 44, Marists St Pat’s 42,HOBM 41, OBU 40 and Tawa 36.

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Sad news coming through to Sideline Conversions on Sunday night that former All Blacks captain Stu Wilson has passed away, confirmed on Monday morning. Wairarapa College educated Wilson played for Wellington College Old Boys in club rugby and was regularly mentioned in local match reports for his individual feats for the club, later merged with University to become OBU. Here are two examples here:

• 4 June 1977: All Black wing Stu Wilson is on fire for Wellington College Old Boys. With his side trailing Titahi Bay 7-11, Wilson intercepts a cross-kick and sprints 75 metres to score a spectacular solo effort, to see WCOB draw 11-11.
• 11 July 1981: Stu Wilson sprints 60 metres for his try in WCOB’s 11-6 Jubilee Cup win over Wellington.
• 29 May 1982: Hutt Valley Marist wing Bernie Fraser scores a brace as his side beats MSP 23-12, All Black wing Stu Wilson scoots over for a hat-trick for WCOB in their 38-13 win over Johnsonville.
• 3 July 1983: A day after the All Blacks beat the British Isles 15-8 in Dunedin, Murray Mexted (Wellington) and Stu Wilson (WCOB) step off the plane and on to the club field for this Sunday round to help their sides to first round Jubilee Cup wins.

Wilson played 83 matches for the Wellington representative team between 1976-83 and scored 43 tries. He won the NPC title in 1978 and 1981 and won the Ranfurly Shield in 1981. For the All Blacks he played 34 tests and 85 games and scored a then record 19 test tries.  Wilson’s book with fellow wing Bernie Fraser called Ebony and Ivory is a top read and recommended.

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New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson is to step down at the end of this year.

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That’s the end of the line for the Hurricanes this year.

The Brumbies’ tries before and after Halftime were the killer blows.

A silver lining could be that it’s local rugby’s gain. How many Hurricanes (and Moana Pasifika players) will be freed to play some club rugby over the next few weeks? For some Wellington-based Hurricanes and Super Rugby players there is six weeks before they have to front next for Wellington against Taranaki in NPC pre-season on 25 July.

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Good luck to the referees that cover the Upper Hutt Rams – Paremata-Plimmerton matches this weekend. The clash of uniforms could make things interesting!

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Anyone know any goal-kickers? Send them to Kilbirnie Park.

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Ironman of the weekend? Paremata-Plimmerton hooker Davis Eni, who played 70 minutes for his clubs Premier 2 side, then was an early entry off the bench after five minutes of the following Premier fixture against Norths at Porirua Park.

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Speaking of Porirua Park, has anyone been onto the council about when the sprinklers turn on on a Saturday afternoon?

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Sideline Conversions has been told that the WRFU has sold/is selling their half share of the Hurricanes to Malcolm Gillies, who in turn is looking to put a 10,000 seat grandstand at the NZCIS. This is unconfirmed and the financial facts would need clarifying but as a general idea what do you think of this if true?

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St Pat’s Town captured the inaugural Willie Leota Memorial Tanoa, honouring the late coach of both schools, dismantling Scots College 50-15. Although Scots were resilient in the first half and managed tries from Brandon Lo, James Favel, and Jacob Epeli, they trailed 21-15 at the interval. In the second half, Town’s power prevailed with scrums becoming uncontested. Hefty front-rowers Donncha McNamara-Taele and Faimalie Tagoai each scored two tries. Locks Remy Fitisemanu (who also scored a try) and Tom Bracewell contributed significantly at Evans Bay Park.

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Congratulations to the Tawa Ducks for the winning the first round U85kg JC Bowl. The second round starts this coming weekend and the draw is out early this week on WRFU channels.

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Seen playing for the Petone Premier 2s on Saturday at fullback was Willie Moala, another longtime player of this website. Former St Bernard’s College student Moala joined the Petone Premiers in 2001, won the Jubilee Cup in 2005,  represented the Tongan Sevens side in 2006, played his 100th game in 2009 and h – perhaps making him the OG of Wellington Premier/Premier 2 rugby?

Premier coach Carne Green also came off the bench in this game and played some quality minutes at the back end of the game. Michael Lealava’a did likewise for Wainuiomata last weekend. What other coaches could do this, perhaps Ross Bond could turn back the clock and take the field at Kilbirnie Park?

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Announced late last week: 

One reader contacted us late last week asking about the cost of tickets this year?

“$120 plus admin fee covering only five round-robin NPC matches in Porirua (General Admission, no seat guaranteed) so a whopping $24 plus admin per match – two years ago individual round-robin matches at Porirua were $10 + admin if booked in advance.  The Super Rugby Hurricanes season ticket (6 matches plus possible home QF) was a much more reasonable $119 plus admin fee (around $20 plus admin per match).

“Last season the Hurricanes had an add-on Lions membership for $70 (covering 5 round-robin games at Porirua/Wellington Stadium plus all home playoffs). So if the Lions host QF, SF and Final again at the Stadium the cost will have jumped from $70 to at least $180 (assuming minimum of $20 for the play-offs). Marketing 666 rather than Marketing 101.”

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Carr racks up a quadruple century

A significant milestone reached on Saturday by Feilding Yellows’ Brad Carr – 400 Senior 1 [Premier] club games for this team.

From the Manawatu standard article by Peter Lampp:

Born in Sydney and now 43 years old, today at Johnston Park he plays his 400th senior A game in his 27th season, all verified by the Feilding club and with his 25-year-old blazer intact. His tenure could be a national record in senior rugby.

Each time he hit a milestone, 250 in 2014, 300 in 2017, 350 in 2021, many wrote him off, predicting his body wouldn’t hold out. His longevity was helped by largely being a wing, sometimes fullback and centre, and never having a major injury.

He has probably chalked up nearer 500 rugby matches overall, if games for other rep sides and down the grades were added. Being a goalkicker and usually scoring 10 tries a season, he’s probably scored 2500 points in senior A.

Brad made his senior debut at 17 and before that played president’s rugby with his father Steve and brother Scott. The tougher the opponents, the better he played.

Read more here: https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360713859/super-carrs-27-year-wait-hit-400-mark-his-beloved-yellows

We did a story with him in March 2021 when he played his 350th match:

Legends of Club Rugby: Brad Carr (Feilding Yellows)

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Club Rugby Tipping Competition – Top 10 and ties after 10 rounds:

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James O’Reilly is back in rugby, playing 20 minutes in Hutt Old Boys’ 52-15 account of Poneke. The former Hurricanes and Wellington Lions hooker wrote on Instagram: “It’s been a long, tough, mentally exhausting, moments of doubt if this time would ever happen again but after 11 months we are finally back doing what we love. Massive thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.”

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Harmony Kautai 2025 try watch: 22 tries in 8 games.

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Luca Rees career Premier try scoring update (covers Petone, Ories and Norths since 2019).

• Matches played: 162
• Tries scored: 98

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St Patrick’s College, Silverstream has amassed 203 points over three matches, displaying a powerful combination of brawn and expanse in a 62-3 slaying of St Bernard’s College. Silverstream’s tries were scored by Aston Steere, Teddy Cooling, William Davis, Abraham Smith (3), Mea’ole Mai, Jahvaan Hunt, Lochie Jackson (2), and Corus Taylor-Lefao. Fletcher Cooper nailed five conversions.

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Hutt International Boys’ School came close to remaining unbeaten but was edged out 12-7 by Ratkelale College. A try scored by Brandon Matthews in the 71st minute broke HIBS’ hearts at NZCIS.

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The Hurricanes are done and dusted in 2025. What’s required to repeat 2016 and win a second championship? A big, tall lock in the Fabin Holland mode would be useful. Similarly the subustite hookers didn’t set the world on fire. A stronger backup to Cam Roigard is another position to explore. Who were the best players?

Best Forward: Du’Plessis Kirifi

Best Back: Cam Roigard

Most Improved Forward: Zach Gallagher

Most Improved Back: Callum Harkin

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Wellington club rugby Swindale Shield top try scorers after 10 rounds:

Esi Komaisavai has two matches to score four tries equal Buxton Popoalii’s 2010 record of 18 tries in a Swindale Shield season as per the same number of games he played (11). He needs five tries in four games to break the record (now a 13-match competition). Incidentally, Komaisavai also scored 14 tries in last year’s Swindale Shield so he is level-pegging with his exploits from then.

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Wellington club rugby top five points scorers in the Swindale Shield after 10 rounds: