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A lone Johnsonville player in a sea of Tawa defenders today at Helston Park. Photo: Andy McArthur.
- By Steven White, Adam Julian & Scott MacLean
They will be dancing in the streets of Miramar this evening as home team Oriental-Rongotai are the 2025 first round Premier Swindale Shield champions.
Ories beat the Wellington Axemen 36-3 to take an unassailable 12-point lead with two rounds to play at the head of the standings to joint second placed Petone and Hutt Old Boys Marist.
It is understood that Ories will be presented with the Swindale Shield for the first time next weekend following their match against Pōneke which is also for the Jimmy Grbich Memorial Shield.
Meanwhile the race to finish inside the ‘top 8’ and start the Jubilee Cup at the start of July is all but decided.
Petone are looking good to challenge for second place, following a 73-10 slaying of Northern United at home for the Murray Henderson Trophy.
Defending champions Old Boys University’s chances of making it and defending their title are hanging by the barest of threads following their 24-25 Beet Algar Rosebowl loss to Pōneke at Kilbiirnie Park. Pōneke’s win keeps them safely inside the eight on 40 points More on this game below.
Another side to benefit today was Tawa, who defeated a plucky Johnsonville side 43-36 for the Carman Cup at Helston Park. Tawa led 31-26. Tawa are alongside Petone on 40. Johnsonville’s two bonus points earned in defeat puts them in eighth 35, and nine points clear of OBU heading into the final fortnight.
The other match played today of significance was also the late game between the Upper Hutt Rams and Paremata-Plimmerton. The match kicked off at Maidstone Park at 3.45pm owing to the funeral of Adam Vardey earlier in the day and was completed under lights.
This resulted in a 33-31 win to Paremata-Plimmerton over the home team, with replacement forward Leni Apisai scoring the winning try at the end after a penalty and tap.
The Rams finished the game having outscored the Hammerheads five tries to four, but Dale Sabbagh also landed three penalties which saw them home. For Pare-Plim, Sione Baker scored two tries, Apisai one and Esi Komaisavai scored his 15th try of the season. Ieti Campbell crossed for a double for the Rams.
In the seventh fixture of the afternoon, between two sides already destined for the Hardham Cup, Wainuiomata beat Avalon 45-10 for the Anthony Waldrom Trophy.
The prospects of Old Boys University defending the Jubilee Cup are swinging on the gallows pole after a narrow 25-24 defeat to Pōneke at Kilbirnie Park.
The Goats suffered their sixth loss of the season by a margin of less than a converted try, meaning they also surrendered the Beethoven Algar Rosebowl for the first time since 2016.
With just a minute remaining, the visitors opted against a penalty shot from 10 metres in from touch and 30 metres out that could have won the game. Instead, from a lineout five metres shy of the line, the throw was not straight. Having already scored three tries, OBU was hoping to secure a maximum four-try bonus point as they scrambled to recover lost ground from earlier in the season.
Poneke managed to rally from a 17-6 deficit to claim victory. Despite holding most of the possession in the first half, Poneke trailed after first-five Callum Harkin made a 100-metre intercept and halfback Mitch McLeod followed up with an opportunistic try after some deft dribbling and a slick retrieval by winger Reece Plumtree.
OBU incurred the officials’ wrath by conceding a yellow card early in the second half. Poneke capitalised with tries from first-five Carlos Hihi, following a quick tap, and hooker Andrew Jones after sustained continuity.
Trailing 20-17, Harkin propelled the Billygoats ahead with a chip-and-chase move that started from halfway, eventually transferring the ball to McLeod.
OBU was dictating territory until Poneke pulled a rabbit from a hat with a stunning try that ultimately won the game. The breathtaking move spanned 85 metres and involved eight players.
Harkin and McLeod nearly replicated their earlier try, but this time Poneke scrambled and regrouped. On the 22-metre line, Ifeanyi Tonu’u-Nnebechukwu ripped a turnover. Caleb Robson delivered a skip pass towards the wing. Hunter Andrew and Nick Robertson combined to charge into OBU’s territory. A trailing Hihi paired up with openside Luca Bellucci, and the two exchanged passes, culminating in Hihi delivering an unexpected behind-the-back pass to the Italian stallion to complete the masterpiece.
Bellucci was central to a determined Poneke pack that also saw stoic performances from loosehead Moses Tuifao-Galuvao, who played the full 80 minutes, lock Maea Tema-Schmidt, and blindside Pasia Asiata. Both DJ and David Taoiopu were damaging.
For OBU, there were honourable shifts by blindside Harry Irving, lock Oskar Lynch, and No.8 Nathaniel Barry, alongside the stylish McLeod and Harkin.
Across the road at Evans Bay Park, bagpipes were in the air as the home team Marist St Pat’s were unable to hold off the powerful Hutt Old Boys Marist selection for the Father Clearly Shield.
MSP made a breezy start, which led to Tomasi Connor kicking the first points of the match, but they could only muster another penalty as HOBM scored three tries, to No. 8 Mika Alaifatu, flanker Jordan Gillies, and centre Sapati Tagoai, to go 24-6 up at halftime.
Once more, MSP made a concerted start to the second half, pressing inside the 22 on a few occasions before finally scoring after a penalty and lineout drive in the far roadside corner. This closed the gap to 24-13, before the Eagles found their wings and laid on another three tries to pull clear and win 45-13.
Petone secured their place in the Jubilee Cup by overpowering Norths 73-10. It was a memorable day for the imposing tighthead prop Kafa Katoa, who was awarded the Willie and Jerry Collins Memorial Medal for his damaging performance.
A standout moment came when he made a brutal 25-metre run, which led to one of two tries scored by the tenacious openside Brath Ingram.
Locks Logan Wakefield and Jono Bailey combined effectively, with Bailey celebrating two tries. Hurricanes fullback TJ Clarke was creative, composed and elusive. For Norths, Luke Walmsey put in a commendable effort, while loose forwards Tavita Logovae, Olano Afutoto, and Luca Rees toiled bravely.
Premier 2
Petone resumed the lead in the Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield after they beat Norths 57-17 and previous leaders Poneke fell 35-33 to OBU.
HOBM were 20-19 winners in the Ian Galloway cage over MSP, with Tawa big 67-14 victors over Johnsonville. Wainuiomata beat Avalon 29-21, Pare-Plim accounted for Upper Hutt 19-12 last night, while the Ories vs Wellington game didn’t go ahead.
With two rounds to play to decide the Harper Lock Shield, seven points separate the leading three sides, headed by Petone on 50 and with with Pōneke, HOBM and OBU all on 45 and MSP on 43.
At Kilbirnie Park, The OBU and Pōneke sides contested a rollicking Harper Lock Shield fixture on the #2 field.
After a long feeling out period, OBU struck in the 15th minute with the first of two first half tries through their midfield under the posts. It remained 7-0 until just about the final play of the half when their centre broke through to score to double the score to 14-0.
OBU then scored their third and perhaps match-winning try just after halftime. Following a Pōneke error – on of several that cost them throughout the middle stages of the game – OBU packed down a scrum and scored a 50 metre try to go 21-0 up.
This then became 28-0 following a Pōneke breakdown and OBU counterattack and bonus point try to No. 8 Ollie Church, and it was surely over at this point for the home side?
Never say never, they fought back to score consecutive tries to close the lead to 28-12. Then a galloping individual try to their No. 8 in which he regathered his own chip and chase and raced clear put them closer at 28-19 down.
OBU wrestled back momentum long enough for them to score their fifth try following a lineout in the Kilbirnie Pool corner. Just as well, a Pōneke came back to score not one but two tries, before running out of minutes and the referee blowing fulltime on their winning aspirations.
Petone’s win over Norths was much more comfortable, leading 31-0 after 25 minutes. Norths made a comeback of sorts, but Petone pulled clear to lead 36-17 and then race away with it late on.
Women’s
The Women’s semi-finals were played today, ahead of Finals Day next weekend.
In the Division 1 Tia Paasi Memorial Trophy, Petone and Norths will head into the decider in good form having won comfortable semi-final victories today.
Petone’s win was particularly crushing, over-running fourth placed qualifier Marist St Pat’s 94-5 at home. Petone were up by five tries after 15 minutes, with left wing Harmony Kautai scoring four of these tries. The scoring was relentless, which included a popular try for halfback Milly Mackey in her 50th game. Kautai finished with six tries, to take her season tally to 28 tries in nine matches.
Norths defeated Ories 62-7 in the other semi-final at Porirua Park.
The Division 2 Izzy Ford semi-finals were closer, with Paremata-Plimmerton defeating Pōneke 38-5 in the 2 v 3 semi and top qualifier Wainuiomata beating Avalon 38-15 in the 1 v 4 match at William Jones Park. Next week’s Izzy Ford final is thus between Wainuiomata and Paremata-Plimmerton.
Colts
It was round eight of 11 of the first round Paris Memorial Trophy Colts competition this afternoon.
In matches today, frontrunners Tawa eased to a 98-24 win over OBU Green. Tawa scored 16 tries and a player with the surname of Baker scored four of them.
The Upper Hutt Rams are amongst the title contenders and they beat Ories 33-32 today, while Petone were 22-12 winners over MSP in another close game.
In more comfortable wins, Pōneke beat Norths 47-0 over on Kilbirnie Park 3 and Paremata-Plimmerton beat Johnsonville 75-0.
The Colts see Pōneke, Ories and Johnsonville yet to have their byes.
U85kg
The opening weekend of the second round saw first round JC Bowl winners the Tawa Ducks open with a 53-24 win over the OBU Scallywags on neutral Hutt Rec in the five-team Paul Potiki Shield Division 1 championship grade.
Johnsonville beat the Avalon Wolves 46-13 at Nairnville Park in the second top flight fixture, whilst the OBU Scallywags had the bye.
In the Division 2 Tony O’Brien Shield, HOBM tipped over Eastbourne 20-9 in their seaside fixture at HW Shortt Park, while Paremata-Plimmerton were far too strong for MSP at Mana, winning 74-10.
College
Three Premiership matches played today.
Rathkeale College outmuscled Wairarapa College in a fierce local derby today, winning 20-7.
The first half saw only an intercept try from Carlo Mitchell and a penalty by Luca O’Gorman on the scoreboard, as Wairarapa applied significant pressure without profit. Centre Guy Diederich extended Rathkeale’s lead with an early score in the second half. However, George Pedersen revived Wairarapa’s hopes with a converted try seven minutes before time Rathkeale remained unfased, and Mason Woodhouse collected the clincher.
Hutt International Boys’ School (HIBS) narrowly defeated Scots College 29-26. HIBS has secured three wins out of four matches and is on track to replicate their semi-final appearance from 2023. Although Scots earned two losing bonus points, the five-time Premiership champions are at risk of missing the top four for the first time since 2022.
For HIBS, the midfield duo of Liam Phelps and Thomas Prichard proved elusive, each scoring tries. Halfback Will Ashton was lively, also, crossing the stripe. Scots employed a direct approach that HIBS struggled to contain. Several penalties saw HIBS almost let a ten-point advantage slip. For Scots flanker Joseph Sailo was bustling throughout. First-Five Advent Va’a was notable. James Favel and Jacob Epeli have scored tries in consecutive appearances for Scots.
In the early Premiership game in the Kilbirnie-Evans Bay quadrant, St Pat’s Town simply too big and strong up front for Tawa College, winning 89-12.
Town opening the scoring early but Tawa replied to make it 7-7 inside 10 minutes. From there, St Pat’s broke through to score a further five tries in the first half to Tawa’s one and they went to the halftime break leading 42-12.
Any hopes of stemming the bleeding for Tawa were extinguished immediately after the interval when flying wing Alipate Soro scored his second runaway try make it 49-12.
The rest of the second half was a procession as Tawa struggled to keep pace and made a number of errors when they did get their hands on the ball. For Town, their front row was too strong all day, led by hulking tighthead Ioane Aukusitino, openside flanker Thomas Bracewell and first five Gia Johnston were amongst their standouts.
In the Premier 2 curtain-raiser at the St Pat’s Artificial, Wellington College’s Second XV beat St Pat’s Town’s Second XV 54
Elsewhere
The Kia Toa machine got brought to a halt today in the Manawatu Hankins Shield as their bid for an unbeaten season was ended by a fired-up Massey 28-27. In the other matches Te Kawau edged out Linton Army 24-22, Freyberg got back to winning ways beating Old Boys Marist 39-15, and there were points aplenty in Kimbolton as College Old Boys beat Feilding Old Boys-Oroua 118-24
With rivals Rahui on the bye, Foxton showed their class in beating Shannon 42-10 in the Horowhenua Ramsbotham Cup. Waikanae were given a scare by Levin Wanderers before winning 31-19, while Paraparaumu won away at the Levin Domain over Levin College Old Boys 48-31.
One upset today in Wairarapa Bush, as Marist went to Martinborough and won 30-24. Leaders Greytown were relatively untroubled in beating Masterton Red Star 55-20, Carterton beat Pioneer 46-21 with winger Jacob Bolstad scoring five tries, and Eketahuna notched a big away win beating East Coast 34-14.
