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Action from a muddy Polo Ground last week, where home side Oriental-Rongotai returns to tomorrow for their second bite at the Jubilee Cup semi-finals against Johnsonville. HOBM, along with Tawa, will put their feet up tomorrow with byes. Photo: Andy McArthur.
- By Scott MacLean & Steven White
Updated: With the season on the line for several sides, this week’s second round of Wellington club rugby championship matches in the top two grades promises to be tight and willing throughout. Throw in some possible further wet weather and heavy grounds and the ingredients are there for a blockbuster afternoon.
The rugby all starts an hour earlier owing to Photographer’s Appreciation Round and the promise of better light for longer, so usual late games are at 1.45pm and early ones at 11.30am and 12.00pm.
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Tipping Competition: Enter your tips by Saturday 1. 30pm at: https://www.faceyoursfears.com/games/WGTN2025/join This competition rolls on for the next three weeks, with a major winner then declared. It is still on a knife edge with the current top 10 separated by 20 points and others snapping at their heels, and we have added another two ‘wildcard’ rounds where your points are doubled.
Radio Commentary. This Saturday, the E Tū Whānau Footy Show comes from the Polo Ground in the fixture between Oriental-Rongotai and Johnsonville. On air at Te Upoko Radio – 87.6FM in the central city, 1161AM across the region, or stream it on iHeart Radio, the Whare Kōrero app, and online at www.teupoko.nz.
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Draws & Results website. These pages and all historical information 2005-24 at at https://clubrugby.co.nz/wellington/games-results.php?competition=71&season=22&Submit=Go (Access to our administration pages still remains offline, and CR is now pivoting towards a new site for this for next year, retaining all historical information).
For Draws & Results please visit this page here: https://clubrugby.nz/wp/2025-wgtn-club-live-scores/
For this week’s line-ups please visit the article link here:
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Premier Jubilee Cup
Oriental Rongotai (1) vs Johnsonville (8)
It would have been Ories’ goal to have one more game at home at Polo this season, but after suffering their first loss of the season last Saturday to HOBM, that comes tomorrow rather than next Saturday. They’ll need to rebound if they are to avoid their historic season coming to a very abrupt end, especially in the face of a Johnsonville outfit that will be on a high after their upstart win at Maidstone over the Rams last weekend and will have nothing to lose.
For Ories, Christian Semu starts for Tui Tuia at tighthead prop and Ronaldo Seumanufagai for Ruperake Oloapu at lock in two changes from their first loss of their season last week against HOBM. Look to their loose forward trio of Sione Halalilo, David Leota-Johnson and Dominic Ropeti to press hard and quell the Johnsonville threat out wide.
Anthony Pettett comes into the starting Hawks pack tomorrow at lock, with Tahana Firmin on the bench. An otherwise unchanged Johnsonville team to face Ories in this big clash.
Paremata-Plimmerton (3) vs Petone (6)
Also looking to find what’s worked for them this season are Pare-Plim after successive collapses against Tawa have left them in must-win territory. They face the other team they’ve played in the last few weeks in Petone who visited Ngati Toa Domain in the penultimate round of the Swindale which Pare-Plim won 27-25. That result again would suit the home side just fine, while Petone would dearly like to turn that around – as they did with their win over Poneke last Saturday – and get another crack at HOBM in the semifinal.
A handful of tweaks to the home team’s line-up from Tawa part 2 last Saturday. Trent Livesay starts at openside flanker, with last week’s centurion Junior Davey dropping to the bench. Zeek Fiso moves in to lock. In the backs, Matt Goosen is back in the starting side at second five, Ethan Webster-Nonu out one spot and Marzy Karim to the pine. Emery McGill also joins the bench after a late withdrawal last Saturday.
Petone welcome back TJ Clarke from a week off travelling, in on the left wing for two-try hero Jacib Tainui who drops to the bench. Ben Brooking is at halfback again, with both Cam Ferreria and Logan Henry on the bench giving them three halfback options. With Woollett, Clarke and Brooking, Petone also have three goal kickers. Lookout for Losi Filipo to make his mark in this game from the centre position. An unchanged forward pack, captained by No. 8 Connor Tuifao.
Premier Hardham Cup
Upper Hutt Rams (5) vs Avalon (14)
The first team that needs to move on from the disappointment of Jubilee Cup elimination are the Rams. But as the highest seed in the Hardham Cup, they will host the season strugglers Avalon at Maidstone. The Rams will be raging hot favourites, especially in light of the hammering the Wolves copped last Saturday, but playoff rugby can be a strange thing.
A couple of changes to the Rams side from their loss to Johnsonville last week, both in the forwards. Gelu Lafaele and Pene To’o come in for Sio Fidow and Josh Mallon.
Avalon’s team hadn’t been revealed by Friday afternoon, but Jordan Aquila will be playing his 150th game for the side.
Marist St Pat’s (10) vs Norths (12)
The winner at Maidstone will take on the winner at Evans Bay. MSP saw off the Axemen for the second time in two weeks and will now face the only side in the bottom six to improve their position last week in Norths. The home team will fancy their chances of advancing, but any Norths side with their tails up is a dangerous one and will need to be treated with respect.
Isaia Petelo runs out at centre tomorrow for MSP to play his 200th Premier match, the third player in the Wellington competition this season to achieve this milestone. Up front, Tui Tuia returns to prop for Dan Leone in an otherwise unchanged pack from last week. In another change further out, Francis Mettrick moves out from second-five to the right wing and Daniel Rogers across to the left wing.
Norths enter the Red Zone with an unchanged forward pack and inside backs combination, including key player Jackson Garden-Bachop at first-five. Battering ram Liki Siliga lines up at second-five to partner Toby Kennett in the midfield.
Pōneke (7) vs Wellington (13)
The other side dropping down are Pōneke, who didn’t really fire a shot in their loss to Petone. Back home at Kilbirnie they’ll be keen to move on from that and get back to what they know they can do. Wellington come down the hill from Hataitai having likewise not really backed up their effort against MSP from the week before, and they’ll be looking for one of those performances where they blow hot rather than frigid cold.
Pōneke have made a handful of changes to their forward pack from last week, with hooker Andrew Jones having left the field late last week with injury so . Moses Tuifao-Galuvao plays hooker and Elijah Talalupe loosehead prop. Likewise, David Taoipu comes into blindside flanker for Pasia Asiata. In one change to the backline, . Dominic Ririnui-Sipa replaces Nick Robertson at fullback.
For the Axemen, James Tuia starts at hooker, with Tom Robertson starting at lock, Riley Bracewell at blindside flanker and Jordan Chapman at openside flanker. Ben Tuia returns to the midfield and Caleb Aiulu at fullback.
Old Boys-University (9) vs Wainuiomata (11)
The Goats go back to the scene of their romp against Avalon last week for the visit of Wainuiomata, with the winner moving on to face the winner from Kilbirnie. There’s no doubt that OBU probably blew off some of their season frustration in that match, while Wainuiomata will be feeling it after coughing up a lead late once again to lose to Norths and set them on a course for Nairnville rather than Evans Bay. They’ve won there before though, so can they do it again or will the Goats late-season surge continue?
The Goats go into this fixture with an unchanged side that which posted 90 points last week against Avalon. Hooker Geordie Bean captains the side that will take the field in front of the Nairnville terraces. Harry Irving and Tana Maene Lokeni back up the loose forwards from the bench.
Wainuiomata have a handful of first choice players out for this fixture, including captain and blindside flanker Greg Lealofi and No. 8 Braydon Soi still. Veteran Teru Time starts at blindside and Manu Anae at No. 8. Other changes from last week against Norths include Jason Matehe at tighthead prop for Kade Tiatia and evergreen Jason Love on the right wing for Ray Va’a and Derek Lealfiifano on the left wing for Raymond Va’a. First-five Andrew Wells is the captain tomorrow.
Premier 2 Ed Chaney and HD Morgan Memorial Cups
Knockout rugby here as well. With their wins last week top seeds Petone (1) and Poneke (2) have the week off to see who’ll they play in next week’s Ed Chaney Cup semifinals. Petone’s opponents will come from the clash between MSP (3) and HOBM (6) at Evans Bay, with Poneke to face the winner of OBU (4) and the Upper Hutt Rams (8) at Nairnville with the latter likely to be on a high after taking down Tawa last week.
The HD Morgan Memorial is at straight quarterfinals with Tawa and Ories the two sides dropping down from the Ed Chaney bracket. Tawa (5) have beaten Wellington (14) by default, while with Wainuiomata (10) host Norths (11) on one side of the draw. The other side has two-time holders Ories (7) at Kilbirnrie Park 3 against Avalon (13) with the winner of that to face the victor from out at Ngati Toa between Pare-Plim (9) and Johnsonville (12).
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Colts John E Kelly and Vic Calcinai Cups
As mentioned in Sideline Conversions on Monday, there’s just two Colts matches tomorrow with elimination matches in the championship John E Kelly Cup.
Tawa (3) will have to get over the disappointment of falling at the final hurdle in their quest to win the Paris Memorial as they take on Poneke (6) at Lyndhurst park at 12.00pm – with the winner moving on to face HOBM (2) the following week.
On the other side of the bracket is déjà vu as Ories (4) host Petone (5) at MacAlister Park at 11.30am for the second successive week after the pair finished on 35 points apiece but Ories’ win on Saturday is the tiebreaker. The winner of that one will take on Paris Memorial winners Upper Hutt (1) next Saturday.
MSP, OBU, Pare-Plim, and Norths have the week off as well before they play the Vic Calcinai semifinals next week.
Under 85kg Paul Potiki Memorial and Tony O’Brien Shields
Tomorrow sees the conclusion of the round in the Championship Paul Potiki Memorial bracket before they move to semi-finals next week. What we do know is that Tawa (20) will go into their bye this weekend as the top seed and that Johnsonville (14) will host the other semifinal irrespective of the result of their match against the OBU Scallywags (8) at Kelburn Park tomorrow. What is up for grabs is who those two teams will face; Wellington (9) head to Newlands Park to take on winless Avalon (4), where the Wolves could still force their way in if they beat the Axemen with the requisite bonus point and hold their opponents without one, or if the Scallywags come away without any booty.
The Division Two Tony O’Brien Shield sides have another game next week in their double round-robin before a straight decider on finals day. Pare-Plim (15) are in the box seat, and victory at home at Ngati Toa tomorrow over HOBM (12) will assure their passage with a week to spare. However, a win for the Eagles combined with Eastbourne’s (now 16) already win by default over MSP (1) would drop the Hammerheads to third and leave them in must-win territory the following week.
College
Only a one-week hiatus for the College game this season instead of the usual two, so they’re back in action tomorrow with four matches in the Premiership. It’s third vs fourth in Upper Hutt as Wellington College visit Hutt International at noon, while at the other end of the table one-win Tawa hosts winless Rongotai and St Bernard’s hosts Wairarapa College in Lower Hutt with both these matches at 1.00pm. The fourth match is also a 12pm start out north of Masterton with Rathkeale hosting Scots.
The final match of the round is on Wednesday, where leaders Silverstream host Town in their Traditional clash.
In Premier 2 the table is somewhat out-of-shape with three matches from the last round yet to be caught up on. All five matches are at 1.00pm, highlighted by the clash between unbeaten duo the Wellington College 2nds and Hutt Valley HS on the slopes of Mt Victoria. The third unbeaten, the Silverstream 2nds, hit the road to visit Porirua while the Stream 3rds are at home to take on the Town 2nds. The remaining two matches are up the coast, with Kapiti facing Bishop Viard and Paraparaumu hosting Mana.
There is also the annual match for the Avalon Cup between the Taita and Naenae College First XVs. This is at 12.00pm on Fraser Park #1, with the girls game for the Midnight Cup earlier at 10.30am.
Elsewhere
The Manawatu season wraps up tomorrow with the Hankins Shield Final at the Arena between Kia Toa and Massey. The pair have met twice so far wit the score 1-all, with that defeat being the only one Kia Toa have suffered all season. The subsidiary Val Holland Cup pits Feilding Yellows against the boys from Linton Army.
Horowhenua-Kapiti wrap up the regular season component of their season. After their shock loss to Levin Wanderers last week Rahui will look to reclaim top spot when they host new leaders and defending champions Foxton at the Otaki Domain. Wanderers will look to follow up that win when they “host” Levin rivals College Old Boys at the Domain, with Waikanae heading over to Shannon and Paraparaumu having the bye.
It’s semi-finals weekend in Wairarapa Bush. In the championship Moose Kapene Cup defending champions Carterton host upstarts Masterton Red Star, while Martinborough head west along Bidwells Cutting Road to face Greytown. In the subsidiary Hodder-Steffert Cup Marist host East Coast, and Pioneer go north to face Eketahuna.
Further afield there are finals in Taranaki, Whanganui, and Hawke’s Bay. In Taranaki defending champions Stratford-Eltham take on Coastal at Stadium Taranaki, the Whanganui decider has Kaierau facing Taihape at Cooks Gardens, and the Hawke’s Bay final at McLean Park has recent HOBM players on both sides as Kienan Higgins’ Taradale face Napier Pirates who have Drew Berg-Mclean and Sheridan Rangihuna in their ranks.
