Five tries that brought the house down in Jubilee Cup Finals

Above: Post-match scenes from the 2014 and 2016 Jubilee Cup Finals with winners Hutt Old Boys Marist and Tawa who meet in this coming weekend’s decider. 

Five tries in the modern era of Jubilee Cup Finals that either broke the game open, broke the opposition, sealed victory and in a couple of instances almost brought the house down with applause and fervour from the crowd and supporters.

Chase Tiatia 2014

Hutt Old Boys Marist was victorious in the 2014 Jubilee Cup, taking down Wainuiomata 14-11 at a packed Hutt Recreation Ground.

Led by their inspirational skipper, Jason Risdon (see headline photo above) – and some magic and spark by bleached-blonde first year player Chase Tiatia, the Eagles came from behind to win the grand final in a nail-biting encounter.

The final could have gone either way, and both teams were worthy finalists, but a solitary penalty kick was all that separated the sides as HOBM won 14-11.

Wainuiomata led 8-3 well into the second half when Tiatia scored this try to move the needle the Eagles’ way.

Junior Togia 2016

Veteran Tawa back Junior  ‘Jet’ Togia retired in splendour after 18 seasons in Wellington club rugby after the 2016 final.

Togia played a vital role in Tawa’s nail-biting 24-20 win over Marist St Pat’s, their second Jubilee Cup in three years. He scored two tries and helping set up another, all in the space of 60 minutes.  Togia scored the first of his two tries before rain set in and caused a much more forwards-focused game.

Togia’s second try, started 60 metres out came midway through the second half and was a defining moment of the decider.

Regan Verney 2017

For the second time in three years, Old Boys University held aloft the Jubilee Cup trophy, beating Hutt Old Boys Marist 32-19 in the decider at the Petone Rec.

OBU led from start to finish, despite being reduced to 14 men shortly before halftime and being forced to combat waves of Hutt Old Boys Marist attack.

Despite that, their victory was never in the can until late in the match against an Eagles side that stayed in the hunt and missed a couple of their own opportunities to push them harder.

At 27-19 up, OBU finished the final and won the game in style with second five-eighth Verney scoring in the grandstand corner off a pass by fullback Jono Ihaka after a stunning breakout from inside their own half. Verney became the first midfield back to win the Jim Brown Memorial Medal as player of the final.

2022: TK Bishop

Northern United came from behind to beat Petone 23-20 to win this one.

Down 12-13 at halftime and then 15-20 following a runaway try to Petone midfielder Riley Higgins, Norths rallied bravely on the back of an increasingly superior scrum.

With about 10 minutes remaining Norths besieged the Petone line. Petone made two try-saving tackles. However, when midfielder TK Bishop took the ball in front of the grandstand 10 metres out he wouldn’t be denied despite a heroic near-stop by Petone’s Ben Brooking. The match officials adjourned, halfback TJ Perenara gave them the thumbs up and the try was awarded.

2023 Siaosi Lavea

Oriental-Rongotai won their second Wellington club rugby championship title of the modern era with a 34-21 win over first round winners and top qualifiers Paremata-Plimmerton.

It was emphatic in the end, but it wasn’t always plain sailing, with Paremata-Plimmerton coming back from a 0-8 deficit to lead 14-13.

Ories ultimately won the final with a two-try burst just prior to halftime. Ories scored twice through hard-running No. 8 Siaosi Lavea, both tries converted by fullback Declan Hay, to lead 27-13 at the break.

Grit and determination saw them home in the second half.