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The HOBM Eagles with the Jubilee Cup late this afternoon. Photo: Andy McArthur.
- By Steven White, Scott MacLean, Matt Loveridge & Adam Julian.
Wellington club rugby Finals Day results at a glance:
- Premier Jubilee Cup: Hutt Old Boys Marist 29 – Tawa 22
- Premier Division 2 Hardham Cup: Pōneke 27 – Upper Hutt Rams 23
- Premier 2 Division 1 Ed Chaney Cup: Pōneke 28 – Petone 22
- Premier 2 Division 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup: Paremata-Plimmerton 37 – Tawa 18
- Colts Division 1 John E Kelly Cup: Upper Hutt Rams 33 – Tawa 27
- Colts Division 2 Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup: Paremata-Plimmerton 29 – Northern United 27
- U85kg Division 1 Paul Potiki Shield: Tawa Ducks 36 – Johnsonville Terrahawks 26
- U85kg Division 2 Tony O’Brien Shield: Paremata-Plimmerton 31 – Eastbourne 11
The Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles, Pōneke, the Upper Hutt Rams and the Tawa Ducks were the major final winners in today’s Finals Day at Kilbirnie Park and Evans Bay Parks.
An estimated 3,000 ringed the fields where eight finals took place, with HOBM beating Tawa 27-23 to win the Premier Jubilee Cup, Pōneke defeating the Upper Hutt Rams 27-23 in the Hardham Cup and Pōneke beating Petone 28-22 to win the Premier 2 Ed Chaney Cup, the Rams Colts beating the Tawa Colts 33-27 to take out the U21 John E Kelly Cup and the Tawa Ducks completing an unbeaten season by beating the Johnsonville Terrahawks in the U85kg Paul Potiki Shield.
The day’s three other finals in the Division 2 grades, Paremata-Plimmerton beat Tawa 37-18 in the Premier 2 Division 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup, Paremata-Plimmerton beat Northern United 26-22 in the final of the Colts Division 2 Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup and Paremata-Plimmerton overcame Eastbourne 31-11 in the U85kg Division 2 Tony O’Brien Shield.
The feature match on Kilbirnie Park 1 was the 97th Jubilee Cup, where HOBM beat Tawa in another epic final, winning the Jubilee Cup for the third in the modern era following their previous wins in 2007 and 2014.
Stop the Press. Eagles Soar to Jubilee Cup Nirvana
An update has been made to this Jubilee Cup report below – an incorrect try scorer.
Stop the Press. Harry Press became the first hooker in a Jubilee Cup final to pocket the Jim Brown Memorial Medal as the showpiece event’s most valuable player. He landed his darts with the efficiency of Phil Taylor – and following an hour of close-quarter niggling, tackling, ushering- exploded with a couple of Herculean rushes.
After leading 10-0 early and then 10-7 at halftime, Press and the Eagles scored three tries as good as any seen in Jubilee Cup deciders to take a 29-14 lead with over 10 minutes to play and there was no coming back for Tawa.
Tawa tried, livewire replacement wing Hunter Sao snatching an intercept and racing away to score a clutch try with eight minutes to play. But the rushed conversion from in front hit the poles, and they were still 10 points down.
Replacement James So’oialo slotted a dropped goal with two minutes to play, his second in two weeks, to close the gap to the full-time score, but there would be no last-gasp converted try to force extra time as HOBM booted the ball far into touch and referee Matt Thomas blew time.
If the Wellington Lions are searching for some youngster zest alongside midfield veterans Julian Savea and Matt Procter, they could do a lot worse than Kapu Broughton-Winterburn. He was the scorer of the Eagles’ first try after halftime, a gem from a scrum inside the 22. The Eagles moved the ball right, and he surged 25 metres to the right corner to make it 15-7.
Then came the try of the match. Tawa coughed up a turnover inside the Eagles’ 22 and the Eagles launched a sweeping counterattack from which centre Sapati Tagoai scored to make it 22-7 after 57 minutes.
Tawa weren’t going to lie down, and they replied with their next try of the final, cutting that gap to 22-14.
But HOBM launched strike three. Fullback Dom Ernst sliced through on a 35 metre angled tear, and it was 29-14.
The substitutions started rolling on, momentum well and truly with the Eagles until the end.
In Gaelic, Phelan translates to Little Fox, and it was HOBM’s left wing Phelan Rona who opened the try scoring by rushing up and snaffling an intercept and sprinting away to score to put the Eagles up 10-0. The Eagles also lost veteran Lise Soloa to injury in the opening stages, forcing an early reshuffle.
In a similar pattern to the Hardham Cup final that preceded it (see report below), Tawa quickly regrouped and started making inroads with the ball in hand. This soon led to their try in reply to fullback Jacob Denyer after some strong attacking play and Denyer interchanging passes with hard-running No. 8 George Risale.
The final remained on tenterhooks early in the second spell, until the Eagles soared high with three second half tries to Broughton-Winterburn, Tagoai and Ernst.
As well as these three, first-five Khya Wilson played well. Wilson was a vital mid-season acquisition for the Eagles. His steady stewardship, coupled with the occasional sprinkle of spontaneity at 10, added a skilled conductor to a pack the size of an industrial skyline capable of bullying anyone but sometimes bereft of any subtlety.
For Tawa, No. 8 Risale, evergreen lock Hemi Fermanis, with his own fan club in the corner, and fullback Denyer were amongst their best on the day.
Since 2015, HOBM has won 98 of 137 Swindale Shield matches, achieving first-round honours in 2015 and 2019 and finishing in the top four eight times. However, Hutt lost 32-17 in the 2017 Jubilee Cup final to Old Boys University and has endured semi-final losses in 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2024. The Eagles’ Jubilee Cup record from 2015 to 2025 is 18 wins, 19 defeats and a draw. The Eagles’ Jubilee Cup record from 2015 to 2025 is 18 wins, 19 defeats and a draw.
Since 2013, Tawa has won 150 of 229 matches, including three Jubilee Cup titles and two grand final defeats. Only Old Boys University, with 148 wins, 67 defeats, two draws, and five Jubilee Cup titles in the same span, has a record even close to that. In matches against each other, OBU leads 13-10 with 14 games decided by less than a converted try.
Pōneke come back to beat Upper Hutt Rams in Hardham Cup decider
Upper Hutt Rams supporters were left wondering what went wrong.
Pōneke came home with a wet sail to beat the Rams 27-23 in today’s Premier 2 Hardham Cup final after being all at sea midway through the first half when trailing 0-15 and facing a set-piece meltdown.
Following two early tries to the Rams, plus a penalty, Poneke came back to score two tries of their own in the latter stages of the first half to trail 12-15 at halftime, turning with a moderate wind in their favour.
The Rams made a convincing start to the final, being all over Poneke and dominating their lineout, and to a lesser extent, their scrum. The Rams opened the scoring after a long sequence with ball in hand and a try to captain and second five Emmanuel Solomona. They were soon in again after another multi-phase build-up to lead 12-0 after eight minutes. They stretched their lead to 15-0 with a penalty to centre Ieti Campbell.
The home team had to get back into the match at this point, and they did so by speeding up their attack and playing ruck-and-run rugby. This change of tactics soon paid off when they made a big breakout from midfield and veteran fullback Nick Robertson scored to make it 15-5 after 27 minutes.
Three minutes later Pōneke attacked up the blindside from a scrum near half way and their backs featuring birthday boy second five Caleb Robson, left wing Ifeanyichukwu Nnebechukwu, and try scorer and centre Isaac Moe Jenkins closed the gap to 15-12.
Right on halftime Pōneke were close to scoring again and taking the lead after another booming run by Nnebechukwu but were thwarted by a desperate tackle near the corner.
Poneke drew level at 15-15 early in the second half through a first five Carlos Hihi penalty.
The Rams rallied and after two minutes of open play, right wing Josh Love scored in the far corner to put them up 20-15.
But Pōneke returned in kind, and following a strong build-up of play inside the 22 they took a quick tap penalty and replacement forward Jacob Graham scored to lock it up at 20-20.
In perhaps the key moment of the match, the Rams bounced back on to attack to win a penalty. The Poneke defender was sinbinned, reducing them to 14 players, and the penalty went over to make it 23-20 to Upper Hutt. However, in the same passage of play, the Rams’ most prominent attacking threat, centre Campbell, departed with a serious ankle injury.
However, with the Rams now up, there was a perceptive momentum shift as Poneke dug deep with 14 players on the field and the Rams lost some of their cohesion.
The Rams also had another penalty attempt but Solomona’s kick hit the post.
With several minutes to play, Pōneke enjoyed a long period of possession, hammering away for over two minutes again, and they were rewarded with a converted try to give them the lead at 27-23. There were to be no last gasp heroics as Poneke hung firm until full time as this year’s Hardham Cup champions.
Upper Hutt Rams hold on to beat Tawa in Colts Division 1 final
The Upper Hutt Rams completed the Paris Memorial / John E Kelly Cup double, but only after surviving a furious fightback from Tawa.
Tawa started strongest, and led through an early penalty and a try to lock Jake Blacklock. But the balance of the half was all Rams as they turned the screw. Lock Blaine Knapman and Big Seth Koneferenisi put them into the lead, and when Tyrone Maraku followed they’d built a 21-8 lead.
When Maraku added his second soon after the re-start the writing seemed on the wall for Tawa. Needing a spark they got through midfielder Cliff Hunt who danced through several defenders to score a superb individual try.
The Rams though pushed out the lead when Jackson Mendoza pounced on a Rams error leaving Tawa sixteen points in arrears.
But although Tawa were bent, they weren’t broken. Blacklock scored his second, and when Justyn Whiripo crossed the margin was within a score. The Rams discipline by now was ragged and Tawa threw the sink at them, but they held out to claim the crown for 2025.
In the Division 2 Colts decider, both winners Paremata-Plimmerton and Northern United scored four tries apiece, but the difference was that Pare-Plim kicked two more conversions and won 29-27.
Pare-Plim lead 26-22, before a late Norths try saw them take the lead at 27-26, before a very late penalty won the game for the Junior Hammerheads.
Pōneke win Ed Chaney Cup with win over Petone
Pōneke beat top qualifier Petone four tries to three to win their second title of the afternoon, across the road at Evans Bay Park.
Petone scored tries through hooker Haifine Aisea and through centre and captain Josh Styche, but Pōneke crossed through
Left wing Isaiah Opai, fullback Max Rodgers, loosehead prop Patrick Sitagata and replacement prop Lupe Tafaovale.
Rodgers, who had earlier put in a morning shift helping to set the finals up with he WRFU, also kicked a conversion. First five Jack Greig kicked another.
The first quarter of the final was all Pōneke penalties, playing into the Evans Bay Park clubrooms end they built a 9-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Styche scored the first of his tries in the 27th minute by latching on to a short grubber kick, to put the Villagers up 7-6. A penalty soon made this 10-6, before a Pōneke try saw them lead 13-10 at halftime.
The tit-for-tat scoring resumed immediately after halftime, with Styche cutting through clean to score to put Petone up 17-13. Another try soon after then had them up 22-13.
Pōneke scored their second try in the 56th minute to cut Petone’s lead to 22-18.
Rodgers then scored for Pōneke from a short incision in the 63rd minute as Pōneke now lead 23-22.
Sitagata went over with about 10 minutes to play to seal the match, and there was no further scoring after that.
Paremata-Plimmerton come home strong to win HD Morgan Premier 2 Division 2 decider
In the early game over at Evans Bay Park, Pare-Plim produced a massive final 25 minutes to beat Tawa in the HD Morgan final by 37-18.
It was an even opening with few chances before Pare-Plim were first on the board when Mika Cooper-Finau – the hero of their Premiers win over Petone a fortnight ago – went over from close range and soon added a penalty. Tawa responded with a penalty of their own through Eden Govind before the crossed the chalk. Some nice lead up created space for midfielder Elijah Va’a had he made no mistake with Govind adding the extras. With halftime approaching Pare-Plim went back on the attack, and after pinching a defensive lineout applied pressure from repeated pick-and-goes before hooker Shontayne Ruru-Pohatu crashed over. Tawa had the final say of the opening 40 however, drawing a penalty in front that Govind knocked over.
The start of the second half mirrored the first as both sides played expansively but couldn’t break the deadlock. That was until Cooper-Finau looked up at a midfield ruck and saw no one in front of him before drawing the last man and putting flanker Davis Eni across.
Seeking an immediate boost, Tawa went to their bench, but what they wanted didn’t materialise. Pare-Plim pushed the lead out further with a second penalty off Cooper-Finau’s left foot. Despite Pare-Plim being well in the ascendency by now, Tawa were not done. With big Peni Tokakece directing traffic they worked space in midfield but the ball was lost in sight of the line.
What happened next was the backbreaker. From the resulting scrum 10m out from their own line Pare-Plim spun it left and fullback Te Manawa Staples-Rei streaked downfield leaving his marker in his wake. His centering kick found the turf before Jake Tibbits following up on the inside snared the ball and streaked away under the posts. Tawa notched a late try but it was mere consolation.
before they converted their dominance in possession and territory at this stage into further points through a converted try to Mitchel Taupau.
Tawa notched a late try but it was mere consolation.
Cooper-Finau had a major say in events, but Pare-Plim captain Peni Taupau was simply immense with ball in hand.
The two U85kg Finals on Kilbirnie Park 3 produced hard-fought rugby.
In the first, the Paremata-Plimmerton Piranhas beat Eastbourne 31-11, scoring half their points in the first half through a well constructed try and a couple of penalties. Then an intercept try in the opening minutes of the second half extended their lead and Eastbourne were unable to come back into it.
The Division 1 final saw the two best teams of the season go hammer and tongs for 80 minutes, but the Tawa Ducks had too much attacking zest and their 36-26 win was by six tries to three. For Tawa, captain and No. 8 Troy Howe scored a double and kicked three conversions, while Johnsonville Terrahawks left wing Mitchell Stokes scored a hat-trick and their captain and No. 8 Seamus Rowberry slotted a conversion and three penalties.
College
St Pat’s Silverstream completed an unbeaten round-robin Premiership campaign, beating Tawa College 113-0 in today’s last round and qualifying top for next week’s semi-finals.
Silverstream (1) will host Rathkeale College (4) in next week’s semi-finals, while Wellington College (2) will play St Pat’s Town (3).
Wellington College beat Rathkeale College 73-14 today, while St Pat’s Town beat Hutt International Boys’ School 58-0, to extinguish hopes of HIBS qualifying.
In today’s other Premiership matches, St Bernard’s beat minnows Scots College 27-22 and Wairarapa College tipped over Rongotai College 24-10.
In Premier 2, leaders Hutt Valley High School beat Mana College 56-7, and second placed the Wellington College Second XV defeated the St Pat’s Second XV 24-12.
The Silverstream 2nds, 3rds and Paraparaumu College are back in third-fifth places but they all have a game in hand.
Foxton win Horowhenua-Kapiti Premier final
Defending champions Foxton made no contest of their Ramsbotham Cup Horowhenua-Kapiti title defence today, beating Rahui 58-26 in today’s final at Levin Domain.
Foxton come out fast, scoring the first try after seven minutes. It was 38 – 14 at halftime with Foxton going to score six tries in the first half.
Rahui gave themselves a chance with tries either side of halftime but even with dominant possessions in the third quarter they were never able to get close.
Player of the day was Mikaere Harvey.
Foxton became the first club to win the A and B double, beating Rahui 32-19 in the final of the Premier Reserve Bill Muir Cup.
