Plenty of representative rugby to follow this weekend- plus Top 4 day one updates

Wellington U19s co-captain Ollie Church on the attack last week. They play the Manawatu U19s in Pahiatua in their second competition match tomorrow. Photo: Andy McArthur.

• By Scott MacLean

The rugby rolls on tomorrow with a full slate of matches around the region. A preview of what’s and teamlists as available below.

First, a ‘Top 4′ day one recap, Manukura and Hamilton Girls’ High School will meet in Sunday’s girls final. Manukura pulled away late to beat Howick College 37-22, with openside flanler Elley May Taylor scoring a hat-trick, and Hamilton held on to beat a fast-finishing Christchurch GHS 17-15 after leading 17-0 at halftime.

Feilding High School booked the first boys place. They came back late with the stroppy wind behind them on field 3 at Arena Manawatu to beat Blues champions Westlake Boys’ High School 39-34.

Feilding scored the match-winning try with under two minutes to play, but then had to defend a late Westlake charge that carried on into referee’s time. Earlier, Westlake had led 19-5 at halftime with the wind at their backs, after scoring a ’14-point’ try late just prior to the break. Feilding went close to scoring but a turnover and kick and chase and regather saw Westlake scored a 95-metre try. Westlake then extended this to 24-5 with a 70-metre runaway try in broken play to their centre. Feilding hit back back with two tries but Westlake scored again to make this a thriller.

Feilding will meet Rotorua Boys’ High School in Sunday’s final, after Rotorua earned the biggest win of the day in the final match by beating Southland Boys’ High School 41-10.

Under 85s National Club Cup

There’s still a pair of Wellington club sides left playing, both in the National Under 85s. Poneke head away up country again, this time to face North Harbour club Silverdale in the last of the round three matches. Avalon are already in the quarter-finals, with their match at home against 2023 winners and last years runners-up High School Old Boys from Christchurch pushed back to next Saturday.

Representative

A very full slate of matches with the younger age-grade sides getting into action.

Six Wellington representative sides are playing at home tomorrow. The Wellington Maori and Wellington Fijians meet at Rugby League Park at 2.00pm preceded by the opening hit out for Wellington’s Māori U16 and U18 squads at 12.00pm, while across at Evans Bay the Wellington Samoan U18s start their season against the Wellington Pasifika U18 side at 11.30am.

On the road are the Wellington Centurions to face Manawatu Development at Bill Brown Park in Palmerston North at 12.00pm, the Under 19s are at Bush Park in Pahiatua to take on their Manawatu counterparts in the second round of the Central Regional Shield at 1.00pm, and the Wellington Samoans meet the Hawke’s Bay Development side at Ongley Park in Palmerston North at 1.00pm.

In the Heartland Championship Wairarapa-Bush get the Sky TV treatment at home on Memorial Park after stunning North Otago with 42 unanswered second-half points on Oamaru last Saturday. They take on Mid-Canterbury who have made an impressive start by beating champions Thames Valley away and Horowhenua-Kapiti at home so far. Horowhenua-Kapiti are also at home, and looking to rebound from that loss when they host Poverty Bay at the Levin Domain. This match also features the first-class debut of leading Wellington referee Matt Thomas.

After last weekend’s dull defeat to Manawatu – despite Stanley Solomon’s efforts – leaves the Lions title defence is on an edge. But there are two things in their favour for Sunday’s match at Porirua Park; one its that they’re taking on winless Auckland who have spent the past two weeks being humiliated by Taranaki and then going down to Northland and the other is the return of Peter Lakai  and Ruben Love from holding tackle bags with the All Blacks in Argentina. Those two go straight into the starting line-up moving Sione Halalilo, and Solomon to the bench. Kyle Preston was also named originally, but has been withdrawn this morning with Nui Muriwai starting instead and Esi Komaisavai on the bench.

The other changes have PJ Sheck swapping places with Siale Lauaki at tighthead, Dom Ropeti starting at No8 for an injured Brad Shields, and Tjay Clarke on the left wing. Penieli Poasa comes onto the bench along with a returning Callum Harkin, with James O’Reilly, Tom Maiava, and Hibiki Yamada omitted from the 23.

Before that, the first part of the Sunday doubleheader has the Pride taking on competition minnows Taranaki. A win would seem a formality, but getting a cohesive 80-minutes would be the minimum goal beyond that. Perhaps unsurprisingly give the opposition there’s a handful of changes; Paige Misky and Dora Laupola start up front, Jessica Jackson makes her first start at lock, and Fono Bason returns on the blindside with Lourdes Faifua switching sides. The backline is unchanged bar the return of Litia Bulicakau at centre. Leiseil Tuangalu is in line for her Pride debut from the bench.

Teams as provided:

Wellington Lions

1. Xavier Numia (Ories), 2. Asafo Aumua (Avalon), 3. PJ Sheck (Tawa), 4. Hugo Plummer (Tawa), 5. Akira Ieremia (Tawa), 6. Caleb Delany (OBU), 7. Peter Lakai (Petone), 8. Dominic Ropeti (Ories). 9. Nui Muriwai (HOBM), 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop (Norths), 11. Tjay Clarke (Petone), 12. Julian Savea (Ories), 13. Matt Proctor (Ories), 14. Losi Filipo (Petone), 15. Ruben Love (Wainuiomata) | 16. Penieli Poasa (Ories), 17. Kenshi Yamamoto (Japan), 18. Siale Lauaki (Norths), 19. Matolu Petaia (Tawa), 20. Sione Halalilo (Ories), 21. Esi Komaisavai (Pare-Plim), 22. Callum Harkin (OBU), 23. Stanley Solomon (Petone)

Wellington Pride

1. Paige Misky (Norths), 2. Valini Vaka (MSP – captain), 3. Dora Laupola (Norths), 4. Jessica Jackson (Poneke), 5. Xanthe Somerville (MSP), 6. Fono Bason (Petone), 7. Lourdes Faifua (Petone), 8. Jackie Patea-Fereti (Petone), 9. Milly Mackey (Petone), 10. Arene Landon-Lane (Norths), 11. Harmony Kautai (Petone), 12. Madison Gold (Petone), 13. Litia Bulicakau (Petone), 14. Ivana Samani (Ories), 15. Keira Su’a-Smith (Petone) | 16. Keiana Roffey (Poneke), 17. Roimata Parata (Pare-Plim), 18. Faythe Finau (Petone), 19. Leiseli Tuangalu (Norths – Debut), 20. Canon Hakaraia (Wainuiomata), 21. Te Arani Te Puni (Pare-Plim), 22. Nahliah Tagatauli-Tolova’a (MSP), 23. Baylee Meroiti (Norths)

Wellington Centurions

1. Senio Sanele (Upper Hutt), 2. Harry Press (HOBM – captain), 3. Jake Wetere (MSP), 4. Viliame Rarasea (MSP), 5. Harry Irving (OBU), 6. Conner Tuifao (Petone), 7. David Johnson (Ories), 8. Cody Lokotui (Axemen), 9. Mitch McLeod (OBU), 10. Mona Uelese (Tawa), 11. Fritz Rayasi (HOBM), 12. Ieti Campbell (Upper Hutt), 13. Ethan Webster-Nonu (Pare-Plim), 14. Finlay Sharp (Jville), 15. Tom Maiava (Ories) | 16. Louie Calvert (OBU), 17. Conley Alexander (Petone), 18. Geordie Bean (OBU), 19. Jeremiah Avei-Collins (Norths), 20. Jordan Chapman (Axemen), 21. Logan Henry (Petone), 22. Olly Paotonu (Jville), 23. Kapu Broughton-Winterburn (HOBM), 24. Jacob Walmsley (Jville), 25. Caleb Robson (Poneke), 26. Hibiki Yamada (Japan)

Wellington U19s

1. Hamish Huggins (Poneke), 2. Semurana Fepulea’i (Ories), 3. Noah Krijnen (HOBM), 4. Johnny Falloon (OBU), 5. Sam Thomson (Petone), 6. Ollie Church (OBU), 7. Luke Bidois (Tawa), 8. Levi Morgan (HOBM), 9. Mike Brown (Poneke), 10. Eden Govind (Tawa), 11. Brodee Tetevano (HOBM), 12. Jayde Burns (MSP), 13. Dante Ford-Tuveve (MSP), 14. Max Reynolds (MSP), 15. Adam Jansen va Vuuren (Petone) | 16. Cazna Logovae-Sale (MSP), 17. Harry Rankin (Petone), 18. Corban King (MSP), 19. Preston Moananu (MSP), 20. Naea Fiu (Poneke), 21. Tyler Craig (HOBM), 22. Jake Lawson (OBU), 23. Zack Young-Holdsworth (MSP)

Poneke Under 85s

1. Seamus Rowberry, 2. Tauvaga Siolo, 3. Matt Treeby, 4. Jack MacGill, 5. Markus Stowers, 6. Pasia Asiata, 7. Nathan Marsh (captain), 8. Troy Howe, 9. Jimmy-Lee Hongara, 10. Declan Hay, 11. Dominic Ririnui-Sipa, 12. Adam Preston, 13. Nick Robertson, 14. Taine Regeling, 15. Ethan Rangi | 16. Jeremy Hargreaves, 17. Geoff Botherway, 18. Harrison Faulkner, 19. Pa Taikato, 20. Tony Smith, 21. Takunda Mabonga, 22. Maiterangi Arahanga

Wairarapa-Bush

1. Tupou Lea’aemanu (Carterton – Captain), 2. Lewis Bush (Greytown), 3. Fakaonga Lea’aemanu (Carterton), 4. Malakai Biumaiwai (Greytown), 5. Alec Odell (Loan – PN OBM), 6. Isireli Biumaiwai (Greytown), 7. Marcus Ale (Marist), 8. Folau Finau Vea (Loan – OBU), 9. Sam Walton-Sexton (Greytown), 10. Jack Eschenbach (Martinborough), 11. Gracyn Evans (Greytown), 12. Jack Delaney (Loan – Feilding), 13. Levi Harmon (Pioneer), 14. Fiula Tameilau (Carterton), 15. Boitumelo Tsatsane (Greytown – Debut) | 16. Terongo Tekii (Carterton), 17. Stan Wright Jr (Marist), 18. Jeramiah Mapusua (Marist) 19. Cody Cunningham (Martinborough), 20. Sam Gammie (Eketahuna), 21. Daryl Pickering (Carterton), 22. Soli Malatai (Greytown), 23. Charlie Brown (Greytown – Debut)

Horowhenua-Kapiti

1. George Jacobs (Foxton), 2. Brad Reilly (Paraparaumu), 3. Nonu Tuia (Loan – HOBM), 4. Dallas Wiki (Shannon), 5. Mikaere Harvey (Foxton), 6. Aaron Lahmert (Waikanae), 7. Jack Sturmey (Loan), 8. Alex Fidow (Loan – Pare-Plim), 9. TJ Barnsley (Paraparaumu), 10. Rory Woollett (Loan – Petone), 11. Willie Paia’aua (Levin COB), 12. Connor Paki (Foxton), 13. Darren Falaniko (Wanderers), 14. Max Hosking (Paraparaumu), 15. Sean Pape (Shannon) | 16. Ted Northcott (Rahui), 17. David McErlean (Foxton), 18. Michael Laursen (Foxton), 19. Massie Harvey (Foxton – Debut), 20. Tema Tihema (Foxton – Debut), 21. Chris Salu (Levin COB), 22. Jayson Aquila (Paraparaumu), 23. Stephen Burnell (Shannon)

Wellington Pasifika XV U18

1. Faimalie Tagoai SPC
2. Tevita Bulai SCOTS
3. Te Aria Mani WC
4. Mason Harris STREAM
5. Owen Cosgrove SCOTS
6. Taniela Tuangalu (C) WC
7. Joseph Sailo SCOTS
8. Ksam Kereti TAITA
9. Ethan Mupariwa (vc)WC
10. Jarrell Sagote-Mears RC
11. Sikele Tikoimatuku RC
12. Junior Fa’avale TAITA
13. Taysian Davey-Tiotio WC
14. Zion King RC
15. Matiu Lowrey-Ronson HVHS

Front row
Aj Bryce RC
Liko Sialava’a RC
Jacob Epeli Scot’s
Nathaniel Matega poneke
Junior Tupou petone

Forwards
Simi Faatoafe ories
Kini Bryce Newlands
Salvation Puepue Newlands
Samu Tikoimatuku rc

Backs
Rio Kosaka wc
Harley Logovae wc
Dohndray Aso st Bernard’s
Wade Ronson HVHS