Paremata-Plimmerton pip first round defending champions, second half blowouts elsewhere

Ethan Webster-Nonu scores a key try against his former side today in round one of the Swindale Shield. Photo: Andy McArthur.

• By Steven White & Scott MacLean

Oriental-Rongotai played through last year’s first round Wellington club rugby Premier Swindale Shield with 13 straight bonus point wins.

In today’s 2026 season opener, Ories were pipped at home at the Polo Ground 15-14 by Paremata-Plimmerton.

The Hammerheads led 12-0 at the break through tries to former Magpie Ethan Webster-Nonu and flyer Louis Northcott. Playing towards their clubrooms in the second half Ories scored first in the second spell, before Paremata-Plimmerton pivot Mika Cooper-Finau knocked over a penalty. Ories fullback Jordan Soli narrowed the margin to a single point with a solo try, but the hosts couldn’t manage the decisive score.

That tight result was the exception in an opening round that featured a clutch of blowout scores in the second half.

Marist St Pat’s, Old Boys University, Petone, the Upper Hutt Rams and Wainuiomata all sailed home in the second halves of their matches in conditions that were breezy but not windy by Wellington standards.

Marist St Pat’s opened their new season with a convincing 58-22 Maurice Standish Cup win over Northern United at Porirua Park.

After a closely fought first half and opening exchanges in the second, MSP took full control with a dominant scrum and freewheeling backs, to lay on 39 unanswered points to extend their lead from 19-17 to 58-17.

First five Tomasi Connor scored a hat trick and directly set up one more, while left wing Max Reynolds and new centre Jacob Klingelsmith both ran in two tries. Goal-kicker Connor’s haul was 28.

Norths came back late by scoring a bonus point consolation try, but they will need to find their set-piece and tackling mojo to compete this year.

View this post on Instagram

Playing into the wind, Norths opened the scoring and went 7-0 up with a popular early try to debutant openside flanker Ethan Lepou. Connor replied with his first for the visitors before Norths took the lead 12-7 with a try to left wing Cordeius Faraimo-Selave in the clubrooms corner.

A flashpoint late in the first half occurred when Norths’ blindside flanker Waylon Baker was sinbinned and MSP completed a period of pressure by scoring two more tries to lead 19-12 at halftime.

Now playing with the wind, Norths came out firing in the second half and scored a try to fullback Zion Fuiava to close the deficit. But MSP got their tails up and sailed to a compelling win.

At Rugby League Park, Old Boys University won the Bill Cavuvati Bowl with a 48-33 win over Johnsonville.

OBU came careening back in the second half to win, after Johnsonville had scored four converted tries to lead 28-7 late in the first half. Of these, left wing Jacob Kennedy scored two, including one from a kickoff, and lock Anthony Pettett and centre Aukuso Tuitama scored their tries.

On the stroke of halftime, debutant school leaver fullback Hunter Kennedy (no relation to his Johnsonville opposite) scored to make it 28-12.

OBU had the wind in the second half and made good use of it by scoring six consecutive tries. Of these, Hunter Kennedy scored his second try and right wing Callum Koebergh scored two.

Johnsonville persevered to the end and scored their fifth try to conclude the contest.

Petone started their season at their new temporary home ground of North Park with a 48-3 win over Tawa.

Petone led 19-3 at halftime and put the afterburners on in the second spell.

Losi Filipo (2), William Davis-Lenz (2) and Logan Henry (2) each found the tryline twice, while Stanley Solomon and Braith Ingram cut through to score as well. Tawa’s points were from a lone Solomona Uelse penalty.

The Upper Hutt Rams breezed to victory over Pōneke at home at Maidstone Park in their Bill Brien Challenge Cup defence and Alby Makeham Shield match. The final score was 66-32, after they led 19-17 at halftime.

The Rams scored in the opening few minutes but the remainder of the first half was close. The Rams pulled clear with new first-five Dawson Smith scoring a hat-trick and right wing Josh Love crossing for two tries. Returning No. 8 Murphy Taramai also got on the scoreboard.

Down the Hutt Valley, home side Wainuiomata retained the Anthony Waldom Trophy against the Avalon Wolves with a 48-14 win at William Jones Park.

Wainuiomata started their 80^th year by climbing into their work and going to a 24-7 lead at halftime – a scoreline that exactly doubled by fulltime.

Wainuiomata won eight tries to two, which included a penalty try.

Back in town, defending Jubilee Cup champions Hutt Old Boys Marist were pushed close early by the Wellington Axemen at Hataitai Park.

The Axemen came out fast and held a lead midway through the first half, before the Eagles responded and went into halftime leading 19-17.

The second half saw them pull ahead and take the win 48-29 and score eight tries to four. Substitute hooker Damien Henare scored twice for the Eagles, while other try scorers were fullback Dominic Ernst, No. 8 Mika Alaifatu, new centre Caleb Robson and replacements Brandon Lo and Brodee Tetevano.

Premier 2

The first round of the Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield was the only other grade playing in the opening weekend in Wellington, and heavy scoring was the order of the day.

Holders Petone made the ideal start to their defence as they beat Tawa 46-22 in front of their clubrooms at North Park.

Up the road though it was a different story for defending grade champions Poneke as they trailed Upper Hutt 0-35 at the break at Maidstone. Although they rallied after the break the Rams still won 49-31.

Around Wellington City HD Morgan holders Paremata-Plimmerton beat Ories 47-34, HOBM blunted Wellington 54-5, and OBU saw off Johnsonville 55-19.

The other fixtures were both wins for the away team; MSP were too good for Norths winning 50-19, and Avalon made a statement of intent smacking Wainuiomata 41-8.

Marist St Pat’s won eight tries to three over Norths in the Porirua Park curtain-raiser. Five of MSP’s eight tries were scored in the lefthand corner, with left wing Leo Balouzat scoring twice, including an intercept try, centre Max Ireland also scoring twice and fullback Daniel Rodgers, prop Keenan Paopao-Brown, right wing Alex Auer and livewire halfback Elliot Vidal completing the win.

MSP led 21-7 at the interval. Turning with the wind, Norths came out strong but left at least two scoring opportunities in the far corner out there and MSP rallied and came home strongly like their Premier team would do later in the afternoon.

Manawatu

Manawatu played the second round of their Hankins Shield over the past two days. On Thursday night Kia Toa beat Linton 41-17, while yesterday Varsity trounced Te Kawau 90-0, Old Boys Marist beat College Old Boys 64-22, and Feilding Yellows accounted for neighbours FOBO 47-7.

Wairarapa-Bush

Over in the opening round of Wairarapa-Bush’s Lane Penn Cup defending champions Greytown made their 150th season ambitions clear. Including a couple of handy recruits in Greg Leolofi and Daniel Schrijvers they ran out 48-21 winners over Martinborough. Carterton were today’s other winners, coming up on top in a ding-dong battle with East Coast 31-24, while yesterday Marist beat Pioneer 20-14. Masterton Red Star had the bye.

Taranaki

In Taranaki the talking point was New Plymouth Old Boys 39-0 trouncing of city rivals Tukapa. Stratford-Eltham fell to a 14-18 loss to Inglewood, Clifton thumped Coastal 61-14, and Southern’s trip north was fruitful as they won 55-14 over United.

2026 Swindale Shield

2026 Swindale Shield

Pos	Team	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	PD	BP	Pts
1	Petone	1	1	0	0	48	3	45	0	0
2	Marist St Pats	1	1	0	0	58	22	36	0	0
3	Upper Hutt Rams	1	1	0	0	66	32	34	0	0
4	Wainuiomata	1	1	0	0	48	14	34	0	0
5	Hutt Old Boys Marist	1	1	0	0	48	31	17	0	0
6	Old Boys University	1	1	0	0	48	33	15	0	0
7	Paremata-Plimmerton	1	1	0	0	15	14	1	0	0
8	Oriental-Rongotai	1	0	1	0	14	15	-1	0	0
9	Johnsonville	1	0	1	0	33	48	-15	0	0
10	Wellington	1	0	1	0	31	48	-17	0	0
11	Pōneke	1	0	1	0	32	66	-34	0	0
12	Avalon	1	0	1	0	14	48	-34	0	0
13	Northern United	1	0	1	0	22	58	-36	0	0
14	Tawa RFC	1	0	1	0	3	48	-45	0	0