Swindale Shield set to come alive in round five as college rugby takes flight

• By Scott MacLean & Steven White

Friday lunchtime edition – updates expected later in the afternoon. With a month of the competition behind us, the month of May is typically season defining for clubs that have designs on first round title success or of making the Jubilee Cup round later in the winter.

As such, a number of key matches are in store in Saturday’s fifth round of the Swindale Shield and Harper Lock Shields and fourth rounds of other competitions.

The college season is also in full flight this weekend, with grading rounds taking centre stage around the region.

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Draws & Results – visit https://stats.clubrugby.nz/ for these. Click on a fixture for teamlists and match details. Teamlists as received and subject to change.

Radio commentary  – online at teupoko.co.nz or by tuning into 87.5FM or 1161AM is Wainuiomata versus Petone from William Jones Park. Gordon Noble-Campbell and Darren Larsen on the airwaves with the call.

Tipping Competition – Visit https://www.faceyoursfears.com/games/WGTN2026/join   To make your picks. Round three is yet to be closed off fully as we await the rescheduling details of the Paremata-Plimmerton v Avalon contest. As it stands, Aiden Cains, Rugby Heartland and mcurpine and Huddy Sports are the top contenders separated by four points, with a group of other tippers breating down their necks. All it takes is an upset or two and wildcards to come into play and this can all change.

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Premier Swindale Shield

Leaders Old Boys-University are on the road again, this time headed for leafy Lyndhurst Park and a meeting with Tawa. The Goats emphatically showed their credentials last Saturday with their win over HOBM, while Tawa made it three from four with their come from behind win over Poneke. The hosts will do well to avoid that this week, as it seems unlikely they could spot the visitors 20 points and emerge victorious.

Tawa brings in Hurricanes lock Hugo Plummer to their starting XV for this clash, along with prop Jacob Mua and No. 8 George Risale to their pack which features the in-form duo Hemi Fermanis (at openside tomorrow) and Matolu Petaia (blindside). The vastly experienced Kemara Hauiti-Parapara starts his first game of the season at halfback, while Luke Cummings comes off the bench in the midfield in a swap with Kalim Kelemete.

News out of the OBU camp is that they lost two front-rowers to injury in their win over HOBM last week, with Gareth Ward-Allen and Laurence Jarel-Lim both on the physio’s table. Jeremy Bourhill comes into loosehead prop and Zac Pene to hooker, with Geordie Bean moving to tighthead prop. There are a handful of other changes in their 22 as well.

Up the road is the Porirua City derby, as Paremata-Plimmerton welcome neighbours Norths to Ngati Toa Domain. Having dismantled Upper Hutt the previous week against the visitor’s loss to Wellington, the home side will be warm favourites to continue their recent streak in this match-up.

Paremata-Plimmerton swap front row units with James Coburn, Toby Mallon, and Werdna Maligi-Leota starting. Zeek Fiso comes in at lock, with Jermaine Avei-Collins facing his former side. Ethan Webster-Nonu’s return is the only change to the backline, and Christian Fa’avae makes his return via the bench.

Blindside flanker Waylon Baker captains a Norths side with several tweaks to their team from last week. Up front, Bradley Crichton starts at loosehead prop and at No. 8 Tavita Logovae starts for Olano Afutoto. In the backline, centre Elijah Va’a and right wing Jean-Pieere van Heerden will be new players to watch, while the vastly experienced Johnny Teleaga is at second-five.

Over at the Hutt Rec the two Marist-affiliated clubs meet, with Hutt Old Boys Marist hosting Marist St Pat’s. The home Eagles will be keen to atone for last week’s clunker against OBU, while MSP will want to end their two-game slide following their perhaps surprising loss to Wainuiomata.

The Eagles have made no fewer than eight changes to their starting XV from that which lost to OBU. Key amongst them are the return of Wellington Lions player Kapu Broughton-Winterburn to second-five and Junior Lelesiuao on debut at first-five. Other changes to the run-on team see Brett Manaia, Filo Paulo, Waylon Tuohoro-Robinson, Brodee Tetevano and Phelan Rona all starting. A couple of positional switches too, namely in the loose forwards.

Marist St Pat’s have made few changes to their side from last week as they look to bounce back. Hooker Canza Lovovae-Sale returns to the starting XV in one notable addition, while the side has a European flavour with Fabio Minelli (flanker), Leo Balouzat right wing) and Elliot Vidal (reserve halfback) all included. Bentley Faulkner gets his first start at halfback, inside his former Wellington College teammate Navrin Campbell at fullback.

Over the Hill Road its Old Timers’ Day at Wainuiomata, who will be looking to build on their successive successes in the eastern suburbs the past two weeks. That won’t be an easy task, as neighbours Petone are the guests and they too will be looking for a fourth win in five to start the year

Wainuiomata will present a settled side with minimal changes to that which beat MSP last week. One change sees lightweight lion hearted lock Markus Stowers-McCarthy return from a week off. Lookout for the Solomona brothers and the Va’as on each wing to continue their strong form.

Likewise, Petone will field nearly the same side as they did last start, with Kaleb Saxon swapping places off the bench with Conley Alexander at hooker the notable one. Hurricanes wider squad members Ngane Punivai and Losi Filipo will take their places in the backline, so plenty of action out wide in this game.

In the city it’s also Old Timers’ Day at Hataitai Park, where after their win away at Norths last week the Wellington Axemen will be fizzing. It might be the opposite for the visiting Upper Hutt Rams who were barely in the game after halftime in their loss to Pare-Plim and will need a response here.

The Axemen will have former MSP wing Willie Schutz on debut off the bench in a team that has a handful of changes but is mostly becoming settled week in-week out now. Look out for lock Archie Treadwell to win their ball and first-five Malin Mosedale to kick their goals.

The Rams welcome back new father Murphy Taramai, who slots into No. 8 and as captain. He replaces Josh Malloon who moves out to the Rams’ left wing in an interesting move. Both Svenson brothers, Todd and Scott, are missing from their outside backs this week, while Jade Langi comes into hooker in one other change to their team.

Seeking a spark are Johnsonville, who have only one win so far on the young season but didn’t make things easy for Petone at Fraser Park last week. They return to their Helston home, with Oriental Rongotai making the journey up the gorge after they finally opened their account against Avalon.

Changes to Johnsonville’s front row and midfield for this game. Lucas Aukuso and Mike Faimalo start in the front row alongside captain Haamea Ahio, with Raja Sami and Tafa Tuputau Tafa Laulu both riding the bench. Jacob Walmsley comes in from fullback to start at second-five, inside Aukuso Tuitama, with Finlay Sharp heading to the right wing. In another notable team tweak, Thoma Takeuchi swaps with Aidan Eastwood as the starting halfback.

Ories welcome Manawatu’s Hurricanes No. 8 Mosese Bason to their starting team for this game, alongside Sione Halalilo and David Leota-Johnson in an all-action loose forward trio that could be key for them in this match. Regular loose forward Sammy Seau also plays lock.

Lastly in this part of the preview, it’s the battle of the winless at Fraser Park. Poneke arrive looking to get over coughing up that big lead at home to Tawa last week, while home team Avalon are looking for something to get their season going in the right direction.

Avalon have named an unchanged forward pack from last week except for No. 8 where Sonny Oloapu slots in for Ale Peni who starts off the bench. In the backs right wing Tauvaga Siolo is on debut but the experienced Site Timu comes in to fullback.

The Poneke team wasn’t available at the time of publishing in early afternoon.

No fewer than five interclub trophies are in play this week:

• Pare-Plim and Norths contest their Ivan Hardgrave Trophy. Hardgrave was an administrator at Titahi Bay and later Norths, as well as a Porirua City councillor. Originally donated for play between Pare-Plim, Porirua, Titahi Bay, and Tawa it’s now played for by the two northern city sides. Pare-Plim are its current custodians.
• HOBM and MSP play for their Father Cleary Shield. A schoolmaster and First XV coach at St Patricks, “Creeps” Cleary was also a founder of the St Patricks OB club, and donated it for play between St Pats and Marist when relations between the two were very poor. Post-amalgamation it was played for between MSP and Hutt Valley Marist, and HOBM since 1993. HOBM are the holders
• Wainuiomata and Petone play for the Darren Larsen Cup. Having played for Wainuiomata and coached at Petone “Lardy” is a well-known figure in both places and across the region, and is currently the Hurricanes’ Head of Pathways. Petone hold this after their emphatic win last season.
• One of the more recent additions is the Hinaki-Mei Axe, in play between Wellington and Upper Hutt. Both George Hinaki and Jim Mei played for both clubs and more recently become well-known identities at Maidstone Park. The Rams are the holders.
• And finally, the Ash Pointon Cup is the prize for Johnsonville and Ories. Pointon was a titanic figure of Wellington club rugby through the 80s and 90s, racking up more than 250 Premier matches across both clubs. Finishing his career with Hawks’ Swindale-winning side of 1998, he remained involved up until his premature death from cancer in 2017, aged just 56. Ories are the current holders.

Premier 2 Harper Lock Shield

No disputing the feature clash here as unbeaten duo HOBM and MSP clash in the early game at the Hutt Rec. Petone are also unbeaten, and will look to maintain at least a joint-share of the lead as they travel across to one-win Wainuiomata. The Upper Hutt Rams hold fourth and are at Hataitai to take on Wellington, while the team they beat last Saturday – Pare-Plim – are at home against Norths.

Down the table there’s a clash between Avalon and Poneke at Fraser Park, Tawa host a battered OBU, and Johnsonville welcome winless Ories to Helston.

Women’s Rebecca Liua’ana Trophy

The spotlight match here is at William Jones, where after pushing Ories to the brink last week Wainuiomata would love to go better and upset frontrunners Petone. Oriental Rongotai leave home for the first-time but don’t travel far to play Poneke at Kilbirnie Park, just up the road Wellington hosts Old Boys-University at Hataitai, while Paremata-Plimmerton welcome Avalon across to Ngati Toa Domain. The Stokes Valley vs Norths match is not going ahead.

All Women’s matches revert to their regular 11:30am start time.

Colts Paris Memorial

Even at this early stage only two teams are unbeaten in the Age-grade competition. Petone will seek to keep the lead when they visit Poneke, while HOBM will seek to have their game in hand continue to mean something when they take on MSP at the Hutt Rec.

Tawa will look to put last week’s defeat behind then as they host OBU at Redwood, while northern pair Pare-Plim and Norths seek their first win when they clash at Ngati Toa Domain. Upper Hutt has the bye

Under 85kg JC Bowl

No prizes for guessing the game of the round here as unbeaten pair Poneke and Johnsonville go into battle at Kilbirnie Park. At the same venue but at other end of the table, and at the earlier 1pm time, are winless pair Wellington and Eastbourne. There’s a bird fight at the Hutt Rec as HOBM face Tawa while the fourth match is at Ngati Toa Domain as Pare-Plim look to sink the OBU Scallywags.

College

The start of Term 2 brings with it College rugby, which gets underway with a mix of preseason and qualifying matches. At the top end last years top four teams – Silverstream, Wellington College, Town, and Rathkeale – automatically return to the Premiership while the Silverstream and College 2^nd XVs do likewise into Premier 2.

In the Top 8 matches that can lead to Premiership qualification as early as next week Wairarapa College hosts Paraparaumu, Scots are at home against Tawa, Hutt International face Hutt Valley High, and in the most intriguing of these St Bernard’s welcome Rongotai to Lower Hutt.

The “second 8” matches feature a local derby between Bishop Viard and Aotea, Porirua hosts the Newlands/Onslow combined side, Kapiti are at home against Taita, and Naenae host Mana.

The top four aren’t idle this week though. Silverstream are in Palmerston North to face Napier Boys, Town are in Hawke’s Bay to take on Gisborne Boys, Wellington College are also out of town to meet Tauranga Boys, and Rathkeale are hosting Hastings Boys.

Across the region

Wine country is where the game of the round is in Wairarapa-Bush tomorrow, with Martinborough hosting Marist. Back on the SH2 axis, Greytown should be far too good for Pioneer, while Masterton Red Star will look to spring an upset against Carterton. East Coast has the bye for the opening weekend of the duck shooting season.

There appears to have been some rejigging of the draw in Horowhenua Kapiti, with the Foxton vs Rahui game that was previously reported as a default by the Otaki side last week seemingly going ahead tomorrow instead. Down the line Levin College Old Boys host Paraparaumu at the Domain, and Waikanae welcome Levin Wanderers.

In the Manawatu leaders Varsity face a potentially tricky trip across the Army Camp to take on Linton, while Kia Toa host city rivals Freyberg. Old Boys Marist welcome Feilding OB-Oroua to their field at the Arena, while Feilding Yellows seem certain to heap more misery on strugglers Te Kawau. College Old Boys have the bye.

Hawke’s Bay reaches the final round of matches in the Nash Cup. Napier OB Marist (30) have already secured the silverware and will look to make it a clean sweep when they host second-placed Napier Tech (23). Both Pirates (21) and Taradale (19) could leapfrog Tech with wins; Pirates are away at Havelock North (18) while Taradale are likewise at Hastings (16). The fourth match sees MAC host Bridge Pa to avoid the wooden spoon.

Still early days in Whanganui. Leaders Border have the bye this week, so a chance for the pack to make up some ground. Second-placed Taihape head north to face Ruapehu, Kaierau take on Marist, and Counties hosts Ratana.