Extra Time Extraordinaire: Jacob Waikari-Jones on Jubilee Cup Final 

Jacob Waikari-Jones celebrates another try in last week’s 100-minute semi-final between Petone and the Upper Hutt Rams. He scored four of them and 26 points in total. Photo: Andy McArthur.

• By Adam Julian & Steven White 

Jacob Waikari-Jones was the star of the show in Petone’s 100-minute semi-final last week, scoring four tries and 26 points in the monumental 48-40 win against the Upper Hutt Rams.

Petone started the semi-final well but fell behind 30-14 early in the second half, with momentum fully with the Rams.

What changed in Petone’s play to affect a comeback to force a draw on fulltime and then a win in extra-time?

“The message was consistent with what we always say and that is to find that dark place and when your body tells you to stop to just fight through it and keep working and to take what is coming to us front on and halt their momentum.”

It’s the last minute of regulation. Petone are down 33-26, hammering the Rams line. What is Waikari-Jones seeing from first-five?

“We were about 30 metres out, using our forwards to create momentum, but few opportunities came. Then one of our boys made a half-break into the 22, close to the line. A penalty and a yellow card followed, and we set the scrum.

“We were probably going left but, being the optimist and playing what was in front of me, I saw a 20-metre blindside with one defender. JG [Jordan-Glen Bradbrook], with his mature brain, said no, we need to keep it tight and under the posts. So we called a play, I saw a half gap, and I got through.

Waikati-Jones praised Bradbrook. “He is someone who has been there before, and in those moments, you just need to trust that experience.”

He converted his own try – his third of the match –  to make it 33-33 as fulltime was called. Then it was on to extra time.

“The collective vibe around the huddle was that the job is not finished, it is not golden point, we have got 20 more minutes to play and we really have to keep pushing and put them away.”

In extra time, Waikari-Jones scored his fourth try.

“We saw some space on their blindside throughout the game but never really got the ball there. So we tried again, using our forwards to chip away inside the 22. I then saw a picture I liked and chanced my arm.

“Looking back at the footage, I probably should have passed since it was a three-on-two overlap. But I saw a half break and backed myself.

“I am a player who thrives on seeing something in front of me and not being scared to pull the trigger and go and do it. “

Petone’s players celebrate after the extra-time semi-final. Photo: Andy McArthur.

In 2024, Waikari-Jones was involved in an epic extra-time match whilst playing for West Coast in a Heartland Championship final. On that occasion they lost 46-44 to King Country. This experience ultimately served him well on Saturday, despite hitting the post with a conversion as he did on that day in Te Kūiti.

Petone’s reserves made a big impact, not least Thompson Tukapua, who was playing his first game back after sustaining a knee injury early in 2025.

“He has been working hard throughout the season. His return to play seemed fast and was unreal,” Waikari-Jones said.

“He was saying during the game, ‘ Do you back me? ‘I said yes, so let’s do it, and he got over the line to score two tries.”

As well as the backs, Petone’s forwards have made a steadfast contribution to Petone (Swindale Shield champions for the 16th time this season).

“You could single out the whole pack, but our loose trio is the heartbeat of our team,” Waikari-Jones said.

“Our skipper Connor Tuifao, Kitiona Leitufia, Braith Ingram and Kingston Hill, alongside an older player in the group, Jarrod ‘Crazy’ Hrstich. Those five just show up every week no matter how sore, bruised and broken they are.”

On to the final this coming Saturday, and it’s been 21 years since Petone won the last of their 26 Wellington Club Championships (2005). Waikari-Jones is aware the village faithful are restless.

“We have talked about it all season, and the time since the last win is in the back of our minds. But I don’t think it has gotten into our heads. We are grounded and present. It’s just another Saturday, and we have to go out and express ourselves.”

What would winning the Jubilee Cup mean for his family?

“I have had some family members who have passed through the Village, but my uncle Tamahou has been there for years now, and he is nearing 50 and still getting out there every week for the Premier 2s, so he is excited for me to be playing in this final for this club.

“I am just stoked for the occasion; these are the games you play for, and I am just looking forward to getting out there and ripping into it, and hopefully the result will take care of itself.”

• Petone and Hutt have split their meeting this season with Petone winning the Swindale/McBain Shield encounter 29-16. Hutt won the first round qualifying final 23-10.
• Petone lost their last Jubilee Cup final 23-20 to Norths in 2022. Hutt have featured in the decider in 2007 (Marist St Pats Won 18-10), 2014 (Wainuiomata Won 14-11), 2017 (Old Boys University Lost 17-32), and 2025 (Tawa Won 29-22).

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The above conversation was on the Huddy Hui this Wednesday night, along with a chat with Luca Rees of HOBM:

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When Va’alepu scored five tries in a semi-final

With Waikari-Jones scoring four tries in last week’s semi-final, has this feat been achieved before in a playoff game in Wellington?

Yes it has. In the 2011 Jubilee Cup semi-final, Norths winger Ajay Va’alepu scored all five of his side’s tries in a 29-5 win over Pōneke.

Of the five tries he scored, the first when he ran down a grubber, the second set up by his older brother who, together with Ajay, performed Usain Bolt’s famous archer celebration and the fifth on fulltime where he sprinted 98 metres were the highlights. Va’alepu reflected afterwards in the Dominion Post. “Today has been my day…We wanted to just share the ball around, but today everything went my way. We thought if the sun came out today it was Norths day.” Norths was beaten 40-18 in the final.