Petone and OBU win Colts titles as college semi-finals confirmed

Petone captain Junior Tupou scores one of this two tries as MSP’S Bentley Faulkner tries to stop him in today’s Colts Division 1 final. Photo: Andy McArthur. 

• By Steven White & Scott MacLean

The party continues at Petone this weekend, with their Colts side crowned Division 1 John E Kelly Cup champions this afternoon with a 51-31 win over Marist St Pat’s in today’s final.

Petone overwhelmed MSP with an array of attacking rugby for a comfortable nine tries to four win in windy conditions at Evans Bay Park.

Across the road, Old Boys University pulled away late to beat Pōneke 30-19 in the Division Vic Calcinai Cup decider.

Semi-finalists were also found in Reserve Grade club rugby and in college rugby, while the National U85kg Knockout Cup commenced, and therepreseantative season tentatively got away with a pair of matches involving Wellington teams.

Colts

Petone brought their superior strike-power to the bear against Marist St Pat’s.

Marist St Pat’s matched Petone in the forwards, but they couldn’t out-wide and on the counterattack and that was where the final was decided.

Petone fielded several players with recent Premier experience, including some who played in last week’s Jubilee Cup final, including first-five Thompson Tukapua, wing Wesley Faitele and No. 8 Kingston Hill.

Others such as captain and loosehead prop Junior Tupou, blindside flanker Leo van Krimpen, halfback Axel Daken, centre Harvey O’Rourke, goal-kicking right wing JG Madern and flying fullback Adam Jansen van Vuuren all featured prominently at various stages.

It was fullback van Vuuren who flew in out wide after a free kick and chip ahead that set the game alight in just the second minute.

MSP would have three visits inside Petone’s 22 in the first half  and would score off each, the first in reply to hooker Ethan Brockhurst made it 7-7.

The first of several multiphase build-ups saw Thompson Tukapua score to put Petone up 14-7 inside 10 minutes. A third try quickly followed, converted from the sideline by Madern, then a fourth to Tupou and it was 26-7 after 20 minutes.

MSP replied with a try to Spanish lock Izan Heras Ayala, but Petone then answered with the try of the match when they ripped it wide inside their 22 from a back-peddling scrum and fullback van Vurran set Faitele free up the bleachers sideline and he ran through to score.

Tupou then scored his second try off a penalty and attacking lineout, and they could have scored twice more in a golden period of play, only for MSP to score their third try off a penalty and lineout at the far end to make it 36-19 approaching halftime.

Halfback Daken finished off the first half scoring with Petone’s seventh try, running half the length of the field off a scrum and it was all over at 41-19.

After halftime O’Rourke crossed the chalk to extend the lead to 46-19 and van Vurran scored his second that brought up the half century.

There was not further scoring for over 20 minutes before MSP scored again through Bentley Faulkner and another at the end.

The Faulkner name is a well-known Pōneke one, and Harrison was at lock for Pōneke as they kept pace with Old Boys University on Kilbirnie Park 1 but were run down late.

Indeed, Old Boys University led 18-12 with over 10 minutes still to play and Pōneke packing down a scrum near halfway with options and with the wind behind them.

But a backline breakdown saw OBU fullback Isaiah Barry collect the loose ball and set sail up towards the Kilbirnie Pool end. He flirted with the touchline before flinging an inside pass to flying right wing Manaia Pirere-Newtons who race through to score the match-winner and his second try of the match. The conversion in the wind by Mikaio Ah Chong Hosking was good and OBU now led 25-12.

OBU then put the icing on the cake when left wing Rongoa Mata-Ariki crossed after a breakout up the far side and a toe ahead by fullback Barry.

Pōneke finished with a consolation try under the posts to replacement Kaelin Logovae but it was all over after that and the Junior Goats were celebrating.

Earlier, halfback Patrick Diamond kicked a sparkling opening penalty and right wing Pirere-Newtons flashed through to score in the Northeast corner to put OBU up 8-0 early.

Play settled down after that, and then in the 30^th minute Pōneke right wing Zac Denby off-loaded in the tackle to first-five Harry Cederwall (another well known Pōneke surname) and he scored to close the gap to 8-5.

OBU kicked a second penalty and it was 11-5 at halftime, but Pōneke were turning to play with the wind.

Instead, it was OBU that struck first in the second spell, some 10 minutes into it loosehead prop Anthony Saumamao stormed through to score to make it 18-5.

Pōneke rallied and a few minutes later they scored their second try to tighthead prop Tevita Bulai, converted by second-five Max Sellwood to close to within a converted try. OBU dug deep and came up with their two tries that took the game away from them.

U85kgs National Knockout Cup

Three all-Wellington contests in the opening round of the National Under 85s Club Cup.

The pick of the bunch was at Helston Park where Pōneke held off a late charge by home side Johnsonville to win 29-26. Waikanae guest players Cam Bond and former Axeman Sam Gard’ner both got on the scoresheet for Pōneke, but the Hawks scored four tries including one each to Premier regulars Jacob Walmsley and Serge Hollis and three conversions off the boot of goal-kicking prop and captain Seamus Rowberry to run last year’s runners-up close.

At Ngati Toa Domain Paremata-Plimmerton made their debut in the competition in style with a 60-5 win over the Wellington Axemen, running in 10 tries to one. Esi Komaisavai and Colts back Labront Muldrock-Tolai each scored doubles.

And at the Hutt Rec, home side HOBM ran out to a 21-0 lead in the first half over the OBU Scallywags. It was more even after the interval, but a solitary try each left a 28-5 scoreline.

Petone defaulted to Taranaki’s Tukapa, with most of the players they would have used playing in today’s Colts final.

In some other matches to hand from across the country, perennial contenders Pakuranga were comfortable 61-0 winners over Beachlands Maraetai, inaugural winners Eden Lizards beat North Shore 41-12, and the Auckland Uni Slugs bested Glenfield 60-0. Karaka held off Suburbs (Auckland) 26-22, while there was a cracker in Hamilton with Auckland’s College Rifles beating Marist 44-31. In one other North Island result New Plymouth OB beat Whanganui’s Kaierau 39-7.

Down south Lincoln Uni edged out Sydenham 24-22, and Waihora – who made a splash in last years competition – saw off Methven 50-0.

Reserve Grade

The semi-finalists have been found in the Division 1 John Davies Cup after today’s quarter-finals.

In the 4 v 5 match the Paremata-Plimmerton Punters beat Wellington 26-22, in the 2 v 7 match the Johnonville Cripples defeated the UH Rams Thirstys 33-22 and in the 3 v 6 encounter, the OBU Righteous Pink Ginners beat Stokes Valley 43-7.

The Pōneke Ruffnuts advanced straight to the semi-finals, so will be joined by Paremata-Plimmerton, Johnsonville and the Righteous Pink Ginners in the top 4 round next week – draw to follow.

In the Division 2 Alan Seerup Cup semi-finals, the OBU Mixed Veges beat the Petone Brotherhood 23-12 and the MSP Internationals defeated the Wainuiomata legacy 51-29. Next weke’s final will between the Mixed Veges and the Legacy.

Representative Rugby

Just two matches played today involving Wellington represeantive teams.

In Taihape, the Wellington U20s (formerly the U19s) met their Waikato Counterparts. We are awaiting a result of that match as this goes to print.

At Porirua Park, the Horowhenua-Kapiti Heartland Championship squad stretched its wings against the Wellington Māori team.

In fine, windy conditions, Horowhenua-Kapiti won by the comfortable margin of 11 tries to 5 and [unofficially] 73-31.

Horowhenua-Kapiti led throughout and were always in control, but the fulltime score did blow out in the fourth quarter with the visitors scoring three tries in a few minutes, and then another try on fulltime when it was all over.

Nevertheless, it was a satisfying start for coaches Aleni Feagaiga and Kent Harris, who will be boosted by their loan players starting next week against Manawatu Development.

Wellington Māori had their chances and played some typically entertaining rugby, with first-five Declan Hay in particular always looking for opportunities, but Horowhenua-Kapiti did the basics better, took their chances and had better discipline. The Māori would lose two players to the sin-bin during the second half.

The first half was broken into two 20-minute blocks and H-K led 17-5 at quarter-time and 29-17 at halftime – playing with the southerly wind.

Two of their first four tries were scored through the forwards from penalties and lineouts in the far clubrooms end corner. Māori second-five Tyler Tane was involved in two of their first three tries, scoring one himself and setting one up to hooker Evan Paenga.

H-K ran in the first two tries of the second half to extend their lead to 41-17, the home side scored again, but H-K pulled clear again including back-to-back-to back tries.

Another match between the Wellington Centurions and the Wairarapa-Bush Heartland Championship squad was cancelled owing to illness in the Wai-Bush camp.

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It was the opening round of the Hurricanes U21 Heartland Development series today.

In two matches played, Poverty Bay beat Horowhenua-Kapiti 62-10 in Napier and Wairarapa-Bush defeated Whanganui 57-20 at home.

Rounds 2 and 3 are being played next weekend on Saturday and Sunday in Bulls, from which the Hurricanes Heartland U21 squad will be chosen to go on and play the Wellington, Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu U20s in the annual Central Region Shield competition.

College Rugby

The semi-finalists had been found in the top two College grades, but who would take on who next week would only be found after today’s final round of matches.

In the Premiership it was 1v2 out at Opaki north of Masterton, and while Rathkeale hung tough against leaders Wellington College, the visitors pulled away with three tries in the final quarter to win 42-17. That meant that both Town and Silverstream could leapfrog Rathkeale and they duly did; Town racked up a 66-24 win over HIBS in the middle of Trentham racecourse, and Silverstream racked up the ton as they overwhelmed minnows Mana 104-0. Elsewhere St Bernard’s finished 5th by beating Scots 44-26, and Wairarapa College closed with a 38-19 win over Rongotai.

That all means that Wellington College and Rathkeale do it all again next weekend only this time on the northern slopes of Mt Victoria, and through the tunnel Town will want to repeat their Traditional victory when they host Silverstream.

In Premier 2 the Silverstream 2nds were assured of top spot after illness forced Aotea to default. The Town 2nds had a chance to overtake Aotea, and did so in beating Kapiti 34-25 up the coast. In the other matches the Wellington College 2nds beat Hutt Valley HS 19-17, the Stream 3rds accounted for Porirua 34-24, and Tawa finally got off the goose egg with a 51-31 win over Paraparaumu.

In their semifinals Silverstream will host Kapiti, and Town will face Aotea.

In the flagship Under 15 division Silverstream pasted Town 60-5, Wellington College beat Mana 34-3, and Scots thumped Rongotai 71-0 with St Bernard’s having the final round bye. The semi-finals here will see Silverstream and Town do it again next Saturday, with Wellington College hosting Scots.