Smorgasbord of club, rep and college rugby to watch and follow this weekend

By Scott MacLean

There is a mix of matches to watch and follow on this weekend in the Wellington region and a bit further afar tomorrow, featuring representative, club and college competitions and match-ups.

Our take on much of what is on is below, with teamlists that have we have come across at the bottom.

Representative

Can the Lions break their duck? Can they concede less than 30 points? Their best chance at both comes on Sunday when they host the only other winless team and the only one below them on the ladder when they take on Counties-Manukau at Hnry Stadium. If they are to somehow salvage a playoff place, this match will be where it begins.

Just starting out are the Pride, who start their bid for promotion within the Farah Palmer Cup tomorrow at the same venue and opposition as the Lions were at last week; Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin against Otago. The southerners have been Wellington’s nemesis in recent years, and building on last week’s pre-season win over Manawatu with another in the competition opener will be the aim.

Closer to home are a handful of other representative matches. There’s a double-header at Rugby League Park with the Wellington Under 20s looking to atone for last week’s loss to Hawkes Bay when they take on Manawatu, followed by the Wellington Centurions taking on their Turbo counterparts. Kick-off at these venues is 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

Kilbirnie Park is home to two more, as the Under 18 Girls face Tasman on the main ground while the Pasifika U20s take on the Wellington Fijians. A fifth match was to be at Fraser Park with a Hutt Valley Samoan selection hosting the always-entertaining Whanganui Fijians, but this has been cancelled.

At age-grade level both the Centurions Boys and Girls U18 sides are away, taking on the Waikato Harlequins XVs in Turangi.

Under 85s National Club Cup

Maybe the biggest match in town tomorrow kicks off at Kilbirnie Park at 1.15pm, with 2025 runners-up Poneke facing 2024 winners Pakuranga for a place in next week’s final at North Harbour Stadium. Both were relatively comfortable winners last weekend and with their pedigrees in this competition speaking for themselves, it has the makings of a real cracker.

The victor will take on the winner of the other semi-final, which has Silverdale – vanquishers of defending champions Christchurch HSOB last Saturday – taking New Plymouth’s Tukapa on neutral ground in Taupo.

College

St Pat’s Silverstream go looking to extend their season into a maiden National Top Four appearance, but to get there – and be the first Wellington side to make it in a decade – they’ll have to beat Napier Boys’ High School when they clash in Palmerston North tomorrow. Napier were handy winners over old foes and Super 8 rivals Hastings, while Stream overcame the challenge of Lindisfarne. Silverstream have the talent to beat their fancied rivals but will need to be at the top of their game to prevail.

Next week sees two age grade events happening here. From Monday to Wednesday is the Under 14 Festival at Wakefield Park in Island Bay with seven local teams and visitors from Nelson College (two teams), Feilding High School, St Thomas’ of Canterbury, and Masterton’s Makoura College.

Running from Wednesday to Saturday is the Hurricanes Under 15 Tournament based out of Silverstream but with matches across Upper Hutt. Twenty teams are in two divisions, with twelve teams contesting the Division 1 crown. Notables here include Wellington champions Silverstream, Auckland powerhouses St Peter’s and Kelston Boys, Feilding High, and southern raiders St Thomas’ and John McGlashan.

Heartland

Regional bragging rights will be on the line tomorrow at Masterton’s Memorial Park, where Wairarapa Bush pitch up for their first home game against visitors Horowhenua-Kapiti. Both sides have one-win, one-loss records so far, with each victory coming against Poverty Bay in Gisborne. The ‘Nua have the upper hand in recent contests winning a close one last year while two years ago Esi Komaisavai ran riot for the visitors on the turf.

In the other matches defending champions Mid-Canterbury are in Ruatoria to face East Coast, Whanganui host Poverty Bay, West Coast face Thames Valley in Greymouth, South Canterbury take on Buller, and across the Waitaki North Otago are at home against King Country.

TEAMS AS SUPPLIED

Wellington Lions

1. Geordie Bean (OBU)

2. James O’Reilly (HOBM)

3. Alex Hewitt (Upper Hutt)

4. Johnny Falloon (OBU)

5. Hugo Plummer (Tawa)

6. Caleb Delany © (OBU)

7. Dominic Ropeti (Ories)

8. Rupeni Raviyawa (HOBM – debut)

9. Logan Henry (HOBM)

10. Callum Harkin (OBU)

11. William Davis (Petone)

12. Losi Filipo (Petone)

13. Matt Proctor (Wellington)

14. Reo Matsushita (Japan)

15. Cam Burgess (MSP)

16. Penieli Poasa (Ories)

17. Jake Turnbull (Import)

18. Bradley Crichton (Norths)

19. Murphy Taramai (Upper Hutt)

20. Kenkichi Yanagawa (Japan)

21. Riley Williams (Import)

22.Divad Palu (Import)

23.Jackson Ropata (Import)

Wellington Pride

1. Giavanna Leo (Norths – debut)
2. Valini Vaka © (Ories)
3. Faythe Finau (Norths)
4. Jessica Jackson (Poneke)
5. Eva Maora (Petone)
6. Lourdes Faifua (Petone)
7. Paige Lilo (Norths – debut)
8. Evelyn Tea (Ories)
9. Milly Mackey (Petone)
10. Arene Landon-Lane (Norths)
11. Ana Kerr (Petone – debut)
12. Nia Sutherland (Petone)
13. Merania Paraone (Ories – debut)
14. Fia Laikong (OBU – debut)
15. Keira Su’a-Smith (Wainuiomata)
16. Paige Misky (Norths)
17. Megan Tulili (Poneke – debut)
18. Keiana Roffey (Poneke)
19. Trilaine Raika-Suitauloa (Petone – debut)
20. Rikki Fitzgerald (Poneke – debut)
21. Te Arani Te Puni (OBU)
22. Baylee Merioti (OBU)
23. Ivana Samani (Ories)

Wellington Centurions

1. Jade Langi (Upper Hutt)
2. Kaleb Saxon (Petone)
3. Senio Sanele (Upper Hutt)
4. Samuel Thomson (Petone)
5. Ben Tuiomanufili © (HOBM)
6. Mitchell Shields (OBU)
7. Conner Tuifao (Petone)
8. Luke Bidois (Tawa)
9. Waylon Tuhoro-Robinson (HOBM)
10. Jacob Waikari-Jones (Petone)
11. Luke Kapene (Wellington)
12. Emmanuel Solomona (Wainuiomata)
13. Caleb Robson (HOBM)
14. Daniel Tafili (Ories)
15. Jordan Soli (Ories)
16. George Jacobs (HOBM)
17. Harry Rankin (Petone)
18. Archie Treadwell (Wellington)
19. Conley Alexander (Petone)
20. David Johnson (Ories)
21. Ieti Campbell (Upper Hutt)
22. Finlay Hagan (MSP)
23. Viliame Rarasea (MSP)
24. Braydon Soi (Wainuiomata)
25. Esi Komaisavai (Pare-Plim)

Wellington U20s

1. Heath Tuifao (Petone)
2. Cazna Sale (MSP)
3. Corban King (MSP)
4. Lachie Earl (OBU)
5. Tane Landon-Lane (Norths)
6. Archie Schrader (Petone)
7. Elijah Solomona © (Wainuiomata)
8. Ele Lupo (Tawa)
9. Kian O’Connoll (HOBM)
10. Advent Va’a (Ories)
11. Fa’a Lokeni (Wellington)
12. Jeremiah Tuhenga-Vaitupu (Poneke)
13. Brodee Tetevano (HOBM)
14. Navrin Campbell (MSP)
15. Max Reynolds (MSP)
16. Riley Browne (HOBM)
17. Hamish Huggins (Poneke)
18. Elijah Talalupe (Ories)
19. Kitiona Talaepa (Petone)
20. Kingston Hill (Petone)
21. Bentley Faulkner (MSP)
22. Jake Lawson (OBU)
23. Rico Poutama (Norths)

Manawatu U20s

1. Tame Langilangi
2. TJ Wallace
3. Kruiz Ioane
4. Zach Filer
5. Lazzoryss Tovo
6. Viliami Rongokea Tupou
7. Kobe Stranks-Rose ©
8. Sione Katoa
9. Cooper Furnell
10. Tyrese Tane
11. Louis Elsom
12. Tevita Fakahau
13. Hame Palelei
14. Kailen Ellmers
15. Aston Scott
16. Junior Utailesolo
17. Faleata Finau
18. Joe Nikola
19. Tom Dyer
20. Bailey Ngata-Cribb
21. Zeek Goodsir
22. Amini Seruwalu

Wellington U18 Centurions

1. Julius Toimata (Well. College)
2. Herman Tuiatua (St Pats Town)
3. Donncha McNamara-Taele (St Pats Town)
4. Eddy Weatherstone (OBU)
5. Lachlan Wallace (St Bernards)
6. Laifone Kamoto (Well. College)
7. Ryder Sao (Tawa RFC)
8. Remy Fitisemanu © (St Pats Town)
9. Axel Daken (Petone)
10. Decodah Silva (St Pats Town)
11. Teddy Cooling (Pare-Plim)
12. Benjamin Faitala (Well. College)
13. Liam Phelps (Well. College)
14. Ashton Hamer (St Pats Town)
15. Maka Vaihola (St Pats Town)
16. Noah Sipeli (Well. College)
17. Noah Leavasa-Tavoi (St Pats Town)
18. Harry Baddington (Well. College)
19. Xavier Ikin-Manulevu (St Pats Town)
20. Ethan Lepou (Norths)
21. Z’Kdeus Schwalger (Well. College)
22. Blake Miscall (HOBM)
23. Perenise Patu (St Pats Town)
24. Lome Va’a (Rongotai)

Poneke U85s

1. Nathan Marsh ©
2. Oscar Wilson
3. Will “Bootstrap Bill” Tobin
4. Pasia Asiata
5. Jack MacGill
6. Matthias Lima
7. Remiel Diouf
8. Sam Gard’ner
9. Jimmy-Lee Hongara ©
10. Cam Bond
11. Ethan Rangi
12. Alex Morrissey
13. Ben “Old Man” Huntley
14. Maitarangi Arahanga
15. Potene Rolls
16. Jasper Spencer
17. Pa Taikato
18. Lucas Carroll
19. Adam Lodge
20. Declan Hay
21. Max Rodgers
22. Dom Sipa or Grant Harley

Pakuranga U85s

1. Fred Give ‘em the Boot ©
2. Daniel Magee
3. Jeandre Du Toit
4. Ben Wilson
5. Bryn Jones
6. Reuben Wairau
7. Kyle Jonson
8. Callum Dimond
9. Gabe Roberts
10. Cameron James
11. Maika Mrova
12. Kobe Kay
13. Riki McGregor
14. Jamie Petford
15. Nga Kamana
16. Caleb Noonan
17. Ryan Napier
18. Riley Thompson
19. Ewald Schmulian
20. Jadin Gouws
21. Mason Lockhart
22. Regan McGregor

Wairarapa Bush

1. Stan Wright, Jr (Marist)
2. Leon Tuiloma (Loan – Upper Hutt)
3. Lewis Bush (Greytown)
4. Malakai Biumaiwai (Greytown)
5. Cody Cunningham (Martinborough)
6. Van Prenter (East Coast)
7. Inia Katia (Carterton)
8. Isireli Biumaiwai (Greytown)
9. Daryl Pickering © (Carterton)
10. Hoera Stephenson (Loan – Havelock North)
11. Soli Malatai (Greytown)
12. Ethan Webster-Nonu (Loan – Pare-Plim)
13. Levi Harmon (Loan – College Old Boys)
14. Fiula Tameilau (Carterton)
15. Gracyn Evans (Greytown)
16. George Parkes (East Coast)
17. Jerry Mapusua (Marist)
18. Sam Siaosi (Marist)
19. Marcus Ale (Marist)
20. Thomas Williams (East Coast)
21. Archie Bennett (East Coast)
22. Hayden Cooper (Marist)
23. Charles Mataitai (Marist)

Horowhenua-Kapiti

1. Brett Manaia (Loan – HOBM)
2. John MacNeilage (Paraparaumu)
3. David McErlean (Foxton)
4. Isaac Carter (Waikanae)
5. Massie Harvey (Foxton)
6. Genesis Mamea-Lemalu (Loan – Wainuiomata)
7. Lesen Huiarangi (Paraparaumu)
8. Mika Alaifatu © (Loan – HOBM)
9. TJ Barnsley (Paraparaumu)
10. Ethan Woodmass (Foxton)
11. Junior Sione (Wanderers)
12. Connor Paki (Foxton)
13. Taine Hata (Waikanae)
14. Leighton Ralph (Rahui)
15. Zane Ainslie (Loan – HOBM)
16. PJ Iakopo (College Old Boys)
17. Mikaere Harvey (Foxton)
18, Max Saunders (Paraparaumu)
19. Brad Reilly (Paraparaumu)
20. Aaron Lahmert (Waikanae)
21. Himiona Henare (Wanderers)
22. Darren Falaniko (Wanderers)
23. Willie Paia’aua (College Old Boys)