In three representative matches involving WRFU teams played on Saturday, the Wellington Bs enjoyed a solid victory over the Taranaki Bs in their last round-robin Hurricanes Development competition match and the Wellington Colts and Wellington U19s lost to Waikato and Otago age-grade teams in non-competition games.
In two games at an alpine Porirua Park, the Wellington Bs defeated their Taranaki counterparts 37-11 and the Wellington U19s met a 7-27 loss at the hands of the Otago U19s.
At Taihape, the Wellington Colts missed out to Waikato U20 23-25.
In junior representative rugby, the Wellington U13 Premier 1s lost to Manawatu U14 17-54 and the Wellington U13 Premier 2s beat Manawatu U13 41-0.
In other rugby played around the region, the American Ambassadors 7s Tournament, the third leg of the WRFU Sevens calendar, was postponed due to the wintry weather that gripped Wellington on Friday and Saturday.
The Wellington Bs warmed up for this coming weekend's Hurricanes Development competition season finale in Palmerston North with a well-earned win over the Taranaki Bs.
Wellington will meet Manawatu B in the Development final at FMI (pre-determined venue) Stadium in Palmerston North this Friday at 5pm. The match doubles as the curtain-raiser for the Manawatu - Bay of Plenty Air New Zealand Cup fixture.
The win for Wellington was their fifth in six competition games and sees them finish comfortably ahead of the other three teams on the points ladder at the end of the home and away round-robin series.
The final points table is: Wellington 24, Manawatu 16, Taranaki 10, Hawke's Bay 10
Wellington's consistent pressure in extremely testing conditions provided the keys to their five tries to one victory. The scoring action was led by halfback Tomasi Palu and Alex Tulou, who between them were directly involved in four of Wellington's five tries, and first five-eighth Leon Ellison scored 17 points including the last try of the afternoon.
Palu and Tulou scored one apiece and lock Steven Bradshaw scored the other as Wellington crossed for three first half tries and took a 22-8 lead into the halftime break.
With the wind at their backs, Palu started and finished the movement that led to the opening try in the 12th minute, hacking ahead a dropped ball on the ground in midfield and chasing up to pounce on an ensuing loose ball in Taranaki's in-goal.
Taranaki hit back in the 20th minute with their only try of the game through right winger Whaimotu Craft-Collins, who showed good speed and a nose for the corner from a scrum near halfway.
Wellington recaptured the lead through a long-range Ellison penalty ahead of Tulou scoring his try in the right hand following a chargedown of a Taranaki clearing kick. Ellison's conversion from a wide angle extended Wellington's lead to 15-5.
Taranaki first five-eighth Cody Rei kicked a penalty to close the gap to 15-8 after 35 minutes.
But Wellington hit back immediately with a try to Bradshaw after winning back possession from the re-start and surging towards the tryline.
A searing break up field by Tulou deep into Taranaki's territory and some quick phase play led to an Ellison penalty to open the scoring in the second half, followed by Rei kicking the visitors' last points of the match with a penalty in reply to make it 25-11 after 50 minutes.
The next period of play won the game for Wellington, successfully defending their line from several Taranaki attacking raids and then breaking out from a 22-metre re-start to score a decisive try.
From the dropout, skipper and flanker Galu Taufaele soared high to claim back possession, opening up a hole in the defensive line that led to a 70-metre try to left wing Marika Kau. Ellison couldn't convert this time, but at 30-11 ahead the result was safe and the bonus point was bagged.
Taranaki maintained a territorial advantage, but it was Wellington who broke out from under their posts to score the game's last try with three minutes left on the clock.
Turning over a defensive ruck, replacement halfback Anthony Bradshaw flung the ball to Alex Tulou standing at first receiver under his posts. The hard running No. 8 then put his foot down and reached halfway before offloading to fullback Buxton Popoalii in support, who in turn found Ellison on his shoulder to finish the game in style for Wellington.
In the earlier game at Porirua, the Wellington U19s battled the elements and a spirited Otago U19 team in their loss in their final game of the season.
The southerners had first use of the cold and slippery conditions and built a match winning 27-0 lead by halftime.
Otago took their chances, that included a chargedown try under the posts, to advance to a 20-0 lead after as many minutes.
Wellington came back into the game in the second half, but Otago defended well and Wellington were only able to breach their visitors' tryline once, No. 8 and captain Bradley Shields surging forward to score from an attacking scrum after 12 minutes.
First five-eighth Glen Walters' conversion was the last scoring play of the game, although Wellington were unlucky not to go on and score at least one other try to close the deficit with the lion's share of territory and possession in the second half.
The Wellington Colts were desperately unlucky not to finish their 2009 rep season on a winning note, pipped on fulltime by the Waikato U20 team who kicked the match winning penalty under the posts with the last act of the game.
The Colts spent the final few minutes of the match frantically defending their line and protecting their 23-22 lead but couldn't prevent Waikato from closing out the victory at the very end.
The Colts had played well and had kept their noses in front throughout much of the contest, scoring two tries, to lock Kaipati Gaualofa and left wing Ryan Setephano, the latter off a great break by centre Julian Savea.
At Porirua Park:
Hurricanes Development Competition: Wellington B 37 (Tomasi Palu, Alex Tulou, Steven Bradshaw, Marika Kau, Leon Ellison tries; Ellison 2 pen, 3 con) beat Taranaki B 11 (Whaimotu Craft-Chemis try; Cody Rei 2 pen). Ht: Wellington 22-8.
Wellington U19s 7 (Bradley Shields try; Glen Walters con) lost to Otago U19 27. ht. Otago 27-0.
At Taihape:
Wellington Colts 23 (Kaipati Gaualofa, Ryan Setephano tries; Hayden Cripps 2, James So'oilao pen; Cripps 2 con) lost to Waikato U20 25. Ht: Wellington 17-10
U13s:
Wellington U13 Premier 1 17
Manawatu U14 54
Wellington U13 Premier 2 41
Manawatu U13 0