Derby Day Bonanza for club rugby tomorrow
Tomorrow is one of the bigger days in the Swindale Shield calendar with Derby Day. Introduced a few years back, it’s been a popular addition to the season, putting local bragging rights at stake. Six of the seven match-ups are geographical ones, the seventh is the between the two Marist clubs, and all have an interclub trophy at stake as well as valuable competition points, and all ahead of another midweek round to come on Wednesday.
Two Premier games will be covered tomorrow on radio. Gordon Noble-Campbell will have the call of Norths vs Paremata-Plimmerton on RadioSport with Norths’ Director of Rugby Tom Martin alongside, and Adam Julian will cover Old Boys-University vs Wellington on Te Upoko 1161AM.
Premier Swindale Shield
Starting in the eastern suburbs, the first contest is at the Polo Ground between Oriental Rongotai and Poneke. Ories’ first loss of the season saw them drop from second to sixth on the very congested points table, and a return to winning ways would have them very handily placed. Hooker Poasa Poasa makes his first start in two years after returning to the club, Corey Lawrence makes his first start in Magpie colours after initially thought to be out for the season, and Trevor Marama returns at first-five with James Proctor moving into midfield.
Poneke find themselves flying high in third after their first-half rampage against Paremata-Plimmerton saw them atone for last year’s surprise Hardham Cup loss. It’s been a relatively settled line-up for the Kilbirnie side this year, and have named the same starting backline as last week for tomorrows encounter, with the only change being Galu Taufale at No. 8.
The two will once again contest the Jim Grbich Memorial Shield, held by Ories after their narrow 28-27 win in this fixture last year. Grbich was an immensely talented midfielder-cum-loose forward who played for Poneke, Wellington and NZ Maori until his passing at just 31 in a late-night motor vehicle accident in 1962. The shield named in his honour was presented in 1964 and contested every year since between Poneke and firstly Oriental (1964-67) and Oriental-Rongotai (since 1968) in the ‘Battle of the Cutting’ clash.
Around the other side of the airport, the region’s two Marist clubs clash at Evans Bay. Both sides find themselves in the somewhat unusual position of being outside the top 8 making this an even more desperate clash than usual. Marist St Pat’s sit 9th after their back-and-forth loss to Wainuiomata, and a win will likely put them back into their accustomed territory of the top 8. Their side tomorrow has as many positional as personnel changes with Gabe Papuni shifting to No.8 (replacing the absent Matt Peni) and Ryan Setefano back into centre. Flyer Mike Buckley makes his first start for the year, on the left wing. Victory is perhaps even more important for Hutt Old Boys Marist, who lie 11th with just one win on the season (over Johnsonville), are in a prolonged slump and coming off a poor showing against Tawa. Coaches Dan Vulu and Dan Pavihi have made several changes, with James O’Reilly, James Wall, Jared Woodward, Francis Tanuvasu all returned to the line-up, with current Samoan 7’s rep Tomasi Alosio also starting for the first time this year. Lui Okeamoa-Luamanu, Fereti Soloa, and veteran Alexis Time are amongst those who make way.
Both sides have something to give extra motivation. HOBM will want to overturn the 42-27 result to MSP in the final of the annual Spillane Cup tournament in Hamilton in preseason, while MSP will want to reclaim the Father Cleary Shield the two sides play for. Fr Tom Cleary was a sportsmaster and 1st XV coach at St Patrick’s College and a founder of the St Pat’s Old Boys club; the shield was donated by the Roche family originally for play between the St Patricks OB and Marist clubs when relations between the two were poor, and since their amalgamation by MSP against firstly Hutt Valley Marist and then HOBM. Last year’s game was an absolute belter with both sides going in unbeaten. MSP led 29-24 at the break and the two simply didn’t let up, with HOBM getting home with the basketball-like score of 54-49 and no fewer than 15 tries scored.
Another side in need of wins and points is Petone, who were unable to follow-up their McBain Shield heroics and fell to Avalon in something of a dour struggle. Now sitting 10th, they play host to fifth-placed Wainuiomata at the Rec with their Darren Larsen Cup – donated by the long-time coaching identity and current WRFU Academy Manager – at stake. Veterans Adrian Barone and Cam Incledon (the latter making his first start this year) return for the home side along with young pivot Piri Paraone and former Sevens rep Belgium Tuatagaloa named at fullback; Mateaki Kafetolu will be absent however. Wainuiomata make just one change up front, with the considerable frame of Attila Va’a replacing Anthony Mamea at tighthead, and two in the backs with Marvin Karawana and Teru Time returning in place of Tu Umaga-Marshall and Peter Umaga-Jensen (on U20 duty) respectively. Josh Robertson-Weepu continues in the 10 jersey. Wainuiomata won this match by 20-11, but Petone prevailed 29-28 in their last round Jubilee Cup contest last year.
Up the road the valley’s two northernmost Premier clubs meet at Fraser Park when Avalon take on the Upper Hutt Rams. Arguably Avalon have been the surprise package so far, having taken wins over both Wellington and Petone away from home, as well as drawing with Ories on opening day, and Jubilee Cup rugby for the first time since 2006 is a distinct possibility. The Rams sit 12th, and need to start accumulating wins if they are to avoid a return trip to the Hardham Cup, but oddly enough are they only one of the two sides to have won at Fraser Park this year when they beat Tawa in the first of the night rounds. Their side tomorrow has just two changes from last week; Aidan Woodward comes in for Vern Sosefo at lock, while Mr Versatile Hayden Schrijvers is the latest to put on the 13 jersey for the Rams this year. By contrast the Wolves have made several changes, with the return of veteran halfback Cameron Cross and Daniel Sione-Leota at No.8 amongst them.
Their match has the Harper Vine trophy at stake, donated by the families of Tammy Harper and Bob Vine. Harper was the first elected Life Member of the Avalon club, and had a longstanding and intense rivalry on the field with Upper Hutt’s Vine. The Rams hold this after their 48-34 win last year, and were also successful in the sides’ pair of Hardham Cup meetings by 46-37, and 44-12 in the semi-final.
Across to the west, it’s Old Timers Day at Tawa, with Johnsonville the visitors to Lyndhurst Park. The hosts sit seventh, but may have turned a corner with successive high-scoring outings against Avalon and HOBM, and given the Hawks form so far this year, its odds-on for another tomorrow. They make just one change to the starting line-up that dealt to the Eagles last weekend with Daniel Leone replacing Hisa Sasagi in the front row. Johnsonville hasn’t held an opponent to less than 50 points in their five games so far, and averaging 73 conceded per match so far they’re well in the territory of Rimutaka’s 2012 (60 per game) and 2013 (81 per game!) ignominious Swindale campaigns.
On the line between the two sides is the Carman Cup, named for Arthur Carman who was a Johnsonville club member and first Patron of Tawa on its formation in 1947, with Johnsonville sponsoring Tawa’s entry into the WRFU. The trophy was first played for in 1952 and apart from 1994 it has been contested each year since, albeit often at below the top-level. Tawa holds it after their successive last-gasp 18-15 and 13-11 wins the last two years, but not one player who started on either of those days for Johnsonville will tomorrow.
Furthest north at the Jerry Collins Stadium is the Porirua derby, revived last year in the top-flight for the first-time since 1988 when Porirua and Titahi Bay last met as separate entities in that year’s Hardham Cup. The modern day version is between the merger of those two, Northern United, and neighbours Paremata-Plimmerton. Norths early-season revival continued with their 66-0 thrashing of Johnsonville, and will look to make it 5 from 6 on the year. Coach Gerard Fa’asavalu has rotated his squad with Feofa’aki Tua’anglu making his starting debut on the wing and Cameron Craig making his first Premier start for the club since 2012 at first-five.
Pare-Plim are still searching for their first Swindale win since 1987, and after a meritorious performance against OBU, they turned in a half they’ll want to forget in the first 40 against Poneke. Most of the players involved in that have been given the chance to atone, though they have changed their entire front row. They will have to be wary of giving away kickable penalties as well, with Norths’ Perry Hayman leading all pointscorers so far this year, and capable of knocking them over from over 50m.
Norths will attempt to defend two trophies tomorrow; the Bill Brien Challenge Cup which they won off Poneke two weeks ago and the Ivan Hargreaves Trophy the two clubs play for that they won 55-7 last year. Hargreaves was an administrator for the Titahi Bay club and also a Porirua City councillor, and donated the trophy originally for competition between the four western bays clubs – Pare-Plim, Porirua, Titahi Bay, and Tawa.
All six matches above kick-off at the usual time of 2.45pm.
The final match is at the later time of 5pm, and marks the first time club rugby has been played at Westpac Stadium since the 2010 Jubilee Cup Final. It’s a mouth-watering clash too as unbeaten leaders Old Boys-University face their second top-two clash in as many weeks when they take on Wellington in the curtain-raiser to the Hurricanes vs Chiefs Super Rugby match.
The Goats left it to the last moments against Ories to run their winning streak to 14 matches and undoubtedly want more breathing space this week. Jonathan Fuimaono, Teariki Ben-Nicholas and Jono Ihaka all return and last week’s hero Maile Koloto will again come off the bench, while Marino Mikaele-Tuu will be absent on U20s duty. The Axemen have just the one blot on their record, a loss to Avalon in round two, but have taken a bonus point each week, and win will see them move to the top of the ladder. With the exception of Sam Gard’ner and their Super Rugby contingent it looks to be as close to their first choice line-up they could name. Adam Deck swaps in for Carne Green at halfback, with Penijamini Nabainivalu returning to the line-up to partner Ahtun Masun in midfield.
Goal-kicking will be a factor too, as OBU’s woes with the boot almost cost them last week’s match while Wellington has one of the best going around in James So’oialo, who is also one of the few players still active at Premier level to have played on Westpac in club colours, scoring a try and kicking two conversions in that 2010 decider for Norths.
The two sides contest the Dean Gifford Memorial Cup. Gifford, who passed away in 2012, played for a number of clubs in Wellington, with both the Axemen and OBU amongst them. The cup named in his honour is held by the Axemen after their 17-16 win last season, however OBU did win the return Jubilee Cup clash by 30-22.
Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield
Derby day also extends to the Premier Reserve competition, with their matches providing the appetisers for the contests following. Marist St Pats and Poneke remain unbeaten, and have opened a big enough break on the field that even if they lost this weekend they would still be in the top two. MSP comfortably saw off Wainuiomata on Saturday and hosts mid-table HOBM, while Poneke – who were made to work hard for a one-point win over Paremata-Plimmerton – visit 12th placed near-neighbours Oriental-Rongotai.
OBU take on Wellington at Nairnville in a top-six match-up, where a win will be vital to keep pace at the very least for hopes of a Hardham place. Norths welcome Pare-Plim to the JCS, Petone face Wainuiomata, Upper Hutt visits Avalon, and Tawa hosts Johnsonville in the other fixtures.
All Premier Reserve matches kick off at 1pm.
Women’s Fleurs Trophy
Three rounds in and the table looks to have sorted itself into an order. As expected Norths and Oriental-Rongotai remain unbeaten and already on course for their decisive match in the last round.
Norths didn’t even have to leave the house last weekend after Johnsonville-Tawa were unable to field a team, and they host the bottom-placed competition newbies Upper Hutt Rams on Porirua Park #2. They should keep pace with Ories, who have already banked five points after MSP defaulted, with injuries and unavailability leaving the Lady Scarlets short.
Old Boys-University venture out to the valley to take on Hutt Old Boys Marist in the first senior rugby on the Hutt Rec for the year, Wainuiomata host Poneke at William Jones, and Johnsonville-Tawa face Avalon at Redwood Park.
This week’s round reverts to Saturday morning, with all matches at 11.30am
Colts Division 1 Paris Memorial Trophy
On the evidence of the first two weeks the age-grade competition will be very hard-fought. Three sides are two-from-two, with Marist St Pats leading the way on point’s difference from Poneke and OBU Green. The round gets underway tonight with two games; winless Norths face OBU at Ascot Park while Tawa, also unbeaten after a draw and a win so far, take on the Upper Hutt Rams at Alex Moore. Both games are at 7.30pm.
Tomorrow’s three games are all at 1pm. In clashes that continue the Derby Day theme MSP host HOBM on the St Pat’s artificial, and Poneke head across to Polo to take on Oriental-Rongotai. The remaining game is a mid-table clash between Petone and Wellington on the Rec.
Under 85kg Restricted JC Bowl
Defending champions Tawa and Wellington lead the way, both unbeaten through three rounds. This weekend’s round are all tomorrow, with the Axemen facing Avalon’s challenge at 1pm at Hataitai, while at the same time Johnsonville and HOBM meet at Helston Park. The pair of 2.45pm kick-offs has the OBU Bunnies visiting Tawa at Redwood Park, while winless Stokes Valley look to get off the mark when they host Eastbourne at Delaney. Poneke has the bye.
First Grade Thompson Memorial Trophy
Finally, the First Grade competition rolls into their fourth round. In one 1pm kick-off leaders OBU meet with Poneke at Te Whaea, while in the second the other unbeaten side – the Petone Brotherhood – meet Tawa at Redwood. The other two matches are at 2.45pm with winless MSP hosting Norths on the St Pats turf, and the Petone Saxons face Avalon on the Rec. HOBM has this weeks bye.