Tight contests in opening Jubilee Cup round

Strap yourselves in, rugby fans.

If the opening weekend of the Jubilee Cup is any indication, supporters of the eight sides will have shredded nerves even before the playoffs are reached. Today's opening round of matches saw both tense and thrilling finishes, with no more than four points the solitary margin on a fine but blustery afternoon.

Upsets were also the order of the day in the Premier Women's competition, while there was another last night in the Colts top division.

A big result in the Jubilee Cup came at the Basin Reserve, where the Upper Hutt Rams toppled defending champions and Swindale winners Old Boys-University in a blockbuster.

Hurricane and centre Jason Woodward was the hero of the hour for the Rams side, kicking a match winning 40-metre penalty with the last play of the game into the teeth of a stroppy northerly.

OBU had taken the lead for the first time of the match with about 10 minutes to play and the home team's supporters were starting to ride the defending champions home.

Woodward had scored two first half tries as the Rams took a 14-0 halftime lead, the first being the try of the match when he centre kicked for halfback Hayden Schrijvers to collect and then link up with Woodward again who came roaring through in support on the cut back.

The Rams will also look back on a big period of defence just before halftime as key to their win. The Goats attacked their line with all their armaments but couldn't break through. Schrijvers was also sin-binned in this period so the Rams held on to halftime with 14 men.

The second spell was tit-for-tat, with penalties by both sides and an OBU try cutting the Rams' lead to 17-11. An offside penalty in favour of the Rams was reversed and the Goats scored to take a one-point lead. But up stepped Woodward, who calmly smashed the winning penalty into the wind.

Through the Mount Victoria tunnel Wainuiomata turned the tables on Wellington from their encounter last week, winning 15-14.

A Josh Robertson-Weepu sideline conversion proved to be the difference at Hataitai Park. Tu Umaga-Marshall dug his way over from close range on the right touch line to close the gap to 14-13 in Wellington's favour and Robertson-Weepu did the rest, calmly slotting the goal as the wind that had been blowing all afternoon, dropped as he took the kick.

Wellington used their wind advantage well in the first half, scoring two tries to Penijamini Nabainivalu and Adam Stewart, though a Vaea Fifita yellow card for a tip tackle on Peter Umaga-Jensen gave Ben Tupuola the opening to score Wainui's first half try.

Wellington were held scoreless in the second half, fighting the wind, as Wainui snuck home with a penalty and try in the second spell.

The Axemen were also left rueing a possible game-changing try just before halftime that was disallowed on advice from the assistant referee on the far touchline. Leading 14-5 at the time, flyhalf James So'oialo kicked for the corner for his winger Paddy Hughes to latch on to and sprint across the line for a try, but he put a foot in touch and Green and Blacks survived and regrouped at the oranges.

While Wellington weren't able to hang on, Oriental-Rongotai were able to do so at Kilbirnie Park against Poneke, building a 19-7 lead and then grinding it out into a19-15 win.

Tenacious Ories defence earned the Magpies victory in a game they had no right to win. Ories did jump ahead 19-0, but two tries were a direct result of Poneke mistakes and the Red and Blacks completely dominated possession and territory in the second-half, bombing several chances to score.

Poneke found the whitewash several times, but were held up, fullback Pakai Turia was thrown into touch close to the line and Michael Sage penalised for a double movement as he reached out to touchdown, leaving Poneke to rue wasted opportunities.

Ories lock Kane Le'aupepe opened the scoring after seven minutes as Ories enjoyed their longest period inside the Poneke 22. Poneke rallied by stringing together multiple phases, but a fumble in the ruck allowed Andrew Ellis to pick up the ball and sprint 85m. Another mistake resulted in veteran midfield pairing Roy Kinikinilau and Paulo Aukuso combining to put Ories well ahead after half an hour.

Poneke reserve prop Misipalauni Moananu pulled one back for the hosts just before halftime. Ories were forced to defend stoutly for almost the entire second-half. Poneke Hooker Kelvin Harper scored after successive pick and goes. Ories lost reserve hooker Poasa Poasa to the sin bin, but did enough to hang on.

For Ories, Whetu Henry was inspirational. He outmuscled Hurricane Reg Goodes in the scrum, made a huge charge towards the end of the game to relieve pressure and defended as if his live depended on it. Kinikinilau gained valuable ground every time he touched the ball and blindside Fui Gibbons and lock Kane Le'aupepe worked feverishly. For Poenke Moananu made an obvious impact when he came on, No.8 Galu Taufale was a handful, lock Cole Stewart and openside Joseph Scheres are skilful and tough operators, and centre Willis Halaholo was threatening at times. Blindside Jimmy Hewitt is a good prospect.

At Lyndhurst Park, visitors Marist St Pat's held on desperately in the second half to take a 12-8 win over Tawa. Playing into a stiff wind, MSP battled to a 5-0 halftime lead, Hurricanes No. 8 Victor Vito scoring their try.

Tawa closed the gap to 5-3, and fought back in the second half and scored their sole try of the match to Faraimo Nofoaiga, after an attacking scrum and series of pick and goes in close to the ruck by the forwards.

Hardham Cup

By contrast, the first week of the Hardham Cup was a little more decisive. Petone had too much firepower for promoted Harper Lock winners MSP B running out 48-6 winners and scoring eight tries in the process.

Johnsonville notched their first win of the year beating OBU B 26-10 at Helston Park. Johnsonville took control early with the wind advantage and sailed to a 19-3 halftime lead.

For the Hawks, wing Jacob Walmsley scored a double, and Jarrick Robati, Kalolo Kalolo and Hurricanes halfback Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi crossed for tries. Flyhalf Tom Brown scored all OBU's points.

In the contests between Premier sides, Northern United held Paremata-Plimmerton scoreless at Ngatitoa Domain when the home side had the advantage of the wind in the first half, eking out a 10-0 lead. With it at their backs in the second half they piled on 31 unanswered points.

Putting the disappointment of losing last week's Old Timers' Day encounter to Tawa behind them, Norths scored seven tries. Right wing Te Kahui Bishop scored a brace.

The closest contest came at Fraser Park, where the Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles held off the Avalon Wolves 32-24. Playing with the wind, the Eagles scored two converted tries and led the contest 14-3 late in the first half. But Avalon came back to trail 14-11 at the break and it remained tight up to the close when the Eagles crossed to give themselves a buffer and deny the Wolves an extra bonus point.

Women's

The Women's Gala Day at the Petone Rec produced perhaps the two biggest upsets of the day.

On the #1 ground Oriental-Rongotai looked to have things well under control against Wainuiomata, leading 18-0 at half time and 30-14 after 60 minutes. However Wainuiomata came home with proverbial wet sail, running in three tries to snatch a 31-30 win. Next door on the #2 ground the OBU Impalas made prop Hiria McRae's 100th game one to remember as they headed off Norths 26-20 after leading 14-10 at the break, with he Challenge Cup also changing hands for the first time this year.

In the two Division 2 games MSP bested neighbours Poneke 22-7, and Johnsonville-Tawa won the battle of the minnows 27-5 over the Upper Hutt Rams.

Ed Chaney/HD Morgan Memorial

The second round Ed Chaney Cup and HD Morgan Memorial Cups see all Premier Reserves playing in the same pool, in a full 10-team round-robin with crossover matches.

There were four crossover matches in the opening round, with all results going the way of the higher ranked Ed Chaney Cup teams. These results saw HOBM beat Avalon 71-0, Poneke beat Ories 64-12, Tawa beat Johnsonville 48-18 and Norths defeat Paremata-Plimmerton 36-29.

There was a minor upset in the one match between two Ed Chaney Cup sides, with the Upper Rams enjoying a 28-12 win over Petone who came in as the highest ranked team from the first round Harper Lock Shield.

Wainuiomata defeated Wellington 36-24 in the one all HD Morgan Memorial Cup clash.

Colts

The John E Kelly Colts Division 1 started last night with two matches. Oriental-Rongotai upset perennial contenders and recent first round winners OBU Green 21-20 in another nail-biter.

Ories were trailing 14-20 but scored a converted try in the corner to win. OBU led 15-14 at halftime. Ories scored tries through Lauina Fa'atau (2) and Malachai Unasa, while Halcyon Price slotted three conversions. MSP's Colts beat defending champions HOBM 31-19 in the other Friday night Dvision 1 fixture.

On Saturday, Tawa made it two bonus point wins in a row, beating the Upper Hutt Rams Colts 57-15 in the Lyndhurst Park curtain-raiser, Wellington edged out recently promoted Johnsonville 15-8 and Poneke and Norths drew 22-22 at Kilbirnie Park.

Poneke dominated much of the first half against Norths. Poor handling let them down early but they finally broke through to take the lead on 20 minutes. Norths hit back in the first half with two long-range tries against the run of play, setting up a tight second half that finished in a stalemate.

In Division 2, Petone and Paremata-Plimmerton both have the maximum 10 competition points after two weeks, Petone beating MSP Red 32-5 and Paremata-Plimmerton beating OBU White 29-7.

First Grade

Northern United and the Petone Brotherhood each made it two bonus points on the trot in round two Johnsonville Centennium Cup matches.

Norths beat Avalon 46-7 and the Brotherhood beat Poneke 26-10.

OBU are also unbeaten, defeating the HOBM Barbarians 21-7. MSP defeated the Petone Saxons 33-8 in the other match, whilst Tawa had the bye.

U85kg

First round winners Wellington came off their first week bye with a loss, going down 13-18 to Eastbourne at H.W. Shortt Park.

The Tawa Titans won their second straight match of the lightweight championship round, pipping Avalon 16-15.

Poneke defeated the Upper Hutt Rams 26-5 on Friday night, while the OBU Bunnies beat the Kapiti side 18-5 in Saturday's third match.

The Wests Roosters and MSP Red are both on maximum points after the opening two weekends of the Division 2 competition. Wests beat Stokes Valley 47-7 and MSP Red beat MSP Green 24-17.

First XV

All three Weltec Premiership matches played today went the way of the higher ranked team.

St Pat's Town beat Bishop Viard College 53-8, Scots College overcame St Bernard's College 61-10 and Rongotai College made it three from three with a 43-8 victory over Bishop Viard College.