All set for Finals Day
The preparations started several months ago, and now it comes down to one match for glory for the 18 teams representing 11 clubs playing in the nine 2019 Wellington club rugby finals tomorrow at the Petone Recreation Ground.
The day kicks off at 11am on Petone Rec 3 with the first of the Women’s finals, with Paremata-Plimmerton and Marist St Pats contesting the Division 2 Izzy Ford Cup decider.
This match promises to set the scene for the other matches, after these two teams met a fortnight ago and Paremata-Plimmerton came from behind to win 32-19. Pare-Plim are coming off a 48-0 win over Wainuiomata in last week’s semi-final, while MSP edged HOBM 32-31.
The first of the Colts finals gets underway at 12.15pm on Petone Rec 4 with the Division 1 John E Kelly Cup decider between top qualifier HOBM Green and third placed OBU Green.
Both OBU and HOBM Colts sides are stacked with talented players, some of whom have already played Premier rugby this year and others who will do so in the coming seasons. Both bring strong finals tradition in this grade, having won six of the past seven titles between them. OBU are the defending champions, while HOBM last won in 2015.
These two teams have split their meetings this year, with OBU winning 27-0 at the start of the season on their way to winning the first round and HOBM finishing fourth, but HOBM winning 18-7 when they met again a fortnight ago.
This is followed at 2.15pm on Petone 4 by the Colts Division 2 Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup final between the Avalon Wolves and the Upper Hutt Rams. The Rams, who started the season in Division 1, beat top qualifier Poneke 26-12 in last week’s semi-finals, while Avalon edged OBU Black 15-14.
The Marist St Pats second XV could be considered the warmest of favourites of all finalists tomorrow, having won all their 17 matches this year and having scored 946 points and conceded 154 along the way. MSP take on the Upper Hutt Rams in their HD Morgan Memorial Premier Reserve Division 2 final that kicks off on Petone Rec 2 at 12.00pm.
MSP come in to the final having defeated Wellington 64-0 in their semi-final, while the Upper Hutt Rams will be battle hardened following their 22-22 draw with OBU in their final regular season fixture and then their 24-19 win over the same OBU opposition last weekend.
The Premier Reserve Division 1 Ed Chaney Cup final is between the team playing at ‘home’, Petone, and Northern United. This kicks off on Petone Rec 3 at 1.00pm.
Norths and Petone come into the final as the first and second qualifier, Norths having won all six second round matches and Petone five – their one loss being 14-19 to Norths in mid-June - and both winning hard-fought semi-finals.
Norths defeated Ories 34-12 in their playoff last Saturday, but they led just 14-12 midway through the second half and pulled away at the end. Petone overcame Tawa 25-21, having to defend waves of Tawa attacks on their line over the final few minutes.
In the first round Harper Lock Shield competition, Norths were second behind winners MSP (see above) and Petone were fifth. In their first round head to head meeting at the start of April Norths won 39-5.
The First Grade final has been added to the Finals Day programme this year, with an all-Hutt Valley decider for the Johnsonville Centennium Cup between Avalon and Stokes Valley being contested on Petone Rec 3 at 3.00pm.
This final promises to be as willing as any other tomorrow, with both sides having similar season records. Stokes Valley won the first round Thompson Memorial Trophy and Avalon are the second round top qualifier with Stokes Valley right behind. Stokes Valley won their first round clash 33-29, while Avalon prevailed 38-7 in their recent second meeting. Last week’s semi-finals saw Stokes Valley topple Wainuiomata 20-13 and Avalon beat OBU 37-13.
It is the first round winners in Oriental-Rongotai against the defending champions and top qualifiers Northern United in the first of the two finals on Petone Rec 1 at 12.30pm – the Women’s Division 1 Tia Paasi Memorial Cup.
Norths beat Ories 20-15 in a gripping decider last year and this could be just as thrilling. Both teams have warmed up for the final with comfortable last round wins, Norths beating OBU 45-5 and Ories defeating Petone 45-12.
Prior to that, Ories suffered consecutive defeats, losing 56-7 to Norths and then 31-26 to OBU. Both of these results should count for little tomorrow though, while Ories are set to have their Black Ferns duo Jonah Ngan-Woo and Ayesha Leti-I’iga back on board.For Norths the influence of the Faleafaga sisters, Dhys and Lyric, could be key, while if it is close the goal-kicking skill of Ories’ Amanda Rasch could prove valuable.
Elsewhere tomorrow, the U85kg division Paul Potiki Shield semi-finals are being played. Top qualifier and defending champions the Upper Hutt Rams are hosting Paraparaumu at Maoribank Park at 1:30pm and Avalon are hosting Johnsonville at Fraser Park at 12:30pm.
The U85kg grade Division 2 Tony O'Brien Shield semi-finals see Wellington and OBU meeting at 12.30pm at Kilbirnie Park and Eastbourne and MSP playing at HW Shortt Park at 2.30pm.
The Reserve Grade Division 1 and Division 2 competitions have another two weeks of round-robin rugby to play before the John Davies and four weeks before the Alan Seerup Cup semi-finals.
Jubilee Cup final
Northern United v Wainuiomata
Venue: Petone Rec 1, 2.30pm
Referee: Nick Hogan
For the first time since 2009, third will play fourth in the Jubilee Cup final. Norths was involved in that decider and was beaten 16-21 by Marist St Pats.
Norths was beaten 31-37 in last year’s climax by Old Boys University. Can they go one better?
Norths will have to reverse a 22-24 loss to Wainuiomata earlier in the season, and surely avoid falling behind 0-17 as they did against Tawa on Saturday.
Norths have been involved in eight games this season decided by a margin of within a converted try and only lost twice.
The Norths scrum has been a source of strength all year with the experienced trio of Gerard Faitotoa, Ethan Robinson-Mate and Jerome Vaai forming a front row as solid as any.
Norths have scored 81 tries in 2019 with Luca Rees bagging 18 of them and backs Kienan Higgins and Connor Garden-Bachop proving dangerous.
Areas of concern for Norths are goal kicking with only 35 conversions slotted and a lack of direction at first-five, though halfback Campbell Woodmass helped cover that shortfall with a man of the match display in the semi-final.
Wainuiomata stunned Ories 21-20 at the Polo Ground with fullback Josh Roberston-Weepu, the leading points scorer in the Jubilee Cup, slotting a last minute penalty.
Wainuiomata have built their success on sturdy defence and taking their chances. Wainuiomata converted 41 of 60 tries they've scored and won seven games by less than 10 points.
In the forwards Anthony Mamea, Bevan Clark and Greg Lealofi have had huge seasons while in the back division TJ Va'a and Peter Umaga-Jensen are flourishing, at last getting regular rugby after injuries. Peter is joined by his brother Thomas tomorrow in a potentially decisive midfield combination.
Wainuiomata have only contested one final and that was a 2014 loss to Hutt Old Boys Marist. A strong core of players from that defeat will feature this weekend, but Norths are hurting from last year.
The blue collar final will be tight and tense.
Hardham Cup final
Old Boys University v Marist St Pats
Venue: Petone Rec 2, 12.30pm
Referee: Colin Te Pohe
This was the expected Hardham Cup decider. OBU have won seven games in a row and scored 388 points while MSP posted 260 points in six round robin games.
OBU looked after the Upper Hutt Rams 44-10 in the semi-final with Dale Sabbagh scoring 24 points, and he moves back into first five-eighth tomorrow.
The students are particularity strong in the forwards with Caleb Delany, Paterson Carter, Jonathon Fuimaono and Agustin Escalona standouts.
MSP defeated Wellington 34-3 in the semi-final. Young locks Tom Martin and Naitoa Ah Kuoi are worth watching and loose forwards Charlie Gubb and James Tuia have been outstanding.
MSP have scored 95 tries this season and in wings Willie Schutz and Faresa Tasele they boast the highest points and try scorers in the Hardham Cup respectively.
OBU was last in the Hardham Cup final in 2012 and was beaten by Poneke.
OBU have beaten MSP in both meetings this season and will be favourites to prevail again, but its noteworthy that each contest was decided by ten points or less.