All set for opening round matches
It’s been a long time between drinks – seven months in fact – so it is with much anticipation that the Wellington club rugby season kicks off tomorrow with the first round of Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield and Premier Swindale Shield matches.
Seven venues will host the 14 games that usher in the 2019 season, with the format the same as previous years that sees Harper Lock Shield fixtures kicking off at 1.00pm and Swindale Shield games at 2.45pm.
Northern United are the defending Swindale Shield champions, Old Boys University the second round Jubilee Cup holders and Marist St Pats won both of last year’s Premier Reserve competitions.
There has been plenty of player and coaching movement amongst the teams in the off-season, and all clubs have been engaged in pre-season games and training for several weeks.
Two Swindale Shield games will be broadcast live on radio. Gordon Noble-Campbell will commentate the Marist St Pat’s v Poneke match, on Te Upoko 1161AM and 87.6FM from 2.30pm. JP Tocker will call the Tawa v Petone encounter on Radio Sport 1503AM from 3.00pm
Who will hit the ground running this Saturday?
See below for more information about the opening round of Harper Lock Shield matches.
Marist St Pats v Poneke
Venue: Evans Bay Park
Referee: Daniel Mangin
Poneke could have been a Jubilee Cup semi-finalist last year, but a 43-25 loss to the struggling scarlets in the penultimate round denied the street kids.
These two reside across the road from each other and always produce a tough scrap in the ‘battle of Kilbirnie’.
MSP have a settled appearance, as do Poneke. Key players for the scarlets tomorrow are Mr Reliable Andrew Wells at fullback and new tighthead prop from Johnsonville, Tietie Tuimauga. There are also big wraps on new flanker Charlie Gubb The Red and Blacks to watch include new French lock Jordan Benheim, pivot Pakai Turia and of course 2018 Billy Wallace Best & Fairest winner Greg Foe at openside flanker.
The Horan-Miller Trophy is on the line.
Wainuiomata v Hutt Old Boys Marist
Venue: William Jones Park
Referee: Jordan Price
This has always been an intense local derby, and could be the feature contest of the opening week. Wainuiomata dropped down to the Hardham Cup for the first time since 2011 last season, but rise for this occasion.
Wainuiomata have gained Sam Smith (Wairarapa College), who starts at openside flanker, and Solomona Mapesone (Wainuiomata High School) to inject some needed youthful exuberance into an ageing squad.
Josh Robertson-Weepu is back from overseas and his goal-kicking and experience will provide some much added value from fullback while halfback Uale Mai could be the most experienced player out there tomorrow in any of the seven matches.
The Eagles pre-season form has been encouraging, a fortnight ago winning the Spillane Cup pre-season tournament in New Plymouth, beating MSP 39-32 in the final.
Regulars Sheridan Rangihuna and Lise Soloa return, and will be their back and forwards leaders respectively, alongside quality recruits like Jordan-Glen Bradbrook at centre and Salesi Rayasi on the left wing suggest the Eagles have a strong chance of matching their top four Jubilee Cup effort from last season.
Northern United v Johnsonville
Venue: Jerry Collins Stadium
Referee: Ben van Berkel (Premier debut)
Defending Swindale Shield champions Northern United start their season at home against Johnsonville who failed to win a single game in the competition last year.
Norths have recruited smartly, gaining No.8 Luca Rees, who scored 22 tries last season off the back of the scrum for Ories, and Wellington Lion Losi Filipo from Petone. Filipo starts at centre tomorrow for this season opener.
Lock Anthony Pettett returns to Johnsonville from MSP, but the loss of veterans Kane Thompson and Api Naikatini until the second round and Tuimauga to MSP will be keenly felt.
Norths won 36-13 in 2018 and would be favoured to comfortably retain the Barlow Trophy.
Paremata-Plimmerton v Oriental-Rongotai
Venue: Ngati Toa Domain
Referee: Jamie Fairmaid
Ories won in the first round 48-3 last year, with Paremata-Plimmerton improving and kicking on to win three Swindale Shield games, their best ever effort.
Prop Junior Davey and versatile back Justin Wilson shape as key figures. Davey stepped up last year after the season-ending injury to veteran Danny Herewini to anchor the scrum while Wilson is a goal kicker who has covered 9,10 and 15.
Ories have lost Luca Rees, which is massive, but the likes of David Michl (Poneke), Takumi Poasa (Japan) and Steven Va'a (Rongotai College) are welcome additions alongside quality regulars Malachai Unasa and Luke Tau’alupe (loose forward). Another familiar name, Paula Kinikinilau, starts at second five-eighth inside Unasa.
Ories are coached by Mark Reddish and Whetu Henry, so don’t be surprised to see either lace up the boots at some points this season.
Avalon v Wellington
Venue: Fraser Park
Referee: Ryan McLean
The Wellington Axemen won two classics last year, 22-20 and 28-19. The losses of Alex Dalzell (Sydney), Ollie Sapsford (Hawke’s Bay), Callum Harkin (Old Boys University) and Simon Shearer (Retired) will be keenly felt. They will field 11 new players in their match-day squad tomorrow.
Wellington appear strongest up front with the likes of Jason Bird and Ben Hendry ever present, while they have picked up some new players from around the wider region and abroad.
The Avalon Wolves lost the lead in six games in 2018. They could be dangerous if they maintain focus.
Tui Yandall, Tajun Crosland, Sam Tupuse and Ryan Nepia have joined the club.
The Aumua brothers, Sefo and Chris are dangerous threats. Chris scored 13 tries on the wing last season while Sefo is one of the harder hitters in club rugby. Perhaps the biggest name of all lacing up the boots tomorrow is Thomas Waldrom, who starts at No. 8 for Avalon in his first match in Wellington club rugby since 2008. Brother Scott is on the Wolves bench. This is Avalon’s 40th season so they will want to start well on their home turf.
Tawa v Petone
Venue: Lyndhurst Park
Referee: Colin Te Pohe
Petone won the Hardham Cup last year, but really should have been in the Jubilee Cup, only needing a single point in their last three games to qualify.
Petone have been hit hard with off-season departures withMurray Douglas (Brumbies Super Rugby), Carlos Price (Waikato), Losi Filipo (Northern United), Bruce Kauika-Petersen (Northern United), Jack Ross (injury), Sosaia Tufui (Avalon), Ethan Wilson and Andrew Christie all gone.
For Petone, a lot will hinge on gamebreakers Adam Simpson, Jarrod Adams and Willie Fine in the backs and for prop Kaliopasi Uluilikepa to take it to Tawa. The latter’s battle, with Tawa’s Sitiveni Paongo will be a highlight.
Tawa have a long list of additions, including Caleb Cavubati and Hugo Plummer, both making their debuts.Combined with a strong bench which includes stalwarts Hemi Fermanis, Peniasi Tokakece and James Coburn, Tawa should have the edge here, particularly at home.
In the modern era, this encounter has proved one of the most exciting on the Wellington club calendar. In the last decade, Petone and Tawa have contested several high scoring thrillers that have gone both ways.
Upper Hutt Rams v Old Boys University
Venue: Maoribank Park
Referee: Jack Sargentina
There is a good deal of optimism around Upper Hutt, with healthy numbers and an influx of talent from the dominant St Pat's Silverstream First XV’s of the past two seasons.
Look out for halfback Hayden Schrijvers, in his first match back since his injury at the start of last season, and Hurricane Heiden Bedwell-Curtis at blindside flanker.
The defending Jubilee Cup champions, OBU, have an experienced tight five that could prove deisive tomorrow, which includes Jonathon Fuimaono Finbarr Kerr-Newell and Zeke Sopoaga in the front row and Argentinian favourite Agustin Escalona at lock. 2017 Jubilee Cup final MVP Joe Hill returns to the Goats after stepping away from rugby midway through last season.
Maidstone Park is out of commission at this stage of the season which means the heavier, wind-swept surface of Maoribank will be used for this tussle which will provide a real indication of just how much progress the Rams have made in a positive offseason.