All set for semi-finals this weekend

The stage is set for an exciting and absorbing set of semi-finals this weekend in the Premier, Premier Reserve, Women’s Division 2, Colts Division 1 and 2, and First Grades.

To allow for extra-time, kick-off times in the men’s semi-finals are earlier than usual. The Premier Reserve and Colts kick-off at 12.30pm and the Premier and First Grade playoffs are at 2.30pm.

The day starts at 11.30am with the two Women’s semi-finals at Ngatitoa Domain and Kilbirnie Park respectively. Top qualifier and unbeaten Paremata-Plimmerton host Wainuiomata, while second placed Marist St Pats and third placed Hutt Old Boys Marist meet in the other. The Division 1 Women’s competition has one round to go before next week’s straight final. The two matches there see OBU needing to beat Northern United at Ian Galloway Park and Petone looking to beat Ories at the Petone Rec to break a Norths-Ories decider on Finals Day.

Both Les Mills Division 1 Colts semi-finals could be thrillers. Since losing to Norths in round two, HOBM have won five straight and they are top qualifier in the John E Kelly Memorial Cup. HOBM host Marist St Pats. First round Division 2 winners Ories have home ground advantage against defending champions Old Boys University Green.

The Division 2 Colts Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup semi-finals see top qualifier Poneke hosting fourth placed Upper Hutt Rams at Kilbirnie Park and Avalon hosting OBU Black in the other.

Top qualifier Northern United host Ories at Jerry Collins Stadium in the major Ed Chaney Cup Premier Reserve semi-final, while Petone’s and Tawa’s second XVs clash on the Petone Rec in the other.

First round Harper Lock Shield champions Marist St Pats could be considered the warmest of favourites in all semi-finals tomorrow when they welcome fourth placed the Wellington Axemen on to Evans Bay Park. MSP are unbeaten all season and have scored 426 points and conceded 40 in six matches so far. The other semi-final in the HD Morgan Memorial Premier Reserve Division 2 competition is between OBU and the Upper Hutt Rams. Both Division 2 top games are curtain-raisers to the Hardham Cup semi-finals involving the same four teams.

The other grade with semi-finals tomorrow is the First Grade Johnsonville Centennium Cup competition. In these, top qualifier the Avalon Knights and OBU meet at Fraser Park and Stokes Valley and Wainuiomata play just up the road at Delaney Park.

Meanwhile, the round-robin competition continues in lower grades, including the U85kg Division 1 Paul Potiki Shield where unbeaten leaders the Upper Hutt Rams have the bye and have already qualified top for the playoffs next weekend. The match between Johnsonville and Avalon will likely determine the second home semi-finalist, while Paraparaumu will have to beat the Upper Hutt Rams at home to qualify fourth ahead of them.

The Wellington U85kg side have already qualified top in the Division 2 competition and also have the bye. Eastbourne can seal second if they beat Wests, leaving the game between MSP and the OBU Scallywags a key clash to determine the next two spots.

A look at the four Jubilee Cup and Hardham Cup semi-finals is below:

Jubilee Cup 

Oriental-Rongotai (1) v Wainuiomata (4)

Venue: Polo Ground
Referee: Jamie Fairmaid

Ories won four on the trot to remarkably capture the Andy Leslie trophy after losing five games in a row prior to a 32-27 win over Tawa at Lyndhurst Park. 

Ories have had the services of Ma’a Nonu, Alex Fidow, Xavier Numia and Matt Proctor in recent weeks which has been helpful, but the likes of Whetu Henry, Alex Ropeti and Tuakana Metuarau have really stepped it up too.

Wainuiomata were fifth heading into the last round of the Jubilee Cup round robin on Saturday, but stunned Swindale Shield champions, Hutt Old Boys Marist 28-19 to usurp the Eagles into the top four. Thomas and Peter Umaga-Jensen each made a successful return scoring a try.

Wainuiomata have won both games between the clubs this season, but Ories have been to the semis eight times in the past nine years.

Ories have outscored Wainuiomata 28 tries to 19 and will look to play an up-tempo game to avoid an arm-wrestle against Wainuiomata who have the best defensive record of the semi-finalists. 

Tawa (2) v Norths (3)

Venue: Lyndhurst Park
Referee: Daniel Mangin 

Tawa have won the Jubilee Cup in three year cycles -  prevailing in 2013 and 2016. Can they repeat history this year?

To do so they will have to reverse two defeats to Norths. In 2016, Tawa lost twice to MSP before toppling MSP in the final. Norths beat OBU twice in 2018, before stumbling in the final.

Norths showed true grit and skill to reverse a 12-0 deficit a week ago to score a 24-17 victory against Tawa. Wing Jordan Mellars-Rose was an unlikely hero scoring two tries.

Prop Gerard Faitotoa, second-five Kienan Higgins and openside Bruce Kauika-Petersen also came up huge for Norths.

Tawa were error-ridden for much of the second-half. Their scrum and driving maul is a strong suite, but they will have to be better in both areas to stop Norths.

Tawa have outscored Norths 26 tries to 20. Watch for Folau Vea, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara and Sitiveni Paongo in the Tawa roster.

Hardham Cup

Old Boys University (1) v Upper Hutt Rams (4)

Venue: Hutt Recreation Ground
Referee: Jack Sargentina

OBU have stormed through the Hardham Cup, scoring 282 points in six games and blanking the Upper Hutt Rams 48-0 last Saturday.

Prop Finnbarr Kerr-Newell celebrated a hat-trick while fullback Sam Reid can’t stop scoring tries and Teariki Ben-Nicholas is in menacing form. NZ U20s lock Taine Plumtree adds punch off the bunch as well.

Upper Hutt appear to have little hope. Their defence is poor, having leaked 220 points, but in lock Lui Luamanu, openside flanker Josh Southall and lively wing Todd Svenson they have some talent who could threaten with greater support.

Marist St Pats (2) v Wellington (3) 

Venue: Petone Rec
Referee: Ryan McLean

MSP have hit their straps in the last three games scoring 146 points and only conceding 19.

Wing Faresa Tasele has caught the fire on the back of a resurgent pack, scoring 21 tries this season, including five against Avalon last Saturday

Openside flanker James Tuia must be pushing hard for possible Lions selection while blindside flanker Charlie Gubb was included in the internal trial. NZ U20s player Billy Proctor lines up at fullback, outside his older brother James who has been named at second five-eighth.

Wellington lost 43-5 in their last game against MSP, but achieved a 13-10 win in the Swindale Shield. Can the Axemen cause a boilover?

Wing Ollie Marshall is the leading points scorer in the Hardham Cup with 71 and  tomorrow’s No.8 James Poloniati has been rampant. 

MSP should be too strong.