Key second round club rugby matches in Wellington tomorrow
The importance of putting early wins on the board is more pertinent in a shorter round-robin competition.
For the five bonus point winners from the opening round, another good performance will put them on a positive track for 2019, while beaten week one teams will be eager to get themselves on the board when the Swindale Shield resumes tomorrow.
There are matches spread far and wide throughout the region in tomorrow’s second round of the Swindale Shield and Harper Lock Shield competitions.
The feature Premier match will be at Porirua Park, where Northern United host Old Boys University in a replay of last year’s Jubilee Cup final.
This weekend’s feature radio commentary games are Norths v OBU on Radio Sport with Gordon Noble-Campbell and John ‘Mystery’ Morrison, and Avalon v Ories at Fraser Park for Te Upoko.
A look at the seven Swindale Shield round two games is below. All Swindale Shield matches kick-off at 2.45pm, with Harper Lock Shield games as 1.00pm curtain-raisers at the same venues, with the exception of the Paremata-Plimmerton v Poneke Harper Lock Shield match kicking off at 12:40pm at Aotea College. This is attributable to the Daniel Baldwin Memorial Colts match kicking off in place of the Premier Reserve match as a curtain raiser for the Premier match at Ngati Toa Domain. The Colts matchup is between Paremata-Plimmerton and Wellington.
Northern United v Old Boys University
Venue: Jerry Collins Stadium
Referee: Richard Gordon
A replay of the 2018 Jubilee Cup final won’t fail to deliver plenty of intrigue.
Norths were the biggest winners in round one, beating Johnsonville 76-17, while OBU were clinical in dismantling Upper Hutt 35-13.
Luca Rees scored four tries in his Norths debut after transferring from Ories and his tussle with OBU’s loose forwards will be one to follow. Norths will be without Jackson Garden-Bachop and Losi Filipo tomorrow, with Esi Komaisavai named to run the cutter at 10. Bruce Kauika-Peterson starts at hooker, with Josh Hunt returning from Upper Hutt to play openside flanker.
The Billy Goats are an accomplished tight five, having shut out the Rams in their season opener. Props Jonathan Fuimaono and Finnbarr Kerr-Newell and lock Agustin Escalona are three players Norths will need to contain.
Norths won the first two games between the teams last year 50-45 and 13-10, before succumbing in the Jubilee decider 31-37.
None of these games in 2018 were decided by more than a converted try and with Richard Gordon back in the referee’s saddle for this match as well, there is every likelihood of it going the same way.
These two sides will also be playing for the Ken Douglas Trophy.
Marist St Pat’s v Johnsonville
Venue: Evans Bay Park
Referee: Jordan Price
Marist St Pat’s were left to rue a sluggish start against Poneke last week, falling behind 25-0 by early in the second half and eventually losing by four.
Worryingly for MSP supporters, injuries were suffered by flyhalf James Proctor and fullback Andrew Wells. Halfback Jack Taulapapa, who scored two tries last week off the pine, is also not in their line-up tomorrow. Young guns, hooker Tyrone Thompson (starting) and flanker Keelan Whitman (bench) could be set to make an impact.
Johnsonville have lost 17 Swindale Shield games in a row, although promisingly, second five Imanueli Bese had some good moments last week and scored a try.
Avalon v Oriental-Rongotai
Venue: Fraser Park
Referee: Jack Sargentina
The Wolves started their 40th season off with a win, beating the Wellington Axemen 27-15 at home. Second five Jordan Aquila scored two tires and Sefo Aumua later secured a bonus point.
Ories overpowered Paremata-Plimmerton 57-0 but have made several changes to their team from last week. There is no place for youngster Steven Va’a who scored four tries last week as a late replacement, with Paula Kinikinilau and Trent Renata forming an experienced midfield. Ories will have no fewer than four debutants on their bench, including all three back reserves.
Avalon will be without the Waldrom brothers, who played last week, so they will be relying on more wholehearted performances from players such as Sefo Aumua and pocket-rocket flanker Logan Blake. Last year when these teams met, Avalon let slip a lead and Ories came back to win 26-19 at the Polo Ground.
Ories are the favourites, but a slow start could make this tricky.
Paremata-Plimmerton v Poneke
Venue: Ngati Toa Domain
Referee: Colin Te Pohe
With nine players making their Premier debuts, Poneke beat Marist St Pat’s at Evans Bay Park, nearly blowing a 25-0 lead.
They will be odds-on favourites to defeat Paremata-Plimmerton in the latter’s second straight home game to start the season, but will have to do so without Pakai Turia, who picked up a slight injury niggle and Greg Foe, who is away this weekend. Both players had big games against MSP. Galu Taufale will captain the street kids at blindside flanker, while hooker Ryan Hargood and lock Jack Tully make their starting debuts.
Paremata-Plimmerton held Ories to 10-0 at halftime but imploded in the second-spell to lose by 57-0. A lack of depth is an issue, and they will be relying on their front-rankers such as locks James Corcoran and Taisson Lealaisaloa to step up and lead their charge.
Tawa v Hutt Old Boys Marist
Venue: Lyndhurst Park
Referee: Nick Hogan
Tawa were below their best against Petone last week, with four dropped passes resulting in tries to the visitors. They won’t play as poorly two weeks in a row, so this match could be a cracker.
Tawa can take heart from their scrum but will need to improve their lineout and their passing accuracy. They were also beaten twice by the Eagles last season, who started impressively against Wainuiomata.
Fullback Glen Walters scored two tries as the Eagles extended a halftime 13-7 lead to 27-14 and held their advantage to fulltime. The Eagles are back up with a mostly settled team from week one, with left wing Salesi Rayasi playing for the Hurricanes Hunters this afternoon. Walters returns to fullback, while the 8-9 duo of Lise Soloa and Sheridan Ranguhuna will loom large for the home side.
The Eagles will be wary of Tawa’s strong bench if it is close in the second half.
Upper Hutt Rams v Wellington
Venue: Maoribank Park
Referee: Jamie Fairmaid
The Upper Hutt Rams have a strong team on paper, but were outmuscled by OBU in week one in a repeat pattern of some of their defeats of recent seasons, with only a late Eli Hunt try adding some respectably to the scoreboard.
Wellington were behind from the outset and lost at Fraser Park to Avalon. Prop Max Allen impressively scored two tries, and his tussle with the Rams will be one to watch.
Wellington won a wild match 49-47 at Jerry Collins Stadium on a Thursday night last year, but the Rams extracted revenge 29-22 in the Hardham Cup.
For the Rams, Neva Apineru moves to lock, Josh Brown to flanker and Iona Apineru makes his debut off the bench following re-season concussion. Fullback Tyler Tane has a history of scoring big in this game for the Rams.
Jason Bird had a top match for the Axemen and will look to pressure a scrum that was under the pump last Saturday.
Wainuiomata v Petone
Venue: William Jones Park
Referee: Vincent Ringrose
Petone won last year’s Hardham Cup final 27-26 in the last meeting between these clubs, while they also drew last season.
The Villagers were impressive first round winners thrashing Tawa 41-22 on the road. Piri Paraone was in rare form scoring 21 points, including two tries.
But, Petone will be missing several players from last week, such as Paraone, Mateaki Kafatolu, Tupou Sopoaga and Jarrod Adams. No. 8 Noase Junior Foaitua makes his debut off the back of the scrum.
Wainuiomata showed patches of promise against Hutt Old Boys Marist, but lacked the all-round consistency required for success. Wainuiomata have three players on debut in this game, including new starting hooker Jordan Gush. Look out for their experienced players such as flanker Greg Lealofi and halfback Uale Mai to stand up in this one. Ben Tupuola comes off the bench to add firepower.
The two teams play for the Darren Larsen Cup.