Race on for semi-finals spots in tenth round matches

Petone last won the Swindale Shield in 2009 and with a month left in 2020 are in pole position to finally break the drought. An away victory tomorrow at second-placed Old Boys University would be a huge step in their pursuit of first-round glory. Petone has not lost since 27 June and on Saturday scored their biggest win of the season, 58-12 over the Upper Hutt Rams. 

OBU had their match against Wellington curtailed early in the second half when wing Josh Thomas suffered a serious injury. Cruelly the Goats had only scored three tries meaning they missed out on an almost certain four-try bonus point.

Both sides have similar strengths and play a similar style. OBU has scored 49 tries and Petone 46, though OBU has a much stronger defensive record. OBU is especially strong at set-piece time, but will meet an industrious set of Villager forwards, including prop Kailopasi Uluilakepa up front and Mateaki Kafatolu at blindside flanker. Shamus Hurley-Langton, now with 10 tries, marking Tupou Sopoaga is a showcase of two of the best running No.8’s in the competition.

Substitutes could decide this one, which is for both the Marc Verhoeven Memorial Trophy and Bill Brien Memorial Cup. Each roster has real depth with a couple of potential Lions in each squad warming the benches. Petone has made a habit of coming home with a wet sail.

The Marc Verhoeven Memorial Trophy has been played annually since 2012, following Verhoeven's passing in August 2011. He was a member of the 1978 Wanganui Collegiate first XV led by future All Blacks RWC winning halfback David Kirk and played for Petone and OBU in the 1980s and 1990s and for Wellington between 1986-91.

With seven consecutive wins, Northern United are the only side on a longer winning streak than Petone and that should continue against Paremata-Plimmerton. Wing Junior Time-Taotua bagged a hat-trick against Poneke and first-five Sam Clarke with 20 points is growing in stature. Norths pack after lots of personal changes early in the season has a settled and sturdy look. Paremata-Plimmerton enjoyed their third success last weekend. Wing Jordan Clark scored two tries in a 27-12 triumph over Avalon. Paremata-Plimmerton will rise for the local derby, but Norths will be determined to stay in a semi-final position. The Norths bench includes Wellington Lions trio Campbell Woodmass and Jackson and Connor Garden-Bachop.

Norths will be defending the Ivan Hardgrave Trophy against neighbours Paremata-Plimmerton at Ngati Toa Domain. Ivan Hargreaves was an administrator for the Titahi Bay club – the other half of the Norths merger – and a Porirua City councilor for many years. Norths and Paremata-Plimmerton will also be playing for the Pirikawau-Parai Trophy – donated by the Ngati Toa iwi.

Norths have won all five of these first round matches against Paremata-Plimmerton since they resumed playing in the Swindale Shield in 2015, and they have posted half century wins each time, these being: 55-7 in 2015, 53-16 in 2016, 53-8 in 2017, 52-31 in 2018 and 57-5 in 2019.  

The Battle of Kilbirnie for the Horan-Millar Trophy between Marist St Pats and Poneke always produces fireworks and MSP with the best attack in the competition, 50 tries and 355 points in nine games, will be hoping to continue the momentum gained in a 42-29 success over Tawa. James Proctor scored two tries in that clash. It will be a dogged fight in the loose with James Tuiatua again on the scoresheet for MSP and Cole Stewart at his absolute best scoring two tries in the loss to Norths. MSP will challenge Poneke at set-piece and with a shortage of depth on the bench, the street kids could be overrun in the last quarter.

The Horan-Millar Trophy, first played for in 2009 and named after former Poneke legend of the 1950s-1970s and life member Ken Millar who passed away in 1982 and former MSP coach and Marist hooker Mick Horan who played 175 Senior games between 1955-1965 and passed away in 1982 aged 47. Both Ken and Mick were great club men who locked horns over many seasons in Wellington club football and were good friends off the field who had great respect for each other.

Poneke are the holders, having won this match 25-21 last year. Poneke also won the first edition of this encounter 18-8 in 2009, but MSP won seven of nine first round encounters against Poneke between 2010-18. Additionally, seven of 11 Horan-Millar matches have been decided by a margin of victory inside a converted try, including two one-pointers.

Johnsonville produced a huge fight against Ories only to fade in the dying stages. With four defeats by less than a converted try you sense it is only a matter of if not when the Hawks will finally break their losing streak this season. Wainuiomatais 4-5 and will be hard to topple with an experienced pack but aren’t as formidable as 2019. If available Kane Le’aupepe adds real strength to Johnsonville while PJ Sheck and Bodene Davis have been strong all year, while Ha'amea Ahio is closing in on 100 Premier matches. Ivan Vaisagote scored two tries against Ories and his possible midfield duel with the inform Tyler Tane shapes as a highlight. Josh Roberston-Weepu returning to Wainuiomata will add flair and direction in the backs.

Hutt Old Boys Marist are heading in the right direction. With their 40-10 win over Wainuiomata, they passed Tawa into fifth place, but still reside four points outside the top four. A victory over the Upper Hutt Rams should be secure if Pakai Turia can match his 20-point effort and the forwards fire in front of Lions halfback Connor Collins. Upper Hutt were poor against Petone but will rise for this derby. There could be three Svensons, two Rayasis, two Manaias and as many as a dozen St Pats Silverstream old boys in this game. Rams hooker Eli Hunt has also been named to play his 100th game for the team. 

At Lyndhurst Park, Tawa host Wellington for the Murray and Alan Mexted Trophy after the two brothers with strong connections to both clubs.

Tawa has lost three of their three last four and dropped to sixth place. Their defence was exposed against MSP conceding a season-high 42 points. Axeman lock Ben Strowger-Turnock testing himself against youngsters Akira Ieremia and Hugo Plummer will be interesting as all three are among the better prospects in the capital.

Oriental Rongotai did enough to beat a feistily competitive Johnsonville and should have too much firepower for Avalon. Despite just four wins, Ories have a positive points differential and thrilling young backs like Ethan Webster-Nonu and Steven Va’a. Avalon flanker Logan Blake celebrated 100 appearances against Paremata-Plimmerton and will add industry off the bench tomorrow.

To enable all rugby to take place, club rugby matches across Friday evening and Saturday have been split, including staggered kick-off times to reduce bubbles overlapping. Two of this week's Swindale Shield matches kick off at 2.45pm and the other five at 3.00pm. No spectators allowed, so tune into the E Tū Whānau Footy Show on Te Upoko radio on 1161am or on iHeart Radio from 2.00pm for this week's show and feature commentary match between OBU and Petone.


The Premier Reserve competition resumes this weekend, with all teams being awarded three points from the abandoned round last week.

Leaders Norths will likely be the first team to book their semi-final berth if they beat lower ranked Paremata-Plimmerton in the early game at Ngati Toa Domain, while second placed MSP will stake their claims if they can overcome Poneke in a match between second and third. The Petone Blue v Old Boys University fixture is a key battle between the fourth and fifth teams. Sixth placed Tawa could move into a semi-final position with a bonus point win over Petone White and other results go their way. Likewise, seventh placed HOBM will stay in touch if they can beat Stokes Valley in the late game at Delaney Park at 2.45pm.


Last Saturday's Colts and U85kgs matches will be caught up at a later date, meaning all teams move into the ninth round of these competitions this weekend. There are two matches tonight in the Colts grade, with the Upper Hutt Rams and HOBM Green teams meeting on Maidstone Artificial and the two Norths sides playing at Jerry Collins Stadium. Leaders OBU Green and second placed Petone meet in a top-of-the-table clash at the Petone Rec on Saturday, while Johnsonville and OBU Black are at Newlands Park, and Tawa and Poneke have the bye (the latter owing to Wellington's withdrawal from the competition).

The U85kg JC Bowl will see the Upper Hutt Rams resume looking for their seventh straight bonus point win when they take on lower ranked Poneke at Kilbirnie Park 3 at 2.45pm tomorrow. Second placed Eastbourne have the bye and could be leapfrogged by either the Avalon Wolves or the OBU Scallywags who meet at Kelburn Park at 2.45pm in a third v fourth match-up. Fifth placed Wellington can overtake either Avalon or OBU by beating joint strugglers HOBM Howlers at the Hutt Rec at 2.45pm, while MSP play Wests on the Evans Bay Park Artificial at 2.45pm. 


Both the Ories and Upper Hutt Rams J8s sides are on maximum points in the Reserve Grade Mike Copeland Cup. Ories win by defualt against the UHR Pirates, while the J8s are playing neighbouring Stokes Valley on Delany Park at 2.45pm. The Reserve Grade round starts tonight with the OBU Teddy Bears and Wellington Axemen meeting on the Boyd Wilson artificial turf.