Representative rugby starts up as club rugby finals go to extra time

Representative rugby kicked off around Wellington this weekend, as three more club rugby titles were decided for 2018 in a busy two days of rugby.

On Saturday, the Centurions Development team got their season off to a flyer with a 40-26 win over Wellington Maori at the Hutt Recreation Ground and the Wellington Samoans beat the Hawke’s Bay Samoans 41-27 in a non-competition annual fixture at Lyndhurst Park.

On Sunday, the Wellington U19s beat Hawkes Bay 47-7.  

In club rugby, both U85kg Restricted grade finals went 100 minutes. One was won at the end of extra time and the other was still as stalemate after the extra 30 minutes was played.

The Wellington Axemen and the Johnsonville Terrahawks were locked up after 80 minutes of their U85kg Division 2 final for the Tony O’Brien Shield at Helston Park.

The final went to extra time and the score was 17-17 after the two 10 minute extra time halves, then a period of 10 minute golden point. The Wellington Axemen won the title on the countback of most tries in the match, having out-scored Johnsonville three tries to two. 

The Upper Hutt Rams twice prised themselves out of the jaws of defeat to win the Paul Potiki Memorial Shield 17-13 in extra-time and deny the Avalon Wolves an unbeaten season in their U85kg Division 1 final at Fraser Park. 

With the southerly behind them, the Rams took the only points of the opening half with a 10th minute penalty to lead 3-0. The Wolves spent much of the remainder of the first 40 minutes in the territorial ascendancy and had the Rams stretched several times from breaks in midfield and turnovers. 

Now with the wind, it took 60 minutes for the Wolves to breach the Rams defence, eventually getting field position and driving a well-worked rolling maul over, following a scrum penalty and attacking lineout. 

They then scored a second try the left hand corner after a wealth of territory and possession, to go to a 10-3 lead and they just had to hang on. 

However the Rams regrouped, marched downfield and, after a Wolves player was sent to the bin, drove over. With the final act of regulation the conversion was good and it was off to extra-time.

The Wolves struck first, converting a penalty while still down a man to turn 13-10 up. 

But the Rams dominated the second period, although it seemed that they'd missed a trick when twice turning down kickable penalties that would likely have sent the game to golden point. However their faith in themselves was rewarded, when the Wolves again lost a man to the bin and with time up the Rams crossed for the winner.

In the day’s third club rugby final, the HOBM Barbarians completed an unbeaten season in beating the Stokes Valley Chiefs to win the Johnsonville Centtenium Cup. HOBM won 60-24 at home at the Hutt Recreation Ground.

The Reserve Grade John Davies Cup semi-finals, saw the MSP Internationals beating Paremata-Plimmerton 27-15. The result of the Upper Hutt Rams J8s and Wests Roosters Mixed Veges match is yet to come.

At Lyndhurst Park, Wellington Samoans, wing Fereti Soloa scored a hat-trick, while Tafa Tafa, Liki Siliga, Ben Tupuola and Fala Tuala also crossed the chalk in a comeback win against the Hawke’s Bay Samoans.

The Hawke’s Bay Samoans jumped to an early 17-0 lead before the Wellington Samoans replied with tries to Wainuiomata No. 8 Tupuola, HOBM flyer Soloa and Norths lock Tuala.

The Hawke’s Bay side then scored again, before blockbusting Norths wing Siliga scored to round out the first half and put the Wellington Samoans ahead 24-22 at the end of an eventful first half.

Soloa scored his second and third tries and Rams back Tafa Tafa scored another to give the Samoans their 14-point margin of victory.

Playing into the wind, the Centurions Development side were on-song early against the Wellington Maori. The Centurions Development side score the game’s first two tries, to OBU duo Zeke Sopoaga and Izzy Foai’i, to go 12-0 up. 

From the next kick-off, Wellington Maori regathered possession and Ories blindside flanker Tuakana Meterau broke through several tackles and crossed for his team’s first try. Johnsonville wing Oakley Edmonds scored from a chip and chase and then OBU prop Jonathon Fuimaono hit the whitewash after a concerted build-up. All three tries were converted by OBU flyhalf Greg Mullany and the Maori led 21-12 at halftime.

The Centurions replied straight after halftime when replacement halfback Matt Fowler darted from a ruck and handed centre and OBU teammate Jared Verney a try.

Upper Hutt Rams replacement hooker Josh Houston-Tupou made inroads after a turnover, leading to a second try for Verney. MSP pivot James Proctor hit the sideline conversion to put the Centurions ahead 26-21. 

The Maori responded with a strong raid and try to Edmonds to lock it up to 26-26, before the Centurions re-took the lead with a try to their right wing Willie Fine of Petone, adding another near the end to sail home strongly.