Round two of the Swindale Shield sees a mouth-watering clash at Porirua Park between defending first round Swindale champions (Northern United) and last year’s Jubilee Cup winners (Old Boys University).
Both Norths and OBU were two of six teams to start their 2019 seasons with bonus point wins in an opening round, played in hot sunshine throughout the region.
Norths were the day’s biggest victors on the scoreboard, beating the Johnsonville Hawks 76-17 at home to retain the Barlow Trophy. Norths scored 12 tries and first five-eighth Jackson Garden-Bachop kicked eight conversions.
New Norths recruits, No. 8 Luca Rees (4 tries), openside flanker Bruce Kauika-Petersen and centre Losi Filipo were amongst the scorers, while second five-eighth Kienan Higgins crossed for a brace.
The OBU Billygoat’s forwards paved the way for their 30-6 win over the Upper Hutt Rams at Maoribank Park.
OBU held a 10-6 lead after 20 minutes and were ahead 23-6 by halftime with their four-try bonus point locked away.
The second half remained scoreless until a few minutes before the end when OBU were awarded a penalty try, which sealed the outcome.
Other first-up bonus point winners were Oriental-Rongotai, Petone, Hutt Old Boys Marist and Avalon.
At Ngati Toa Domain, Ories turned a 10-0 halftime lead into a 57-0 win over Paremata-Plimmerton. Ories’ superior physicality and size took its toll on Paremata-Plimmerton as the contest developed.
Both Petone and Poneke had wins over other sides expected to challenge for the Jubilee Cup later in the season.
At Lyndhurst Park, Petone beat home side Tawa 41-22 – scoring four tries directly off Tawa’s dropped passes and intercepts. Two of these to right wing Willie Fine were runaway tries virtually from their own goal line totally against the run of play and both proved decisive.
The first of Fine’s tries came early in the second half with a player in the sin-bin and Tawa building momentum after getting back into the game just before halftime, with a penalty try after a break by centre Pepesana Patafilo and deliberate knockdown. Instead of being 10-22 behind and probably about to close the gap further, Fine scooted away to put Petone ahead 27-10.
Later, at 22-34 down and with a completely dominant scrum, Fine intercepted again and raced the length of the field to score the winner.
Petone first five-eighth Piri Paraone scored two of their other five tries, left wing Mark Telea the other. As well as their penalty try, Tawa crossed through prop Ben Aumua-Peseta and debutant right wing Caleb Cavubati.
For Petone, openside flanker Mateaki Kafatolu was a standout and lock Eduan Struwig toiled hard all match. Petone only made substitutions all match in their forwards, while Tawa made several and will need to shore up their errors fast, in particularly a misfiring lineout and a mistiming backline, apart from Patafilo who was a standout.
At Evans Bay Park, Poneke beat Marist St Pat’s in the ‘Battle of Kilbirnie’ and for the Horan-Millar Trophy 25-21, after taking an emphatic 18-0 lead into halftime.
Poneke first five-eighth Pakai Turia kicked two penalties and converted his own try to put Poneke ahead 13-0, before hooker Andrew Jones crossed the chalk to give Poneke a notable lead. It got better for Poneke early in the second half, when MSP flanker James Tuia was sin-binned and Poneke wing Royce Tonumaipea scored soon after to put them up 25-0.
MSP hit back with three tries of their own to cut the margin but ran out of time to affect a comeback win. To compound their problems, MSP ended the match with a couple of injury concerns. Poneke, who had several new players in their team, will be buoyed by this victory.
The Avalon Wolves started their 40th season and their first at the Fraser Park Sportsville complex by beating the Wellington Axemen 27-15. Second five-eight Jordan Aquila scored two of three first-half tries in their 19-5 halftime lead. Axemen prop Jason Bird scored to close the gap to 10-19 but flanker Sefo Aumua scored to clinch the win. For Wellington, prop Max Allen scored their other two tries. Avalon turned the clock back in this match with the Waldrom brothers, Thomas and Scott, both featuring.
Over the Wainuiomata hill, visitors Hutt Old Boys Marist overcame sweltering heat to defeat the home team 37-19. Fullback Glen Walters scored two tries as the Eagles extended a halftime 13-7 lead to 27-14 and held their advantage to fulltime. Left wing Salesi Rayasi was also full of running and flanker Jordan Gillies was as busy as he was all last season.
In the Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield, last year’s first and second round champions Marist St Pat’s kick-started their year with a 46-22 win over Poneke.
Tawa held on to beat Petone 43-40 in a thriller, after taking a 24-0 late in the first half. Petone came back to reduce the deficit to 10 points, and then to three points with a try in the corner that was converted. Tawa had the deciding say with an intercept try a few minutes from the end.
The Upper Hutt Rams and Wainuiomata second XVs both reversed their Premier results that were to follow. The Rams beat the OBU Goats 15-12 and Wainuiomata defeated HOBM 39-19.
Northern United beat Johnsonville 48-5, Oriental-Rongotai beat Paremata-Plimmerton 45-21 and the Avalon Wolves beat the Axemen second XV 38-15.
Round two of both competitions is this coming Saturday 30 March.
-WRFU