Wainuiomata celebrating their 20-21 win over Oriental-Rongotai. Photo: David Brownlie
Next week’s finals at a glance:
Jubilee Cup (Premier Division 1): Wainuiomata v Northern United⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Hardham Cup (Premier Division 2): Old Boys University v Marist St Pats
Ed Chaney Cup (Premier Reserve Division 1): Northern United v Petone⠀⠀⠀⠀
HD Morgan Memorial Cup (Premier Reserve Division 2): Marist St Pats v Upper Hutt Rams⠀⠀
Tia Paasi Memorial Cup (Women’s Division 1): Northern United v Oriental-Rongotai
Izzy Ford Cup (Women’s Division 2): Paremata-Plimmerton v Marist St Pat’s
John E Kelly Memorial Cup (Colts Div 1): Hutt Old Boys Marist v Old Boys University Green
Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup (Colts Div 2): Upper Hutt Rams v Avalon
Johnsonville Centennium Cup (First Grade): Avalon v Stokes Valley
Third placed qualifier Northern United and fourth placed Wainuiomata will meet in the 2019 Jubilee Cup final at the Petone Recreation Ground, after winning thrilling semi-finals on Saturday.
Both teams won their playoffs matches away from home in the dying moments, with Northern United scoring a late try to beat Tawa 18-17 and Wainuiomata beating Oriental-Rongotai 21-20 with a last-gasp penalty.
Four-time champions between 2004-2010, Northern United will be playing in back-to-back finals while Wainuiomata’s previous appearance in the decider was in 2014.
The Premier 2 Hardham Cup final will be between the top two teams from the round-robin, Old Boys University and Marist St Pats, who each semi-finals that were more hard-fought than their scorelines suggest. OBU beat the Upper Hutt Rams 44-10 and MSP overcame the Wellington Axemen’s challenge 34-3.
At the Polo Ground, Wainuiomata won with a penalty on full-time to fullback Josh Robertson-Weepu, after Ories had come back to establish a 20-13 lead during the second half when No. 8 William Heather galloped clear to score a decisive try and fullback Trent Renata had kicked a penalty.
Wainuiomata closed the gap to 18-20 with a try to halfback/first five-eighth TJ Va’a and Roberston-Weepu missed the sideline conversion that could have forced extra time. The green and blacks had led 13-7 at halftime.
At Lyndhurst Park, Norths halfback Campbell Woodmass finished off a sweeping move in the corner, involving a break by replacement No. 8 Luca Rees that was carried on by replacement wing TK Bishop. Norths were trailing 13-17 at the time and with their tails up, but were seemingly running out of time.
This wasn’t the end of the drama though, as Tawa replacement first five-eighth Sam Clarke lined up a 79th minute long-range penalty to re-take the lead and win the game. His kick was on target but was short on distance and Norths held on to win. Tawa had earlier established a 17-0 lead midway through the first half, which was cut to 17-5 by halftime. Norths rallied after halftime, and were also aided by Tawa losing prop Sitiveni Paongo and right wing Tane Heremia to the sin-bin in quick succession.
At the Hutt Rec, the Upper Hutt Rams pushed OBU hard early. An initial penalty and a runaway try to right wing Scott Svenson put them ahead 10-7 – despite having a player in the sin-bin.
That was as close as they came though, OBU’s forwards working themselves into the game and penalties to first five-eighth Dale Sabbagh and tries put them ahead 24-10 at halftime as they turned to play into the misty rain. The Goats were able to pull clear to 34-10 with about 15 minutes to play and extended their lead at the end.
Sabbagh finished the game with 24 points, while prop Morgan Poi, centre Ty Poe and replacements Taine Plumtree and Izzy Foa'i crossed for tries.
At Evans Bay Park, MSP also scored five tries in their win against the Wellington Axemen, but two of these were scored near the end as they led 22-3 throughout much of the second half after wing Willie Schutz kicked a penalty and then scored a key try after a long-range breakout and 50 metre run by fullback Billy Proctor. This was followed by tries to replacement prop Tietie Tuimauga and Proctor.
Lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi and flanker James Tuia had scored first half tries, while Wellington’s only points came courtesy of a penalty to left wing Ollie Marshall.
Next week’s Division 1 Women’s Tia Paasi Memorial final is between top qualifier Northern United and Oriental-Rongotai, each winning their round-robin games by similar scores. Norths beat the OBU Impalas 45-5, while Ories bounced back from consecutive defeats to beat Petone 45-12.
For Norths, the Faleafaga sisters were in red hot form, right wing Dhys scoring four tries and second five-eighth Lyric scoring two. Replacement lock Syntyche Tuimaolo scored the other, while centre Thamsyn Newton scored OBU’s try. Norths led 7-5 at halftime and pulled clear in the second 40 minutes.
Ories also scored seven tries in their win over Petone, centre Amanda Rasch scored two of these as part of 20 points.
The Women’s Division 2 Izzy Ford Cup final is between top qualifier Paremata-Plimmerton and second placed Marist St Pats. In their semi-finals, Paremata-Plimmerton beat the Wainuiomata/Avalon side 48-0, which included a hat-trick to replacement back Mea Christo, while MSP pipped HOBM 32-31. For MSP, fullback Kelsey Macdonald crossed for a hat-trick, while goal-kicking hooker Jane Bryce scored 17 points and an extra penalty by her was the difference.
The Premier Reserve Division 1 Ed Chaney Cup decider will be between home side Petone and Northern United after two closely fought semi-finals.
Petone edged Tawa 25-21 in today’s semi-final, with Tawa finishing the match parked on Petone’s line but unable to break through for the vital score.
Norths pulled clear of Ories in the fourth quarter after holding a 14-7 lead at halftime and then a 14-12 advantage when Ories struck first in the second half on 60 minutes. At that point the game was in the balance, but Norths scored their third try on 65 minutes to give them a 21-12 buffer, before scoring late to win 34-12.
In the Premier Reserve Division 2 HD Morgan Memorial final, top qualifiers Marist St Pats second XV beat the Wellington Axemen’s second XV 64-0, while the Upper Hutt Rams pipped OBU 24-19, after MSP and the Rams will contest the final.
The John E Kelly Cup Les Mills Colts Division 1 final will be between HOBM Green and OBU Green. OBU beat Ories 24-3 in one semi-final, while HOBM took down MSP 37-17 in the other.
In the Colts Division 2 Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup the Upper Hutt Rams beat Poneke 26-12, while Avalon pipped OBU Black 15-14 with the OBU side turning down late penalties and being held up over the line deep in injury time. The final will be a Rams-Avalon decider.
The First Grade Johnsonville Centennium Cup final will see the Avalon Knights and Stokes Valley Chiefs meeting for that silverware. Their semi-finals saw Avalon beating OBU 37-13 and Stokes Valley toppling Wainuiomata 20-13.
The semi-finalists have been found in the Paul Potiki Shield U85kg competition, with top qualifier the Upper Hutt Rams (who had the bye this weekend) hosting Paraparaumu and Avalon hosting Johnsonville.
Paraparaumu scored an 84th minute try to beat the HOBM Howlers 17-16, while Avalon warmed up for next week with a 21-6 win over the Johnsonville Terrahawks.
In U85kg Division 2, Eastbourne edged the Wests Roosters 21-17 and MSP and the OBU Scallywags drew 34-34. Wellington had the bye. The semi-finals will see top qualifier Wellington hosting the Scallywags and Eastbourne and MSP playing in the other.
-WRFU