Swindale Shield | 05 May 2012 | By Steven White
UPDATED SUNDAY: Midway through the first round, the 2012 Swindale Shield is fast unraveling as one of the closest in recent years. Results on Saturday proved again that teams are delivering on the field when they most need to, resulting in five teams being within striking distance of the lead and further down the table the race to finish inside the top eight heating up considerably. Features of the sixth round set of matches, played in bright autumnal sunshine, were decisive wins for Northern United over Hutt Old Boys Marist and Marist St Pat's over Oriental-Rongotai, a much-needed win for Poneke over the Wests Roosters and a draw at Williams Jones Park between home side Wainuiomata and Old Boys-University...
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Swindale Shield | 03 May 2012 | By Steven White
As the Swindale Shield reaches its halfway point, two nearby games at Evans Bay and Kilbirnie Parks are key matches this weekend. At Evans Bay Park it's the battle of eastern suburbs heavyweights Marist St Pat's and Oriental Rongotai, both hoping to remain firmly in the hunt for first round title honours. Across the road at Kilbirnie Park the match between home team Poneke and the Wests Roosters could ultimately have a direct bearing on the race to make the top eight for several contenders as well as themselves...
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Swindale Shield | 28 April 2012 | By Steven White
UPDATED SUNDAY: The Wests Roosters threw the 2012 Swindale Shield wide open on Saturday by upsetting defending first round champions Northern United 27-11 at Ian Galloway Park. The Roosters stung Norths two tries to one in the Cage, scoring the only try of the first half to lead 11-6 at the break and then pulling away in the second half through penalties and a their second try. The return of Hurricanes openside flanker Scott Fuglistaller from injury and the inclusion of fellow Hurricanes Wider Squad Member Blade Thompson at No...
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Swindale Shield | 26 April 2012 | By Steven White
Wellington club rugby players and fans alike have barely have had time to come up for air after Wednesday's rugby before it resumes on Saturday with the fifth round set of matches in the top three grades and all other competitions in full flight. Four days on from a thrilling and hard fought ANZAC Day round, Wellington's leading players will lace up their boots and do it all again in the Premier Swindale Shield, Harper Lock Shield and National Mutual Cup competitions. The action also continues in earnest with second round games in the Fleurs Trophy Women's Premier, the Senior 3 JDR Cup and the U85KG Restricted competitions, while the opening rounds of the Colts John E Kelly Memorial Trophy and JRD Cup are this weekend...
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Swindale Shield | 25 April 2012 | By Steven White
Wainuiomata prop Justin Va'a scoring one of his side's tries against Ories. Wainuiomata beat Ories 37-20 and won the Bill Brien Challenge Cup. Wainuiomata, Hutt Old Boys Marist and Upper Hutt were all bonus point winners on Wednesday's ANZAC Day set of fourth round Swindale Shield matches played in bright sunshine, that saw three hat tricks and plenty of exciting and absorbing rugby in equal measure. HOBM and Upper Hutt kept their unbeaten runs alive with emphatic wins over Petone and Rimtuaka respectively in front of bumper crowds, while Wainuiomata won the Bill Brien Challenge Cup with a resounding victory over defending champions Oriental-Rongotai at the Polo Ground...
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Swindale Shield | 24 April 2012 | By Steven White and Ian Knightly
Wellington club rugby fans can expect a blockbusting set of round four Swindale Shield, Harper Lock Shield and National Mutual Cup matches on ANZAC Day on Wednesday. The midweek round of matches, the first in Wellington club rugby since 2003, also doubles as Derby Day with several mouthwatering match-ups predicted around the region. In five of six Swindale Shield matches on Wednesday the home team hosts their nearest neighbour with several big traditional clashes taking place all at once, including the first at Premier level between Upper Hutt and Rimutaka...
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Swindale Shield | 21 April 2012 | By Steven White
Marist St. Pat's and Tawa scored decisive victories and Hutt Old Boys Marist and Oriental-Rongotai won big in the third round of Wellington Premier Swindale Shield matches on Saturday. MSP got up late to grab an exciting 35-27 win over defending first round champions Northern United away at Porirua Park and Tawa earned their opening win of the year with an emphatic bonus point 35-12 victory over Old Boys University at Lyndhurst Park. HOBM flew past the Wests Roosters 66-7 at Ian Galloway Park and Ories out played minnows Rimutaka 56-5 at Maoribank Park...
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Swindale Shield | 19 April 2012 | By Ian Knightly
The Wellington club rugby Premier Swindale Shield, Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield and Senior 2 National Mutual Cup competitions all move into top gear from this Saturday with rounds three, four and five played over the course of the next week, including next Wednesday's midweek ANZAC Day round. It's early in a long season, but the pressure is already on several teams to chalk up wins or they could be gone by the end of April. The Petone Premiers are one such contender who will find themselves in the gun from as early as next Wednesday's fourth round if they can't earn their first Swindale Shield win this Saturday against unbeaten Upper Hutt...
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Swindale Shield | 14 April 2012 | By Steven White
Upper Hutt fullback Jason Woodward brought the house down at Maidstone Park with the last act of the game, kicking the match winning conversion to give his side an Old Timers' Day 25-23 victory over Wainuiomata in Saturday's round two Swindale Shield feature match.A deathly silence descended inside the packed clubrooms as Woodward, who had kicked terribly all day and missed four from five of his previous kicks, lined up the winning conversion from about 15 metres inside the right hand touchline...
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Swindale Shield | 12 April 2012 | By Steven White
Last weekend's Wellington club rugby season opener was a scorcher, and round two promises to be just as exciting. First round bonus point winners Hutt Old Boys Marist, Oriental-Rongotai, Poneke and Upper Hutt will all be keen to keen to push on and make it two from two, while for those beaten first round teams Saturday is a chance to open their accounts in the winner's column.All eyes will be on Maidstone and Kilbirnie Parks in particular this weekend, where the respective home teams Upper Hutt and Poneke will be hoping to build on their first round away wins...
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