The Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield was awarded to the Ponsonby Premiers on Saturday afternoon following their solid 40-19 victory over Eden in the final round robin match in the competition. As the top qualifier in the round Ponsonby were presented with the trophy for the second successive year, and sets up a semi-final showdown next week against Grammar-TEC.

Ponsonby scored six tries in the match, with right winger Freedom Vaha’akolo crossing the line on four occasions, giving him a record 20 tries in the season to date.

It was a clinical performance from the Premiers as they cruised to a 26-0 halftime lead, buoyed by a brisk southerly breeze. It was Old Boys Day at Ponsonby and consequently a large crowd was on-hand to support both sides, plus to see Rieko Ioane and Patrick Tuipulotu in action, in what was the first occurrence of All Blacks playing Auckland club rugby in several seasons.

Ponsonby started the match in a lively manner and Rieko Ioane was in action early on, making some good ground, then taking the ball into contact. Eden infringed and the ensuing penalty was kicked to touch by John Cooper. From the lineout, play went wide and Freedom Vaha’akolo raced over in the corner for the first of his quartet. Cooper converted magnificently from wide out.

From the restart Eden applied enormous pressure and forced Ponsonby into defence mode, but the skilful Ioane spied an opportunity to disrupt the Eden plans as he intercepted a backline pass and scooted 60 metres toward the tryline. A desperate Eden defender ankle tapped Ioane just shy of the tryline, but the Ponsonby midfielder was able to get back to his feet and roll over the line. Cooper’s conversion bounced in off the upright, and Ponsonby had raced out to a 14-0 lead.

Immediately after the restart Eden were gifted an opportunity to goal a penalty from a handy position, but the attempted kick drifted wide.

At the 17th minute mark in the match Ponsonby were awarded a penalty which was kicked to touch by Cooper. The resulting lineout was won by Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa and the forward pack drove towards the line. From a ruck right beside the posts halfback Pele Cowley dived over, and the extra two points were added by Cooper.

Ponsonby’s fourth try in the match came from an attacking scrum five metres from the Eden line. Jonah Mau’u picked up the ball from the scrum base and fed Pele Cowley, who then fired a huge pass to his right to Vaha’akolo and he strolled over in the corner. The Cooper conversion shaved the upright, and Ponsonby had advanced to a commanding 26-0 lead, which they took to the halftime break.

Eden started the second spell as they had finished the first. In the dying moments of the first they spent several minutes on attack, but could not penetrate the solid Ponsonby defence. In the second their efforts paid dividends and they found a way through to the Ponsonby line in the opening minute, the try being scored in the left hand corner, and remaining unconverted.

With the wind at their backs, Eden continued to assert pressure to Ponsonby and it wasn’t long before they had their second score, Eden recording a converted try in the 48th minute.

Just two minutes later Eden continued their assault on the Ponsonby defence, but an attempted clearing kick by them failed to find the touchline. Ponsonby claimed the kick and a series of phases were strung together, leading to Vaha’akolo racing down the right hand touch eluding several defenders, then cutting back in field toward the posts, and scoring. Cooper obliged with the extra two points and Ponsonby had an imposing 33-12 lead.

Despite being down on the scoreboard Eden continued to battle away at Ponsonby in a courageous manner. In the 67th minute they attempted an adventurous breakout from their own goal-line, only to have the backs throw a forward pass right in front of their posts. Ponsonby gladly accepted the attacking five metre scrum. From the scrum feed Riedlinger-Kapa picked up the ball, off-loading to replacement halfback Sam Wye, then to Rocky Khan who ran in an arc round the Eden defenders, then passed to Vaha’akolo who scored the last of his foursome. Cooper converted sweetly from wide out.

With five minutes remaining Eden scored the last try in the match, which they duly converted, bringing the curtain down on what was an entertaining spectacle and a wonderful advertisement for grassroots rugby.

Ponsonby will now focus on their semi-final encounter with Grammar-TEC, to be played at Western Springs next Saturday afternoon – the winner advancing to the Gallaher Shield final the following week.

It was a clean sweep for Ponsonby senior sides over Eden on Saturday, with the Premier Development side winning by 10-5 and the Fillies by 78-0, and all three sides, plus the Senior 1’s and the Under 20 sides all qualify for next week’s semi-finals in their respective grades. 

Ponsonby: 40

Tries: Freedom Vaha’akolo 4, Rieko Ioane and Pele Cowley

Conversions: John Cooper 5   

Article added: Sunday 07 July 2019