For the second time in two weeks, Hutt Old Boys Marist Senior Seconds came within a couple of points of toppling the Wellington club's top team, but this time it was the competiton final, and the Ed Morgan trophy goes to the Axeman. The red white and green boys posted three tries to two, but in the mud that was Hataitai Park, goal-kicking would prove to be crucial, no kicks were easy, but only one went over.

The prospects for victory looked very promising with two early tries, wide out, to take us to a ten point lead, but the home side struck back, with their big Number 8 finding holes in our defence, and some gaps out wide. Two tries to Wellington, but scored handy to the sticks and therefore converted to to give Wellington a 14-10 lead at half-time.

Hutt Old Boys Marist posted the only try of the second half, while the home slide slotted two penalties. And then, the call of the game from the referee, when he ruled a forward pass when it looked as though the boys had clinched it in the final seconds. The try disallowed.

Heartache at Hataitai indeed, but this has been a team of incredible spirit, who clearly enjoyed an abundance of camaraderie, and the way they worked together. As the English Muffin, David Kearsey, said about his team-mates shortly afterwards, sometimes it's not what you fight for, it's who you fight with. 

Congratulations to the Under 19s, champions for 2011, with a 34-26 win over Johnsonville in the final at Helston Park. A splendid season.

And see below our club's success in represenative honours.

Some images from the match at Hataitai Park, very much like the samples here, may be found at a Facebook page, jut scroll on down past the U 19s and the Howlers:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2135330895101.2119676.1000922519#!/media/set/?set=a.2135330895101.2119676.1000922519&type=1

Message from Phil Gibb: