WelTec Premiership held at eight teams in 2016

The WelTec Premiership is set to expand to 10 teams, but not until 2017.

The decision was made at the Wellington Secondary Schools Rugby Union’s AGM last Friday.

It had been proposed to expand the present eight-team WelTec Premiership Wellington secondary school First XV competition this season, exposing more players to the top-flight; but with several schools’ Traditional schedules for this year largely locked in place it was decided to delay the increase until next season.

As in the previous few years, the top four schools from last season, champions St Pat’s Town, runners-up Scots College, St Pat’s Silverstream and Wellington College will square off against the Hurricanes-region schools that play in the Super 8 competition - Gisborne Boys’ HS, Hastings Boys’ HS, Napier Boys’ HS and Palmerston North Boys’ HS - in the Tranzit Coachlines First XV pre-season series.

The Tranzit series will see matches in Palmerston North on Saturday 7 May, Petone and Westpac Stadium (St Pat’s Town v Hastings’ BHS) on Saturday 14 May and Gisborne on Saturday 21 May.

While that is taking place, the remaining four places in the Premiership, as well as the composition of all CSW open grades, will be determined by the three week grading series. That remains unchanged from previous years, with the major pools seeded based on last years finish.

The opening weekend of WelTec Premiership matches is set down for Saturday 28 May with the WelTec Premiership final on Sunday 14 August and lower grade Finals Day on Saturday 20 August.

As in previous years, CSW and WRFU are looking to align college games with senior club games during the first month of college rugby in the annual ‘Club/College Day’. The rationale is to focus on college leavers having a better transition and experience from college into club rugby, though this year the intent is match the college games with an U21 or U85kg fixture. More will be known once the respective draws are being finalised.

CSW is also intending to increase the Premier 1 Girls grade to 15-a-side (up from 12’s last year and 10’s for several years before that), along with proposing an U15 Girls grade and a Central Region U15 Girls tournament during the winter tournament week. The Girls competition is also moving from Thursdays to Wednesdays where there is better access to the regions artificial turfs.

Meanwhile, the 2016 Rongotai College First XV squad had an international hit-out last Saturday, against the touring Club Athletic del Rosario from Argentina. 

Founded in 1867, three years before the first rugby match was played in New Zealand, Club Athletic del Rosario defeated the Rongotai College squad 32-29. A combined Wellington Axemen U85g/U21 team also played a match against the Rosario Colts team.

2015 WelTec Premiership champions St Pat’s Town have locked in early season matches against Rathkeale College on Sunday 10 April (First XV and U15) and against Christchurch’s St Bede’s College in their annual Holley Shield Traditional on Saturday 23 April.