Representative season now underway

The 2012 club and college rugby season is over, but for many players selected in WRFU representative teams the rugby continues for up to several more weeks.

As well as the Ricoh Wellington Lions playing in the ITM Cup until the end of October should they make the final, there are several women's and men's representative and age grade competitions coming up for Wellington rugby fans to follow.

Starting next Saturday, 8 September, the Wellington Pride's Women's NPC campaign gets underway. With the inclusion of a Waikato side, this is a seven-team competition in 2012. The Pride play six round-robin matches and the top two sides progress to the women's final that is the curtain-raiser to the ITM Cup Premiership final on 27 October. Last year the Pride made the final, going down to the Auckland Storm 8-34

The Pride play their first two games at home. Their draw is:

8 September v Otago at Porirua Park, 12.30pm

15 September v Hawke's Bay at the Petone Recreation Ground, 12.00pm

22 September v Waikato in Hamilton

29 September v Auckland at Westpac Stadium, 3.10pm

6 October v Canterbury in CHCH

13 October v Manawatu in Palmerston North

20 October BYE

27 October Final TBC

There is no Hurricanes Development competition being played this year. Instead the Wellington Development side playa series of non-competition matches against several sides.

Their season starts this Saturday, 1 September, in New Plymouth at 5.15pm against Taranaki Development. This match is the curtain-raiser to Taranaki's ITM Cup and Ranfurly Shield fixture against Tasman.

The Wellington Development side have eight matches in their schedule, which also includes a return match against Taranaki at Petone on 15 September, consecutive fixtures against the NZ Defence Force at Trentham and a home game at Porirua against Tasman Development on 13 October.

The Wellington U20s have already played one match, beating Tasman U20 60-9 in their season opener in Blenheim last Saturday.

Wellington played an wide expansive game in very good conditions and scored nine tries. In particular Mitchell Markov had a strong game at openside flanker, creating turnovers which led to counter-attacking tries, and Man of the Match Andrew Wells had a strong game at halfback, providing quick ball to the backs.

The Wellington U20s have a busy programme that includes participating in the Hurricanes region U20 Tournament alongside their Manawatu, Taranaki and Hawke's Bay counterparts and culminating in Hurricanes finals day in Palmerston North on 6 October.

Including their first match last Saturday against Tasman, they are scheduled to play nine matches including five at home at Porirua Park, Petone and Westpac Stadium where they will host Taranaki U20 on 15 September. They also meet Waikato U20 in Taupo on Wednesday 12 September and will round out their season at Porirua Park on 13 October against Auckland U20.

There is no U20 Development programme this year.

Following this Saturday's trial at Evans Bay Park, the Wellington U18s play a warm-up against the HOBM Academy before participating in the Hurricanes U18 tournament that culminates in Hurricanes finals day on 13 October. Hawke's Bay won't be participating in this year's U18 Hurricanes tournament, so the four teams playing in this are Manawatu U18, Taranaki U18 and a Centurions side, which is a second side from Wellington.

The Wellington U16 reps have several preseason fixtures before playing in the Hurricanes Youth Council U16 tournament at Petone Rec.? These games against Taranaki U16s, the Manawatu U16s and the Hawke's Bay U16s will take place in the first week of the October school holidays.

The Wellington U16 development side will also play in the HYC U16 tournament, in the B division against U16 representative sides from the Hurricanes region Heartland provinces. They play against Horowhenua-Kapiti, Wanganui and Poverty Bay ahead of the tournament play-off game at Petone on 4 October.

The Wellington Maori side plays in the RDO Cup, alongside B teams from Hurricanes region Heartland provinces. They play a series of home and away fixtures against Wairarapa-Bush B, Wanganui B and Horowhenua-Kapiti B. Their first match is this Saturday at Fraser Park at 2.30pm against Wairarapa-Bush B. The Wellington Maori are then set to finish their season with a match against the Wellington Samoans at Porirua Park on 13 October.

For draws and schedules for all WRFU representative teams in action in September and October, visit the WRFU site here: