Their countrymen stunned South Africa at the Rugby World Cup and the Japanese Waseda University side went on to pip the New Zealand U23 Universities team in their playoff for 5th and 6th at the World Universities Cup on Monday (NZT). New Zealand Universities (NZU) went into the final match of the tournament hoping to finish on a high after they had previously missed out on the semi-finals. In a tight match, NZU led the Japanese side 19-7 with a few minutes to go, but the latter came back to score twice in the embers of fulltime to tie the game up at 19-19...More

Above: Wellington U19s flanker Te Whenua Poihipi (left) with his teammate Joe Walding-Karaitiana.  The Wellington U19s are heading to Taupo this coming weekend to defend the Graham Mourie Cup that they won at the inaugural National Jock Hobbs Memorial event. Leading up to the 2015 tournament, Club Rugby is profiling some of the young Lions who are likely to feature in the tournament and indeed the future of the game in the capital. Te Whenua Poihipi is a softly spoken loose forward. Ironically he can play a loud guitar (he loves Guns n' Roses) and has made some racket with his rugby in recent years...More

The Wellington Centurions U85kg team came out on fire in the first half of their match on Saturday against Waikato in perfect conditions at Owen Delany Park, Taupo. Wellington won the one-off encounter 27-10, after charging to a 20-point halftime lead.  Strong running second five-eighth L.A. Moemai  broke through after 7 minutes to put fullback Dan Kubiak away to score out wide before doing the same minutes later with Kubiak putting wing Todd Young clear to score. Moemai then carried a number of defenders over for the third try to make it 15-0 after as many 15 minutes...More

Above: The Wellington U19s with the Central Region Shield today after beating the Manawatu U19s today 19-7 at Porirua Park. The Wellington U19s will meet the second placed Chiefs qualifier in their first match of the National tournament in Taupo next week, while Manawatu will play the top ranked Chiefs team. Hawke’s Bay U19s beat the Hurricanes Barbarians U19s 39-3 in the other match today. There were wins for most of Wellington’s representative teams today, including a convincing 27-12 win for the Wellington Pride in the Women’s NPC over Counties Manukau, a 36-11 win for the Wellington U18s over the Wairarapa-Bush U18s and victories for the Wellington U19s and Wellington Development teams over Manawatu opposition at Porirua Park...More

The Wellington Centurions U85kg Squad is currently preparing for two big games. The Wellington Centurions U85kgs are hitting the road to take on the Waikato U85kg team at 2:30pm tomorrow on Owen Delaney Park in Taupo before coming home to face North Harbour at St Pat’s Town Artificial at 3.00pm next Saturday. With the cancelation this year of the New Zealand Barbarians tournament that was held in Auckland in 2012 (won by Wellington Centurions) and again most recently in 2013 it looked like the Centurions team would have no games this season...More

Above: Wellington Development hooker Valentine Meachen takes on three defenders in last week’s game against the Wellington Samoans. He starts at hooker tomorrow against Manawatu Development. Nine of Wellington’s representative teams are in action tomorrow and Sunday against inter-provincial opposition, in games at home at Porirua, Petone and Fraser Park and away at Napier, Blenheim, Masterton and Levin. At home, the Wellington U19s and the Wellington Development sides are playing a double header at Jerry Collins Stadium in their respective Hurricanes Region U19 and Development tournaments...More

New Zealand Universities U23s require a bonus point win in over Trinity College, Dublin, in their next match on Friday (UK time) in the World Universities Cup to progress to the major final. On day one they had a win and a loss to universities from British Columbia and Siberia. The NZU management summed with day one by saying “It's always hard to bring a group of boys to the other side of the world having never played together before but there was improvement shown, and if it wasn't for an intercept try chances are we would have banked a semi spot already...More

Above: Chase Tiatia breaking the defence in his most recent match in Wellington club rugby, the McBain Shield game between Hutt Old Boys Marist and Petone. This Saturday his Bay of Plenty team challenges Hawke's Bay for the Ranfurly Shield and he is expected to be named at fullback when the team's announced on Friday morning. Chase Tiatia has swagger and isn't afraid to express himself. In recent days footage of him throwing an audacious American-football style pass in his own in-goal area has gone viral...More

The Wellington U19s are the defending National U19 tournament champions. Last year they won the Graham Mourie Cup at the inaugural National Jock Hobbs Memorial event. Leading up to the 2015 tournament, Club Rugby is profiling some of the young Lions who are likely to feature in the tournament and indeed the future of the game in the capital. Above: Josh Robertson-Weepu gets a pass away in a recent Wellington club Jubilee Cup match for his Wainuiomata team. Josh Robertson-Weepu is one of only three returning players from last year's title winning team...More

Above: two of the players joining the Defence Blacks for their tour of Europe and the United Kingdom to compete in the International Defence Force Rugby World Cup, captain and Old Boys University club midfielder Logan Vaughan and Upper Hutt Rams club wing Tafa Tafa. The NZDF Rugby Team, known as the “Defence Blacks” will tour Europe and the United Kingdom from 25 September to 4 November. The team plays two matches in Europe before competing in the International Defence Force Rugby World Cup (IDRC) in England, which coincides with the Rugby World Cup...More