For the third time in four years, Old Boys University are the Jubilee Cup champions, defeating a fast finishing Northern United 37-31 at the Petone Recreation Ground. OBU produced a near faultless first-half to lead 25-3 at the interval. OBU dominated possession initially and scored two tries, through No. 8 Teariki Ben Nicholas and centre three-quarter Wes Goosen. Norths were nervous and lacked accuracy while OBU were coldly clinical in the opening 20 minutes. First five-eighth Jackson Gardn-Bachop put Norths on the board with a 40 metre penalty, but normal transmission was soon restored when effervesant halfback Matt Fowler scored from an unexpected dummy and dart to make it 17-3...More

Old Boys University won all three finals that they were involved in today at the Petone Recreation Ground, winning the Premier Jubilee Cup, the Colts John E Kelly Memorial Cup and the Women’s Division title. But the remaining five finals that were played at the Petone Rec were won by five different clubs. OBU (3 titles) Petone, Norths, MSP, Ories and Johnsonille all took home the spoils. Petone won the Hardham Cup, beating Wainuiomata 27-26 with tries to Adam Simpson, Josh Onekawa, Dylan Williamson and Taurima Morris...More

An Auckland XV boasting a high profile coaching staff of Sir Graham Henry, Filo Tiatia and Alama Ieremia have beaten a Wellington XV 50-33 at Evans Bay Park this afternoon. In a National Provincial Championship warm-up fixture, Auckland never trailed in an affair which featured a chance for 50 players to show their wares ahead of the actual competition which commences on August 16. Auckland asserted their authority from the outset by stealing the ball from a ruck inside the Wellington 22, building phases and scoring a try to No...More

Most eyes tomorrow will be on the Petone Recreation Ground for the major WRFU Finals Day. Both the Jubilee and Hardham Cups will find their destinations for the summer, as will the grade and division crowns in the Women’s, Premier Reserve, and Colts with the eight matches starting at 12pm, and culminating in the big one from 2.30pm.       Premier Jubilee Cup   Norths vs Old Boys-University     It all comes down to this; one final match to decide the champion for the season. Will it be resurgent Norths or defending champions Old Boys-University that walk away with the spoils this year?     Both sides have 20 matches on the clock since the season kicked-off on St Patrick’s Day in Upper Hutt, and back then both experienced wins to start their campaigns albeit in quite differing fashion...More

Above: The Super Rugby trophy, which the Hurricanes will have to wait another year to win again. So it ends with a whimper and not a bang, and in the heart of hearts, it’s felt like that was where the Hurricanes were headed for a number of weeks. Whatever your level of disappointment, I personally try to frame it in these terms. Basically, in any year before 2016, we’d be celebrating being in the semi-finals. It would typically represent a season of over-achieving Nowadays, it’s a kick in the guts not to be there at the final...More

This Saturday’s Les Mills Colts Division 1 John E Kelly Memorial Cup final promises to be as competitive as any of the eight club rugby finals being contested on the Petone Recreation Ground. Both Old Boys University and Hutt Old Boys Marist are stacked with talented players, some of whom have already played Premier rugby this year and others who will do so in the coming seasons. Both bring strong finals tradition in this grade, having won five of the past six titles between them. Old Boys University have won the two meetings between these sides already this year, winning 38-14 at Kelburn Park on 12 May in the first round Paris Memorial Trophy and prevailing 19-10 on the Hutt Rec on 19 June in their championship round-robin meeting...More

Above: Greg Mullany in action a fortnight ago against Norths, who won 13-10 that day so OBU will be eager to reverse that result and win their third Jubilee Cup in four years.  Hastings, Lisbon, Brisbane, Belfast, Melbourne and Wellington - Greg Mullany is a well-travelled rugby talent. One destination he's never reached is the Jubilee Cup final. This Saturday the veteran midfield back will at last have a crack at the capital’s ultimate prize. “I haven't played a lot of finals before, but I've been in some high-pressure games,” Mullany observes...More

Avalon Wolves stalwart Thomas Waldrom will play his first rugby match back in New Zealand since 2010 after he was named to start at No 8 for a Wellington XV when they meet Auckland at Evans Bay Park on Friday afternoon. Waldrom played the last of his 80 matches for Wellington in 2009 before heading to the United Kingdom. He is the most experienced player named by Wellington Lions coach Chris Gibbes for Friday's NPC pre-season match. Players involved in Saturday's Jubilee Cup final between Northern United and Old Boys University were not considered to face Auckland...More

When Northern United hosted Tawa in Round Six of the Swindale Shield they entered the Sammy Saili Memorial Trophy fixture having lost seven games on the trot to their fierce neighbourly rivals. On April 21, Norths finally toppled Tawa 27-14 in a game Esi Komaisavai believes changed their season. “When we beat Tawa in the Swindale Shield we moved up to third. We hadn’t beaten them for a long time, but when we did we thought we might as well try and go all the way,” Komaisavai says...More

Above: Smeagle the Eagle celebrates with Hutt Old Boys Marist on fulltime, followng their 14-11 win over Wainuiomata in the 2014 Jubilee Cup final. PHOTO: Hugh Pretorius.  In association with Lovelocks Sports Bar on Bond Street in Wellington, some highlights from this week in Wellington club rugby history are below. 30 July 1988: MSP beat Petone 16-12 to earn a place in the Jubilee Cup ‘grand final’ the following week against Wellington. Fullback Matt Smith scores the key try of the match late in the first half, giving them a 13-6 at the break...More