Above: When Petone beat Wainuiomata 27-25 in a come-from-behind win, this week in 2014.  In association with Lovelocks Sports Bar on Bond Street in Wellington, some highlights from this week in Wellington club rugby history are below. 3 July 1976: The Wellington Axemen prevail 10-7 over MSP. The match is locked up at 7-7 late in the piece when Wellington captain Graham Williams hands the ball to fullback Geoff Stone for a crucial penalty. Stone, who has already missed two easy kicks today, makes no mistake...More

Above: You can't stop her, and you can barely hope to contain her. Oriental-Rongotai try-scoring machine Ayesha Leti-l'iga was at it again on Saturday, scoring 7 of her teams 12 tries as they overwhelmed Petone 72-17. That takes her season tally to a faintly ridiculous 29 in just nine matches, surpassing the 23 she scored last year.  Off the Ball is in association with Rob Law Max, Lovelocks Sports Bar,  Motor Doctors and Sarah Kilner Real Estate  Looking at some of the news in briefs, milestones, happenings, statistics and observations from the weekend of rugby just gone and what’s coming up this week...More

There are fewer men's club rugby teams in Wellington today, compared to 1910 when this photo was taken at Athletic Park, when Wellington played Otago. In absolute and relative terms is rugby really growing? A look back through history suggests that on both counts, the game in this country is not in as a good health as may be suggested by the official media releases which are made from time to time. In 1938, there were 141 men's club teams (2,800 players) in Wellington Rugby’s annual club competition...More

A trio of one-point wins around the region marked today’s fourth round set of Jubilee Cup matches, with narrow wins to Northern United, Old Boys University and Tawa. Northern United beat Hutt Old Boys Marist 35-34 at Jerry Collins Stadium, Old Boys University pipped Oriental-Rongotai 18-17 at Nairnville Park and Tawa edged Marist St Pat’s 15-14 at Evans Bay Park. With their wins, Norths and OBU kept their unbeaten records intact, while Tawa have kept their semi-final chances alive at the likely expense of Marist St Pat’s who have yet to have their bye...More

Above: Tawa supporters will be hoping for more runs like this from Tolu Fahamokioa tomorrow against Marist St Pat's, in a Jubilee Cup fixture between two sides desperate for victory. Poneke have the bye. Tomorrow’s round marks the halfway point in the Jubilee and Hardham Cups, and for some sides its desperate times already and for others a chance to all but stamp their tickets to the playoffs.     There are also vital matches in each of the Premier Reserve and Colts divisions, some intriguing contests in the College ranks, and further down the start of second-rounds for some grades and the end of the first for others...More

The dust settles, or is that the mud. Inevitably people try to make sense of the June internationals as if they’re divining the future. The future, of course, is what happens between now and at the Rugby World Cup, Japan, 2019. Personally, I don’t think much of what just happened will prove that relevant. Nearly 18 months seems like an eternity in international rugby these days. But here’s a go, with that caveat. New Zealand: Are the All Blacks plateauing or continuing to blood the new talent needed to stay ahead of the game...More

“I don't take any jersey for granted,” Faifili Levave stresses when addressing his return to Northern United. Off contract after two seasons with Mitsubishi in Japan, Levave is seeking another overseas deal. In the meantime he has returned home and is hungry to help the Swindale Shield champions continue their fine form. “I was doing my own training, but there is nothing like rugby training so I approached coach Gerrard Fasavalu, who is an old family friend, and asked him if I could train with Norths...More

In three First XV matches played today involving Premiership Wellington First XV schools, St Pat’s Silverstream defeated Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Porirua College beat Wainuiomata High Schol and Wellington College lost to Nelson College. Short round-ups of these matches follow below. Silverstream (25) v Palmerston North Boys' High School (7) St Pat’s Silverstream made it four wins from four matches in their annual traditional fixtures, defeating Palmerston North Boys’ High School 25-7 in the Manawatu this afternoon...More

Above: Petone celebrates their 19-13 win over Northern United in the Jubilee Cup this week in 2007. In association with Lovelocks Sports Bar on Bond Street in Wellington, some highlights from this week in Wellington club rugby history are below. 26 June 2010: Hutt Old Boys Marist's Matt and Alexis Time each score decisive second half tries as part of the club’s centenary weekend 22-15 victory over 100-year old rivals Petone. The Time’s tries make the difference as the home side fight back from a 10-15 deficit early in the second half to draw level and then score the winning try several minutes from fulltime...More

Above: Two Northern United players reached milestone games for their club four days apart recently. Fullback Daley Harper has recently returned from Australia and reached the milestone of 100 games last Wednesday for the Premiers, while Patsy Schwalger played her 150th for the Women's team on Saturday. Deepest darkest winter is behind us and its downhill to the summer months. The next month of rugby should shine brightly as we head towards the business end of the 2018 club rugby season. +++++ Today is a day off locally, but there is plenty of college rugby on this week, in Wellington and further afield...More