Above: Johnsonville halfback EammonTawhiwhirangi and centre Imanueli Bese celebrate their team's penalty try late in the first half against Paremata-Plimmerton, which proved to be the match-winner in their 22-13 win. Poneke held Tawa scoreless for an hour to score a thumping first win in the Jubilee Cup and to cap off a busy week of matches for the club on a high. Poneke should have beaten Norths on Wednesday night and directed much of their frustration from that lost oppunitunity upon Tawa today and won 44-10...More

Above: Poneke back-up from their narrow loss at Jerry Collins Stadium on Wednesday night to host Tawa, while Norths have their bye and the weekend off. With the mid-point of the Jubilee and Hardham Cups just around the corner there’s already plenty at stake for some teams while others could take large steps towards cementing their playoff places. Another week of wet weather will also be a factor, and it will be seen whether sides rein in their expansive instincts and play a territory and possession game, or stick to giving the ball plenty of air...More

As curious as it may seem – and there’s a lot that is curious about SANZAR – they’ve just released the draw for the 2019 Super Rugby season. With the current competition in suspended animation and the Hurricanes yet to be confirmed as champions it feels a bit weird. Like announcing who you’re going to run off with, while you are still taking your wedding vows. Anyway, the timing slap bang in the international window is pretty much guaranteed to create no buzz around the 2019 comp...More

Above: Joel Hintz came off the bench last weekend for his Old Boys University Premier debut, five years after leaving St Pat's Silverstream for Lincoln and Canterbury. PHOTO: Mike Lewis Pictures. Old Boys University already boasts considerable forward muscle with centurions Jonathan Fuimaono and Finnbarr Kerr-Newell anchoring the reigning Jubilee Cup champions scrum. The Goats now boast even more power with the recent arrival of Joel Hintz for the last two months of the season. The St Patrick's College, Silverstream old boy is back in the capital after three and half years in Canterbury...More

Above: The HOBM Barbarians after beating Petone last weekend and clinching the first round First Grade title with this week’s final round to spare. With eight wins in a row this season, the Hutt Old Boys Marist Barbarians remain undefeated and head into this weekend’s game against the Stokes Valley Rhinos having already secured and defended the first round Thompson Memorial Cup The Thompson Memorial Cup will be presented to the team at the conclusion of their final round First Grade game against Stokes Valley Rhino’s this Saturday at Delaney Park, kick-off 2...More

Julian Savea in his last Premier start in the 2013 semi-final that saw Ories beat HOBM 30-27 in extra time. He is off to Toulon, but will he be back in the future? Oriental-Rongotai wing Julian Savea has confirmed that he will be leaving New Zealand at the end of the 2018 Super Rugby season to join French Top 14 club Toulon. New Zealand Rugby, Hurricanes and Wellington Rugby have collectively praised Savea for his massive contribution to rugby in New Zealand. Savea played 54 tests for the All Blacks, scoring 46 tries, second only to Doug Howlett on the all-time try-scoring records for New Zealand...More

Above: Ories beat Tawa 18-13 at neutral Kilbirnie Park in a storm this week in 2013. Tawa reversed the five-point deficit in the final by winning 26-21 in the rematch later in the season. In association with Lovelocks Sports Bar on Bond Street in Wellington, some highlights from this week in Wellington club rugby history are below. 19 June 1965: After losing their opening six games of the season, Poneke win their fourth game on the trot and beat previously unbeaten Athletic 9-8 in a major upset...More

Above: The Upper Hutt Rams Thirsty Rams took out the first round of the JRD Cup Reserve Grade competition on Saturday, beating the Poneke Ruffnuts 22-19 on Saturday. Photo credit: Upper Hutt Rams Facebook 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. A rugby breather early this week, before a burst of action on Wednesday and Wednesday night...More

Defending champions Old Boys University, first round winners Northern United and in-form Oriental-Rongotai all won well in today's second round of the Jubilee Cup. OBU came off their opening round bye to lower the Hutt Old Boys Eagles 40-22 at the Hut Recreation Ground, Northern United maintained their winning momentum from a fortnight ago to beat Marist St Pat's 35-22 at Evans Bay Park and Ories won their second match to start the second round in beating Poneke 41-27 at the Polo Ground. There were two draws out of three in the Hardham Cup this afternoon...More

Above: Josh Houston-Tupou and the Upper Hutt Rams will want to arrest recent losses when they take on Wainuiomata while Api Naikatini and Johnsonville have their bye and the weekend off.  UPDATED: After one weird weekend where there was considerable focus in off-field goings-on rather than those on it, hopefully normal transmission resumes tomorrow with a full round in the Jubilee and Hardham Cups. Another weekend of wet weather is likely to affect proceedings, but perhaps not the teams’ ambitions to move the ball and play entertaining rugby...More