Above: Poneke wing Nick Robertson on his way to the tryline in Poneke’s fourth round 40-35 win over Northern United. “The adversity off the field has made us come together. After all the drama the boys decided to have some fun and just play some footy,” Nick Robertson explains when addressing Poneke’s unlikely resurgence. On April 5 it was publicly announced Poneke had parted ways with coach Mason Lawrence three rounds into the season. Instead of unravelling, the 2017 Hardham Cup side have won four of their past five matches, including the Cyril Collett Memorial Shield two days after Lawrence’s dismissal against Northern United...More

In association with Lovelocks Sports Bar on Bond Street in Wellington, some highlights from this week in Wellington club rugby history are below. 30 April 1955: After accounting for Wellington College Old Boys 34-8 in last week’s opening round, Petone dispatch Taita 31-3. A feature of this win is ex All Black fullback Bob Scott scoring a try and converting four of Petone’s seven tries. The Wellington club rugby scene is soon to be rocked, however, with axed Petone and Wellington rep first five-eighth Jackie Dougan left out of Petone’s 18-man squad for the first two matches and about to announce a move to Onslow where he will win the Jubilee Cup for his new club...More

 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. After three matches in a week, it is a case of back to normal for Wellington’s Premier rugby players, with Saturday fixtures back on the cards for the rest of the season. Previews coming up at the end of this week but the clash at the Hutt Rec between leaders Hutt Old Boys Marist (35 points) and seventh-placed Tawa (26) looms large...More

Above: Caleb Nicholas scores in the corner with 10 minutes to play to make it 19-26 to Wainuiomata against Petone. They scored again under the posts at the end to finish all square.  A series of close results across all grades marked the latest round of club rugby across Wellington this afternoon, with several matches that hung in the balance to the end and some decided on fulltime. It was Derby Day across the seven Swindale Shield venues, with six matches between geographically placed neighbours and the seventh between the two Marist clubs...More

Above: Vince Aso dives over to score his second try of the night for the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes have come away with 5 competition points after they defeated a determined Sunwolves team 43-15 in Wellington on Friday night. It was by no means the best performance from the home side as the Sunwolves applied early pressure and came up with the first try within ten minutes, Captain Pieter Lappies Labuschagne crossing over to give his team the lead. The Hurricanes managed to respond shortly after when skilful hands from Vince Aso led to Julian Savea levelling the score for the Hurricanes...More

The Hurricanes Development team overcame a skilled Japan A side to win 36-27 at the Levin Domain on Thursday night. Japan A kept the Hurricanes development under pressure in the first half and went into the halftime break with a 17-12 lead. Two minutes into the second half Japan A winger Akihito Yamada found himself in the bin after taking a man in the air. Shortly after, the Hurricanes would capitalise with halfback Richard Judd going over to score, putting his side in front. Japan A would retake the lead with a penalty goal but two consecutive tries from Ihaia West proved decisive, final score 36-27...More

Round 8 of the Swindale and Harper Lock Shields comes around quickly, with Wednesday’s midweek Anzac Day matches followed up by tomorrow’s Derby Day encounters. Established a few years ago the six geographical and one all-Marist clashes have been a popular addition to the club calendar, though perhaps this year’s timing of it is somewhat unfortunate coming as the third of three matches in a week There’s also another round in all other grades, with some particularly noteworthy ones in the Women’s and Colts competitions...More

Yesterday Tawa overcame a ten point halftime deficit to beat Old Boys University 42-38 in a thrilling contest at Nairnville Park. Tawa centre Ryan Preston crossed over in the dying minutes to give Tawa a much-needed victory and win the Bill Brien Challenge Shield. Old Boys University were under pressure right from kick-off and would lose Greg Mullany to the bin after five minutes due to repeated infringements. Tawa would then score shortly after, when halfback Kemara Hauiti-Parapara burrowed over for the first try of the game...More

Above: HOBM's Glen Walters attempts to break free in his side's 29-22 win over Poneke today. There was a pair of Anzac Day Swindale Shield thrillers and other close results in the seventh round set of matches played today around the region in glorious sunshine. In two classic club rugby finishes, Tawa beat Old Boys University 42-38 at Nairnville Park and the Upper Hutt Rams tipped over Oriental-Rongotai 36-34 at Maidstone Park. Tawa centre Ryan Preston scored a last-gasp converted try to the left of the uprights to give Tawa their win and the Bill Brien Challenge Shield...More

Less than 96 hours after the end of Round 6, the fourteen teams in each of the Swindale and Harper Lock Shields will be back in action with tomorrow’s Anzac Day round – which also marks the halfway point of the first round – before an even shorter turnaround for Round 8 on Saturday. Two clubs - Hutt Old Boys Marist and the Upper Hutt Rams - are making use of tomorrow for their Old Timers’ Day festivities as well. Premier Swindale Shield A pair of top-five clashes highlight tomorrow’s matches...More