Above: Wellington players celebrating with the Ranfurly Shield in 1956 after they'd beaten holders Canterbury in one of the province's great triumphs in Christchurch. Photo credit: Evening Post 24/9/1956. Wellington teams ran hot in the 1950s, winning and losing the Ranfurly Shield twice in three years in this period. Wellington beat Waikato 9-6 in August 1953 to win the Ranfurly Shield and they held it for seven defences, including thrilling wins over Southland, Otago, Auckland and Taranaki, before Canterbury ended the party...More

The U13 representative season is underway and the team plays their only home match of the season this Saturday, hosting the Wairarapa Bush U14s at the Petone Recreation Ground. This is the second game of a four-contest schedule in which the U13s played Auckland U13s last week and will meet the Horowhenua Kapiti U14s in Levin and the Hawke’s Bay U14s in Palmerston North over the following two Saturdays. The Wellington U13s opened their account with a 12-22 away loss to Auckland, but manager Scott Ashton said this was a credible performance given the size difference between the two teams...More

Beauden Barrett runs out on to his home track in New Plymouth against the Pumas on Saturday. Photo by Dave Lintott Photography. More photos here Now this is a column of a Hurricanes fan, so stating the obvious, I won't be joining the ranks of the Beaudy haters. And boy have they starting coming out of the woodwork this season. Indeed, you would think that really, if we'd just had a different first-five, we'd have nailed the Lions series. And we'd be leading the Rugby Championship by now. Oh hold on, we are leading the Rugby Championship...More

Above: Will Mangos (right) supports Vaea Fifita, against Bay of Plenty in Rotorua recently. Photo by Dave Lintott Photography. More photos here Rugged lock/flanker Wil Mangos missed much of Old Boys University’s successful club season owing to separate injuries and ailments, before showing storming late season form, including playing big roles in their 50-22 semi-final win over Tawa and 32-19 final win over Hutt Old Boys Marist. “Unfortunately I missed a bunch of games during the club season...More

The first day of the Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under-19 Tournament in Taupo produced several upsets with six of the eight lower seeded teams winning their quarter finals. In the Graham Mourie Cup Premiership section. North Harbour, Canterbury and defending champions Waikato advanced while in the Michael Jones Trophy championship, Heartland, Counties and Southland were perhaps surprise winners in their respective fixtures. North Harbour punish slow starting Wellington Wellington lost in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2015, to North Harbour who were losers at the same stage in the championship in 2016...More

Tiwi Davies scores for the Wellington Maori on Saturday against the Wellington Samoans. Max Pearson also scored two tries, but the Samoans won 24-23 - more below. Off the Ball is in association with Rob Law Max , Lovelocks Sports Bar  and Harcourts Johnsonville  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 mixed bag for Wellington’s many teams playing at home and around the country from Tasman to Taupo...More

Wellington: 35 (Alex Fidow, Ben Lam, Sam Lousi, James Blackwell, Losi Filipo tries, Jackson Garden-Bachop 5 con) HT: 13-21.Tasman: 37 (Tim Perry, Will Jordan, James Lowe, Mitch Hunt tries, Hunt 4 con, 3 pen)   WHAT HAPPENED Both sides attacked vibrantly from the outset suggesting a treat was in store. However omens of a tough afternoon for Wellington were evident when skipper Brad Shields departed with a leg injury after just nine minutes. Mitchell Hunt put the hosts on the scoreboard with a penalty after three minutes, but Wellington scored the first try traversing the length of the field...More

Above the Lions and the Makos forwards pack down in Blenheim. Photo credit: https://twitter.com/WgtnRugby Wellington: 35 (Alex Fidow, Ben Lam, Sam Lousi, James Blackwell, Losi Filipo tries, Jackson Garden-Bachop 5 con) HT: 13-21.Tasman: 37 (Tim Perry, Will Jordan, James Lowe, Mitch Hunt tries, Hunt 4 con, 3 pen)   WHAT HAPPENED Both sides attacked vibrantly from the outset suggesting a treat was in store. However omens of a tough afternoon for Wellington were evident when skipper Brad Shields departed with a leg injury after just nine minutes...More

It’s a bumper day of representative action as most sides are in action. With just three sides on the road, the majority are at home with the Hutt Rec and Porirua Park the focal points. After opening their Farah Palmer Cup campaign with a relatively comfortable 42-10 win over returnees Hawke’s Bay, the Wellington Pride face a step up against one of the perennial contenders of the competition in the Manawatu Cyclones at the Hutt Rec at 2pm. Manawatu will be well-rested, having had the bye in the opening weekend of the 11-team competition and will be keen to stamp an early mark...More

Marist St Pat's midfielder Billy Proctor will co-captain the Wellington U19s in Taupo. The Wellington Under-19 squad to contest the Jock Hobbs Memorial U19 Tournament in Taupo has been announced by head coach Zak Feaunati. The 25-strong squad includes players from ten of Wellington’s 17 senior clubs and includes two members of the 2017 Wellington Lions Mitre 10 Cup squad in Marist St Pats midfielder Billy Proctor and Petone halfback Carlos Price.Proctor will co-captain the team alongside Old Boys University flanker Naera Tipoki when Wellington’s Jock Hobbs Memorial campaign kicks off against North Harbour in Taupo on Sunday (September 10)...More