Above: Hutt Old Boys Marist super-sub Polonga Pedro joins the fray for his 243rd Premier appearance on Saturday against Old Boys University at a muddy Nairnville Park. 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. The biggest week of rugby in Wellington this year is upon us. The British and Irish Lions have touched down in the capital and play the Hurricanes tomorrow night and the All Blacks on Saturday night...More

Brian Coulter shifted to Wellington in 1964 to work for the Government in accounting. It was a job that lasted less than three months. Fortunately, the old boy of St. Kevin's College, Oamaru, made a greater initial impression in rugby. The former Canterbury halfback was the top ranked nine in the capital by the end of the season. “There was a lot of competition in those days. I guess I was lucky guys like Paul Tindall and Barry Cull pushed me to greater heights.” Coulter reflects. Cull from Athletic played 60 games for Wellington and later became a sports commentator in Taumarunui...More

Scots College has joined St. Pats Silverstream as the only unbeaten team at the halfway point of the WelTec Premiership First XV competition after a gripping 14-13 away win over Wellington College in heavy mud.  Scots dogged defence was a major reason for their success as they repelled a barrage of attacks inside their 22 for the last 10 minutes and Tommy Prescott, Manahi Tipoki and Tai Neli pulled off try saving tackles in the second-half to perverse the visitors slender lead. Initially, Scots was the first to cross the chalk when wing Jack Gray charged down a kick and won the race to the ball...More

First round winners the Old Boys University Goats are the only unbeaten side after three sides of the 2017 Jubilee Cup, but all four of today’s matches on a wet, gloomy Wellington afternoon went down to the wire. At Nairnville Park, OBU withstood a furious death-knock assault on their line by visitors Hutt Old Boys Marist to hold to the fulltime whistle and win 19-17. At Evans Bay Park, home team Marist St Pat’s conceded a late James So’oialo converted try and then missed a penalty at the end to win the game, in falling to defending champions Tawa 29-30...More

Updated to include alterations Friday afternoon: There’s plenty at stake in tomorrow’s third round of the Jubilee Cup with teams looking to get themselves towards the top of the ladder, back on track, or even just some confidence back; and the same applies in the Hardham Cup as well. With the inclement weather over the past 24 hours looking to continue into tomorrow, it might be a case of who adapts to the conditions and real winter rugby the fastest. Adding to the intrigue is that no Hurricanes players have been released to play ahead of Tuesday’s match against the Lions...More

Above: Ayesha Leti-l'iga crossing for a try for Oriental-Rongotai in their recent Victoria Tavern Trophy match against Marist St Pat's. Photo by David Brownlie Photos  They’ve got the bye this coming Saturday, but the Oriental-Rongotai women’s side will still be leading the Victoria Tavern Trophy competition at the end of this weekend and they should go on to secure a home semi-final and earn the chance of contesting the final at the Petone Rec on 5 August. Individually, Ayesha Leti-l’iga has run in 18 tries in the six competition games she’s played this year, including hat-tricks in each of her last two games...More

I read somewhere once that the Roman mega-coliseum events were at first meant to only be seen once in a person's lifetime. Like once every 100 years. Notwithstanding no-one lived much past 50, inevitably the emperors thought this was great for keeping the populace happy. Before you could say I Claudius, it was held every year, at which point some people said enough of the commute and chose to stay at home and watch on their giant flat-tablets. I kind of see the Lions tour in the same light, as they happen every 12 years...More

Ben Tupuola has little involvement in match day warm-ups for Wainuiomata. The hulking No.8 is a machine operator who needs rest before games. “I often work on Fridays from 1am to 10am. Then I take my two girls to league so I nap before kick-off. If I don’t get my sleep, I get grumpy.” Tupuola explains. Awaking Tupuola from his pre-match dose is like poking a beer. Tupuola is one of the most consistently damaging players in Wellington club rugby, but a decade ago Tupuola was doing more damage to himself than adversaries on the field...More

Scots College: 36 (Sage Shaw-Tait, Malo Manuao, Epa Sailo, Max Taptikilis, Moala Katoa,  Jack Gray; Manuao 3 con) Lindisfarne College: 10 (Mahia Salisbury,  Maika Nasilasila tries) Scots College have beaten Lindisfarne College 36-10 in their annual traditional fixture in Wellington today. In fine, calm conditions, Scots pulled away from the stubborn Hawke’s Bay visitors scoring three of their six tries in the last 15 minutes. Lindisfarne began in promising style anchoring themselves inside the Scots 22, but a turnover and break by Scots first-five Jack Mexted sparked a movement which saw centre Sage Shaw-Tait cross the chalk...More

For the first time the Kapiti College First XV is in Premier One of the Wellington Secondary Schools rugby competition. After being humiliated 97-7 by St. Pat’s Silverstream in Round One, Kapiti have won three games on the trot and caused a huge upset when they tipped over 2016 semi-finalists Rongotai College 19-15 last weekend. A father and son duo, are coach and captain of the team. Hooker Liam Tooman has played over 50 games for the side while his father Mark coaches. Liam admits the pair rarely talks about anything other than rugby...More