Above: The Upper Hutt Rams will have Poneke's supporters right behind them tomorrow. Should the Rams beat Petone and Poneke beat Paremata-Plimmerton then the latter will leapfrog the Villagers into the last Jubilee Cup place still open. It’s the final set of matches in the respective Premier and Premier Reserve first rounds tomorrow. From next week the fields split into the respective Jubilee and Hardham Cups at Premier level and the Ed Chaney and HD Morgan Cups for the Premier Reserve sides, and while Old Boys-University are at short odds to claim both the Swindale and Harper Lock Shields there’s still things to play for, even if it’s some fine-tuning ahead of the weeks to come...More

Above: The Hutt Valley High School First XV squad recently had a 90-minute classroom coaching and mentoring session with Sir Graham Henry. “We are not the biggest side, we are quite skilful, but our main strength is we have a team this year with a terrific culture and we love sticking together, says first year Hutt Valley High School First XV coach Warren Bradshaw. HVHS were beaten Premier 3 competition semi-finalists last year, but they have made the leap to the WelTec Premiership this season after winning all three of their grading games, beating Aotea College (24-22), Naenae College (29-21) and Bishop Viard College (39-22)...More

Cue grainy black and white film. Cue Movie Pathe voiceover. "And it's kia ora and hello to the latest contingent of tourists from the Mother Country - but what a bunch of tourists these are. Long and tall and short - and that's just the plane needed to carry the team. I'm counting them now as they descend the steps from the BOAC Stratocaster jet. Yes, there are the English yeomen, the Welsh boyos, and the Irish lads. And my word, yes, I think that's a Scotsman right at the back. No, make it three...More

June 30, 2012, Wainuiomata thrashes Petone 50-20 in Round 3 of the Jubilee Cup. In the Wainuiomata team that day are four boys that refer to themselves as the "quad crew making a big impression." Teru Time, a member of quartet explains the origins of the phrase. "Tau and Genesis Mamea, Feterika Sage and myself all grew up together in Wainui. We used to joke we would all play for Wainui. When it happened and we beat Petone by such a big score it was really special. I scored a try. It remains my favourite game for the club...More

Wellington College: 43 (Cameron Robinson, Josh Morgan-Ranui, Thomas Bramley, Geordie Bean, Oliver Paotonu, Elijah Tuigamala tries; Morgan-Ranui 3 pen 2 con) St. Pats Town: 17 (Josh Oloapu-Atoni 2, Jeremiah Tuiatua; Ricki Manu Laiatea 1 con) In a replay of last year's WelTec Premiership Grand Final, Wellington College have comfortably accounted for St. Pats Town 43-17 at Evans Bay Park this afternoon. In the 132nd annual traditional, Wellington scored their 80th win and biggest since a 56-17 triumph in 2012...More

Ash Pointon played over 250 Premier games for Ories and Johnsonville throughout the 1980s and 1990s and coached Ories teams for several years until a decade ago. It is with tremendous sadness that Oreintal-Rongotai advised of his passing this morning after a long battle with cancer at the age of 56. Until recently overtaken, Ash for almost 30 years at 167 games, held the record for most Premier appearances for Ories after beginning his Senior career just a few weeks after the start of the 1980 season and  in his second season out of Rongotai College where he was a fixture in the First XV for a number of years...More

Above: Andrew Wells dots down a try against Northern United a fortnight ago, cementing MSP's place in the top 8 for the second half of the season starting next weekend. Photo by Andy McArthur. Andrew Wells’ first club rugby season out of school was one to savour, winning the Jubilee Cup with Marist St Pat’s. “I played every minute of every game that season for the MSP Premiers, so it was a memorable year,” Wells told Club Rugby ahead of tomorrow’s big clash between St Pat’s Town and his old Wellington College First XV...More

Defending Jubilee Cup champions Tawa quaified for the championship round with a week to spare with their 37-12 win over the Upper Hutt Rams on Saturday, while the Rams have missed the top 8 and are heading for the Hardham Cup in a fortnight. Photo: Hugh Pretorius.  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...More

Above: Avalon's Scott Waldrom evades tacklers during the Avalon-Poneke Premier Reserve match on Kilbirnie Park this afternoon.  The Old Boys University Goats have put themselves in the box seat to defend the Swindale Shield next week following their thrilling 38-36 win over Hutt Old Boys Marist at the Hutt Rec this afternoon. OBU go into the final round set of first round matches next weekend holding a 2-point lead to a chasing pack of three teams that can still win the Swindale Shield should they stumble and circumstances fall in the favour of others...More

Things couldn’t be tighter in the Swindale Shield, both at the top and the race for the title but also in the fight just to make the top 8 and with it the Jubilee Cup, and every match tomorrow has a bearing on those two situations. Elsewhere there’s a titanic clash in the Premier Reserve grade as the joint leaders meet, the possibility that the first-round Colts silverware will be decided, and the two perennial powerhouses of the Women’s game meet yet again. It’s also Old Timers’ Day at both Norths and Johnsonville...More