Above: Action from today's First Grade match on the Petone Rec, where the Norhern United Usos made it three from three in the Thompson Memorial Trophy with a 29-25 win over the Petone Brotherhood. Petone pulled clear late to beat Hutt Old Boys Marist 49-31 today in an entertaining McBain Shield match at the Hutt Rec, while Oriental-Rongotai held off Marist St Pat’s 32-27 at the Polo Ground to pull 16 points clear of the ninth placed team and become the first team to officially for this year’s Jubilee Cup...More

It’s another big weekend across the rugby fields of Wellington. In the Swindale Shield the race for the main prize remains tight, and there’s a bunch of matches that could go a long way to deciding who makes the Jubilee Cup in a month’s time. There’s also some crunch matches in the Premier Reserve Harper Lock Shield and First Grade Thompson Memorial, a clash of unbeatens in the Colts, and the start of the Women’s second round. Premier Swindale Shield Without disrespect to any of the other 12 sides, it’s hard to look past the McBain Shield clash at the Hutt Rec as the feature game of the round...More

I can now reveal the last thing the Hurricanes hear in their teamtalk is: L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace. Which is French for, despite leaving yours fans in serious squeaky bum territory with a man down, and the season in the balance, with 10 to go, you pull out an outrageous 90m breakout try. Hail Mary doesn't even come close. But being a Hurricanes' fan, well, you just kind of shrug it off don't you, as kind of normal. Although I can't remember a time a team with a five try to one margin at the 70 minute mark was seriously in danger of defeat...More

Above: Tomasi Palu playing his 99th game for Old Boys University last weekend against Northern United, a team he also played for between 2009-13. Richard Newsome was a Wellington College old boy and Billygoats stalwart whose life tragically ended in 2014 when he fell down a flight of stairs. Throughout his life the 42 year old maintained Old Boys University would again win the Jubilee Cup, a prize that had eluded the club for five decades. Newson was a friend, mentor and manager of Tomasi Palu...More

The McBain Shield between Petone and Hutt Old Boys Marist has been contested every year since 1934. There have been many memorable McBain Shield matches over the years, particularly in the modern era since 2003 when HOBM regained their Premier status for the final time. Summaries of five of these games that Club Rugby has covered are below. 2004: Hutt Old Boys Marist wins 27-17 Hutt Old Boys Marist had finished last in 2003’s Swindale Shield and Petone were to go and win the 2004 Swindale Shield...More

Above: Brandyn Laursen running freely for HOBM in a recent match against Marist St Pat's, with prop Joe 'Apikotoa and wing Fereti Soloa in support and MSP's Vince Sakaria (headgear) and Kerrod Foaese in pursuit.  After losing their first two matches, to the Upper Hutt Rams and to Wainuiomata, the Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles have quietly gone about their business and have now won seven in a row in this year’s Swindale Shield competition. Last Saturday, the Eagles made a second half statement against Tawa away at Lyndhurst Park, pulling clear from 9-3 ahead to win 26-10...More

Above: With 12 tries so far, Ories wing Ayesha Leti-li'ga is the top try scorer in men's and women's club rugby, ahead of Fereti Soloa (HOBM) with 8 tries and Michael Sage (Poneke) and Mitchell Markov (Upper Hutt Rams), both with 7.  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 coming week...More

Above: Wes Goosen and teammates celebrate his second intercept try today at Nairnville Park, wrapping up a 30-7 win for Old Boys University over Northern United. Oriental-Rongotai’s men’s and women’s teams were revelling in the Polo Ground sunshinetoday after registering emphatic wins in today’s Swindale Shield and Fleurs Trophy competition. The Ories men’s team pulled clear late in the second half to beat the Upper Hutt Rams 41-19 to go to the top of the Swindale Shield standings after Old Boys University shut out Northern United 30-7 in their table-topping clash at Nairnville Park...More

In racing parlance the field is at the top of the home straight turning for home with just five rounds left in the Swindale Shield. There’s a clutch of sides grouped at the top, while others are poised to make a late run for those top-eight places that matter for the Jubilee Cup stage of the season. Adding to the intrigue is that a number of Hurricanes squad members will be in club colours. Elsewhere there’s a full slate of games on at club level - starting with three tonight – while college rugby his full stride tomorrow as well...More

I apologise for mentioning a while back that at least the injuries were happening to the All Black backs - because it was the forward pack we needed to stay intact for the Lions. Now we've got three key players in serious doubt - the warrior Kaino, the skipper Read, and the pocket rocket Coles. It's not a crisis - but it could head that way. There's a glib view that New Zealand has such depth that it can take such hits better than any other nation, and of course that's true to a point. But teams are still teams - and greater than the sum of parts...More