So those people at World Rugby been on the phone to you have they? Did Augustin Pichot or Bill Beaumont send you a Survey Monkey invite. Or even just a text. No? Hmmm. That’s odd. As a fan I would have thought you’d be the first cab off the rank as the chiefs of world rugby chew over yet another attempt to make the international game faster, stronger higher. Well if they do get in touch, just tell them I’d like to give my opinion too. Admittedly I am quite sure what we would be asked to give our opinion on because some of them seem just as mystified about this latest idea of a world cup every year except when there’s a world cup...More

Wellington Pride captain Jackie Patea-Fereti runs in a try in their week two Farah Palmer Cup win over Canterbury Photo: Chainsaw Photos  After relegation from the Premiership divison last year, the Wellington Pride are finding form and are on track for a shot at repromotion when the business end of the season kicks into gear in a fortnight. After missing out to Hawke’s Bay in the opening week (22-25), the Pride have had wins over Canterbury (43-38), Otago (38-10) and Tasman (88-3) to assume pole position on the points table heading into the final fortnight of the regular season...More

Last week marked a year until the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. Here 2,586 people pack down a scrum to mark the date. PHOTO: TOKI Services via Instagram. 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. There were nine Wellington representative teams in action over the weekend and all won well except the Wellington Development side in their first outing together this season...More

Thomas Waldrom led from the front for the Wellington Lions against Manawatu.  The Wellington Lions and the Wellington Pride both moved into home semi-final contention in their respective Men’s and Women’s NPC competition competitions as the business end of the season nears, after recording bonus point wins on Sunday. The Lions defeated the Manawatu Turbos 49-7 in Palmerston North and the Pride beat Tasman 88-3 in Nelson. Reports of both games below. Lions retain Coronation Cup against Manawatu Wellington Lions 49 (Ben Lam 2, Thomas Waldrom, Mateaki Kafatolu, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, , James Blackwell, Asafo Aumua, Isaiah Walker-Leawere, Peter Umaga-Jensen tries; Trent Renata 2 con) beat Manawatu 7 (Brice Henderson try; Sam Malcolm conversion)...More

Esi Komaisavai (left) and Villami Fine scored second half tries in a comeback that fell short for the Wellington Development team today. The Wellington Development team lost the first of their four matches of their 2018 campaign today, going down 39-46 to Tasman B at Jerry Collins Stadium. Tasman led 41-5 at halftime and a second half comeback wasn’t quite enough for Wellington. Read below for more. Meanwhile, all six of Wellington’s age-grade representative teams in action today won their fixtures...More

There is an explosion of representative rugby this weekend for Wellington’s junior, secondary school and senior teams, but most are playing away from home. There are just two games tomorrow, both at Porirua Park. The Wellington U13s play the Horowhenua-Kapiti U14s on Porirua 2 at 11.00am and the Wellington Development host Tasman B on the JCS at noon. Both Wellington U16 teams are in action on parallel fields at Playford Park, Levin at 12.00pm. The Wellington U16As face the Manawatu U16s and the Wellington U16s Development play the Horowhenua-Kapiti U16s...More

Billy Proctor will be expected to be wearing less scarlet and more yellow over the next five years. Marist St Pat's utility back Billy Proctor has joined the Hurricanes on a five-year deal that will see the former St Pat's Town midfielder at the Hurricanes until at least 2023. The contract is the longest the Hurricanes have offered a player since the club was formed in 1996. "I'm obviously really excited about the opportunity. The length of my contract gives me some real security and the ability to just concentrate on developing my game," said Proctor who made his MSP Premier debut in round two of the Swindale Shield in 2017 and who has since played 21 Premier matches for MSP...More

Above: James Blackwell scoring his third NPC try in 26 matches played so far for Wellington.  The Duane Monkley medal is awarded to the Player of the Year in the National Provincial Championship. Monkley was a tough lock and loose forward out of the Waikato and shares a lot in common with James Blackwell - one of the leading contenders to receive his prize in 2018. Blackwell has finally achieved regular minutes and is revelling after a litany of injuries. “I've fractured my foot three times, twice at school and once in preseason with the Hurricanes...More

Above: Vaea Fifita and Greg Foe and the Wellington Lions play Manawatu for the Coronation Cup this coming Sunday in Palmerston North, kick-off 4.35pm.  Losing may be bad, but sometimes winning is worse. Everyone’s talking about Saturday’s seismic result from the New Zealand perspective, as if that is all that matters. What, though, will South Africa take from it once the tears have subsided. Well, if they play to their strengths and play out of their skins for 80 minutes, they can match the All Blacks and rattle them badly...More

Last year, Matt Peni and the Wellington Development team lost 24-37 to Canterbury B. They play Tasman, Hawke's Bay, Canterbury and Auckland over the next four weeks. The 2018 Wellington U18 Development squad plays four matches over consecutuve weekends against Tasman B, the Hawke's Bay Saracens, Canterbury B and Auckland Development. Their first match this weekend is against the Tasman B side at Jerry Collins Stadium at 12 noon. This is followed by matches against the Hawke's Bay Saracens in Napier on 29 September, Canterbury B in Christchurch on 6 October and Auckland Development on 13 October at Porirua Park...More