Above: Valentine Meachen testing Old Boys-University's defence in a recent big Bucqui Jubilee Cup win over them at Evans Bay Park. Photo credit: Marist St Pat's.  Valentine is a word that implies love, tenderness and commitment. In the battlefields of World War I such virtues were not immediately obvious on the surface at least, but between fellow soldiers deep bonds were formed. Valentine's grandfather Ted Meachen (later mayor of Blenheim) served at Gallipoli. When his boat approached the shore it came under heavy gunfire...More

Oriental-Rongotai loose forward Ardie Savea has inked a new two-year deal with New Zealand Rugby and the Hurricanes, recommitting through until 2018. The 22-year-old, who made his All Blacks Test debut against Wales during this year's Steinlager Series, said it had been an easy decision to re-commit to New Zealand Rugby and the Hurricanes. "I'm loving my rugby right now at all levels of the game and I'm excited about the future with both the Hurricanes and, if I'm good enough to be selected again, the All Blacks...More

Above: Blly Wallace (centre) with All Blacks fullbacks Bob Scott and George Nepia in 1955, 11 years before the Best and Fairest competition in his name was started in Wellington. Photo credit: National Library collection.  Celebrating 50 years of the Billy Wallace Best and Fairest Wellington Premier club rugby competition. The Billy Wallace competition has been contested annually since its inception in 1966. Players in every Premier match are awarded points on a 3, 2 and 1 basis. Part 8 below takes a look at the winners 2001-05 2001 Name: Scott WaldromClub: AvalonPosition: Openside flanker A winner two years in a row, after taking out the Billy Wallace Trophy in 2000...More

Let’s get all the whinging out of the way quickly. Yes, the Super format is a crock. But I have always understood New Zealand have some say in how it is organised.  Not the fans of course, that would be stupid. Of course if we can’t get what we want we could always vote Superexit. Now that would show them. Yes, the format is protecting the endangered species formerly known as competitive South African and Australian rugby. Like any artificial protection – what they call a tariff in trade – it seems like a great idea...More

Above: The 2015 Wellington squad, following their semi-final victory over Counties-Manukau at the Petone Recreation Ground.  Saturday 6 August promises to be a busy day for Wellington rugby. Not only is it finals day for the Bucqui Jubilee Cup and Hardham Cup competitions and a possible Investec Super Rugby final for the Hurricanes that evening, it’s the day the Wellington Pride kick off their Women’s NPC campaign away against the Auckland Storm. This coming weekend sees the finals of the Wellington Women’s club competition, with Wainuiomata and Oriental-Rongotai squaring off for the Victoria Tavern Trophy and Hutt Old Boys Marist and Marist St Pat’s meeting for Division 2 honours...More

With two regular season rounds to play in the 2016 Bucqui Jubilee Cup the fate of all eight teams in the Premier competition hangs on tenterhooks. All eight teams remain in the hunt to make the playoffs and all eight can still harbour hopes of qualifying for a home semi-final. Just seven points separates the entire field, from new leaders Marist St Pat’s (on 16 points), to three teams in joint second (15) down to bottom placed Wellington (9). Perhaps the only certainty is that we’re in for a blockbuster finish to the round-robin series this month...More

Above: Upper Hutt Rams midfielder Joyner Key scores for his side today at Evans Bay Park but Marist St Pat's pulled clear to win, and they are the new competition leaders with two rounds to play before the playoffs.  Marist St Pat’s are the new leaders of the Wellington club rugby Bucqui Jubilee Cup championship but the chasing pack will be nipping at their heels over the remaining two rounds of the regular season coming up. In fact, all eight teams are still alive with a fortnight remaining, making the race to the playoffs and for home ground semi-final advantage one of the closest in several seasons...More

With just three weeks remaining until the playoffs, it could hardly be tighter at the sharp end of the club competition in the bucqi Jubilee Cup where just a handful of points separate the contenders and any misstep at this stage could prove costly. Elsewhere the first set of playoffs for the year take place with the Women at the semi-final stage, and significant matchups up and down the grades; and with tomorrow’s forecast looking clear, albeit cool, conditions should be ideal for rugby. This week’s main game on the radio is the Marist St Pats vs Upper Hutt Rams game from Evans Bay with Adam Julian having the call from RadioSport (1503AM)...More

Above: Oriental Rongotai''s Tina Paulo surrounded by a sea of green and black in their recent round-robin clash. Victoria Tavern Trophy semi-finals tomorrow see Ories host OBU and Wainuiomata host Northern United. The first set of playoffs for the year take place tomorrow with the semi-finals in both divisions of the Women’s competition. Understandably the focus is on those in the Premier Victoria Tavern Trophy division, where the hierarchy of recent seasons has received a shake-up this term...More

Hard work behind the scenes has helped pave the way for a bumper programme of matches coming up for the Wellington Samoa Rugby Union’s (WSRU) three representative teams in 2016. Combined, the WSRU Senior Men, Senior Women and U18 Secondary Schools side will be playing at least 14 matches throughout August and September, in home and away matches. The WSRU is also pleased to announce its new Senior Men’s team coaching team of Rodney So'oialo (Head Coach), Kas Lealamanua (Forwards Coach) and Steven So'oialo (Backs Coach)...More