Lethargic, flat, and a bit perplexed. That was me on Sunday morning And it’s pretty much how the Canes – as a unit - appeared against the Sharks. Now we've found out that a number of players broke curfew in the buildup. What happened, who was involved, and the consequences will play out in the next few days. But at first blush, it's really disappointing to hear. The contrast was that a few hours earlier, the other finalists from last year, the Highlanders, were demonstrating the very qualities that we’re going to need...More

 Above: Captain Leni Apisai being interviewed after the first of two recent Oceania Series matches against Australia on the Gold Coast. The series was drawn one-all.  The squad to represent New Zealand at the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Manchester, England next month, has been named. The New Zealand Under 20 squad is: Forwards Props: Ayden Johnstone (Waikato), Shaun Stodart (Otago), Sean Paranihi (Canterbury) , Alex Fidow (Wellington), Sosefo Kautai (Waikato)Hookers: Leni Apisai (captain, Wellington/Hurricanes), Asafo Aumua (Wellington)Locks: Quinten Strange (Tasman), Hamish Dalzell (Canterbury)Lock /Loose Forwards: Isaia Walker-Leawere (Wellington), Fin Hoeata (Taranaki)Loose Forwards: Mitchell Jacobson (Waikato), Luke Jacobson (Waikato) Dalton Papali’i (Auckland), Marino Mikaele Tu'u (Hawke’s Bay), Hapakuki Moala-Liava'a (North Harbour) Backs Halfbacks: Jonathan Taumateine (Counties Manukau), Sam Nock (Northland/Blues)First five-eighths: Stephen Perofeta (Taranaki), TJ Va’a (Wellington/Hurricanes)Midfielders: Orbyn Leger (Counties Manukau), Jordie Barrett (Canterbury), Patelesio Tomkinson (Otago/Highlanders)Midfield/wings: Jonah Lowe (Hawke’s Bay), Malo Tuitama (Wellington) Outside backs: Caleb Makene (Canterbury), Shaun Stevenson (Waikato/Chiefs), Jordan Trainor (Waikato/Blues) Coach Scott Robertson said the coaching team was confident their squad offered skillsets and versatility that provided both experience and fresh fire power...More

Pakai Turia (above) is the new leader in the Wellington club rugby Best and Fairest competition and his club, Poneke, is sitting in third on the standings after nine matches of the 13-round Swindale Shield competition. Turia was awarded 3 points in Poneke’s 62-18 win over the Avalon Wolves at Fraser Park on Saturday, to lift his tally to 10 points in the Billy Wallace competition. This was his third Player of the Match performance, awarded by Dominion Post reporters. At the same time, Poneke, who hold their Old Timers’ Day this coming Saturday and host the Wellington club at Kilbirnie Park, are well positioned to make this year’s Jubilee Cup...More

Wellington Rugby and the Cancer Society are joining forces to support Ruck Cancer. On Saturday, May 14, players from Wellington’s 17 premier club teams as well as four college first XV sides will wear purple socks in a bid to reduce the risk of cancer by highlighting the benefits of healthy living and regular doctor’s visits. Ruck Cancer and Purple Sock Day are the creation of former Wellington Lions player EvanBelford who took up the cause after losing Poneke Football Club teammate and close family friend Misiluni Moananu to bowel cancer last year...More

The First round of the Transit Coachlines First XV Hurricanes Festival was today in Palmerston North. Here is a summary of the four matches played: Palmerston North BHS: 35 (Ariki Mullen, Michael Ioane, Teariki Te Puni, Wesley Veikoso tries; Stewart Cruden 3 pen, 3 con) Wellington College: 13 (Reece Plumtree 1 try, 2 pen, 1 con)Palmerston North scored 22 unanswered points in the second-half to comprehensively account for Wellington College. Wellington started in the best possible fashion when second-five Oliver Paotonu pierced the defence in the opening minute and sprinted 30-metres...More

Above: The HOBM Eagles and Northern United teams battle it out on the Hutt Rec this afternoon. HOBM took the honours 37-16 in a key mid-table Swindale Shield fixture.  Big scores were racked up in the ninth round of the Wellington Premier club rugby Swindale Shield this afternoon, while Wainuiomata defeated Oriental-Rongotai in a notable Fleurs Trophy Women’s result. In bright, sunny conditions that were conducive for attacking rugby, Old Boys University continued to set a scorching pace in their quest to add the Swindale Shield to the Jubilee Cup in their trophy cabinet in a month’s time...More

The squeeze is on several teams vying to book places in the ‘top eight’ at the end of this 13-round Swindale Shield Competition. After the frantic last few weeks with midweek matches, the Premier competitions start settling back into the regular Saturday weekly routine. On the field there’s plenty to keep the interest up, with top-three matchups in each of Premier, Premier Reserve, Women’s, Colts and Under 85kg Divisions 1, and First Grade that all promise much. Off the field its Past Players and Supporters Day (aka Old Timers’ Day) at Marist St Pat’s with most of their teams playing at and around Evans Bay...More

The Cambridge Hotel is an iconic watering hole in Wellington. It's been in operation since 1883 and presently thrives as the home bar of Old Boys University. Premier prop Finnbarr Kerr-Newell is general manager, and with the Billygoats having won 17 games in a row including last season's Jubilee Cup, the bar has been bouncing of late. "There have been some very special nights both behind the bar and as a patron. I can't really go into details, but occasionally clothes get left behind," Kerr-Newell laughs...More

What do an All Black cleric, a Wallaby player from Hunterville, an English Rugby surgeon, one of Argentina’s first rugby international players, New Zealand's most famous rugby radio commentator, and the inventor of rugby’s spiral pass all have in common? The answer. They all attended St. Patrick's College, Wellington in its first fifty years (1885-1935) and are profiled among 50 Old-Boys of the College in the new book, “The Rugby Patricians” which was launched on ANZAC Day 2016 on the College’s old Sports Ground on Cambridge Terrace, Wellington...More

College rugby returns this week, with full slates of grading and preseason games on Saturday ahead of the start of competition proper, but for some school 1st XV’s that starts this afternoon with the first round of Co-ed Cup matches. Tranzit Coachlines 1st XV Festival Once again last year’s Premiership semi-finalists return to the top division by right, and will again take part in the Tranzit Coachlines-sponsored 1st XV Festival over the next three weekends. Now into its fourth year, these schools take on the four Hurricanes-region boys schools aligned to the central North Island Super 8 competition...More