Opinion: There's always a moment in the season when you're glad you signed up again to actually go to rugby live. In the open air. For me it was the 56th minute against the Jaguares. The moment the touchie missed the foot out, an understandable error although one that about 8,000 others were pretty convinced they'd seen. If the howls were loud then, they were tripled about 60 seconds later when the ref and TMO overturned the resulting Hurricanes try. Now my right side brain later accepts that however frustrating that was, it was the correct call once the original gaffe became obvious...More

Above: Norths (2010-11), Marist St Pat's (2008-09) and Old Boys University (2015-16) all won club rugby silverware as part of lengthy winning streaks. UPDATED: In battling to a 17-6 win over recent Premier newcomers Paremata-Plimmerton on Saturday, the Old Boys University Goats won their 13th straight match in Wellington’s Premier club rugby competition. If they prevail in this coming Saturday’s fifth round Swindale Shield fixture against Oriental-Rongotai at Nairnville Park, then the OBU Goats will win their 14th match on the trot...More

Petone have won a thrilling McBain Shield clash at the Petone Rec this afternoon, scoring 27 points in the second half to come from behind and beat Hutt Old Boys Marist In the dying moments of the game, Petone turned down a shot at goal to tie the game at 23-23 after reserve HOBM prop Brett Manaia was sin-binned for not rolling away at the ruck. That decision paid off for Petone as the Villagers stole the game on the hooter, scoring on the left wing through Willie Fine for his hat-trick and the win as the home fans went into raptures...More

Above (L-R): From left to right: Kerry Kururangi, John Hornal, current Life Member Rex Kerr, David King and Evan Crawford. At the Hurricanes vs Jaguares match at Westpac Stadium on Saturday evening, the Hurricanes Youth Rugby Council Inc. presented Life Member Awards to four well-known rugby personalities, who have all made an outstanding contribution to the development of rugby talent in the Hurricanes region, over many years. The award recipients were: John Hornal (Founding Applicant and Immediate Past President of Council, and the current President of the New Zealand Schools’ Rugby Union Inc...More

Above: Second five-eighth Roy Kinikinilau races clear to score his second try today in his side’s 48-27 win over Wainuiomata at a dusty Polo Ground Tawa, Northern United Marist St Pat’s and Oriental-Rongotai were all key winners today in six out of the seven fourth round Wellington Premier club rugby Swindale Shield matches that were played. Just six points separate the top eight teams after four rounds of the competition, with tomorrow’s last game of the round between Hutt Old Boys Marist and Petone unable to affect the order of things in the top half of the table heading into a well-earned week’s rest for all 14 teams...More

Another bumper Saturday looms tomorrow with all club grades into competition, headlined by round four of the Swindale Shield. This week's radio commentaries come from Kilbirnie Park, where Gordon Noble-Campbell and Adam Julian have the call on 1161AM of the Poneke-Northern United clash and from Fraser Park where the Saturday Rugby Club on 1503AM.  Premier Swindale Shield There will some weary bodies taking the field tomorrow, as 12 of the Premier sides take to the field for the third time in eight days, and less than 72 hours after their last outing, while Sunday sees the fabled McBain Shield clash...More

Above: Poneke’s and Johnsonville’s forwards exchange greetings in tonight’s Swindale Shield match at Wakefield Park. Poneke won 62-7. Old Boys University and Poneke have both made it three wins from three to start the season after the first of two midweek Swindale Shield rounds played tonight. In fine, mild conditions, OBU and Poneke prevailed in contrasting style to also keep their opposition pinned to the bottom of the table. OBU were made to work hard by a determined Petone side at Evans Bay Park in winning 30-24 and, after an even start to their contest, Poneke eased passed Johnsonville 62-7 at Wakefield Park...More

Above: Petone are eager to pack down their first win of the year on Wednesday night against Old Boys University, after close losses to Northern United (28-32) and Tawa (15-18) and ahead of their McBain Shield fixture on Sunday with Hutt Old Boys Marist. Photo credit: Stewart Baird. It’s a quick turnaround for the Premier teams as they back up from Saturday’s round for Wednesday night’s third round of the Swindale Shield, knowing they all have another match less than 72 hours later on Saturday afternoon...More

Opinion: Amid the alphabet soup of the new Super 18, I am kind of warming to one aspect - the bonus point for three tries. The intent seems to be to not only reward attack, but defence, since your try tally needs to stay two or more ahead of the opposition. Quite how that plays out and whether it affects the way teams play isn’t clear. But what is clear is that of course, you now only need three tries to get a bonus point – provided you can defend as well. In the long run, the best all-round sides are those still in the mix at playoff time, and where defence wins games more than ever...More

The New Zealand Under 20 squad to travel to the Gold Coast, Australia this month for the Oceania Under 20 tournament, has been named. The squad is Forwards: Ayden Johnstone  - WaikatoMason Kean - Hawke’s BayShaun Stodart - OtagoSean Paranihi - Canterbury              Alex Fidow - Wellington              Pouri Rakete-Stones  - Hawkes BayLeni Apisai, captain - Wellington/Hurricanes          Asafo Aumua  - Wellington            Hamish Dalzell - CanterburyQuinten Strange  - Tasman           Sam Caird  - Waikato               Isaia Walker-Leawere - Wellington  Fin Hoeata  - Taranaki              Mitchell Jacobson  - Waikato          Luke Jacobson   - Waikato        Dalton Papali’i   - Auckland         Hapakuki Moala- Liava'a   - North Harbour     Marino Mikaele Tu'u - Hawke’s Bay       Backs:Jonathan Taumateine  - Counties-Manukau Sam Nock  - Northland/Blues             TJ Va’a   - Wellington/Hurricanes           Stephen Perofeta  - Taranaki         Jordie Barrett   - Canterbury         Patelesio Tomkinson - Otago/Highlanders      Orbyn Leger  - Counties Manukau                Jonah Lowe    - Hawke’s Bay             Malo Tuitama    - Wellington       Peter Umaga Jensen    - Wellington     Mason Emerson  - Hawke’s Bay           Jordan Trainor   - Waikato/Blues          Caleb Makene  - CanterburyNote: one player to be added prior to assembly in AucklandNot considered due to Super Rugby Commitments: Shaun Stevenson - WaikatoPlayers not considered due to injury: Matthew Lansdown - WaikatoJahrome Brown - WaikatoHugh Renton - Hawke’s BayEre Enari - CanterburyHarrison Levien - Waikato    Lisati Milo-Harris - AucklandNew Zealand Under 20 Head Coach Scott Robertson said that he was pleased with the talent available for the tournament which will see them play two Test matches against Australia early next month...More