Petone's supporters celebrated long into the night on Saturday following their team's memorable last-gasp 28-21 win over Poneke on their 125th Anniversary weekend feature match at a packed Petone Recreation Ground. In a fairytale finish, captain and hooker Eugene Smith burrowed over the tryline after 20 pulsating phases of pressure cooker rugby to score the match winning try with the final act of the game. Smith's stunning try, converted by first five-eighth Ben Aoina, broke a 21-21 deadlock after both sides' goal kickers had each missed with late chances to win the game in a exhilarating final five minutes of play...More

The Petone Recreation Ground is the centre of attention in Wellington club rugby this weekend as the home side celebrates its 125th Anniversary. Petone's anniversary celebrations are spread over three days from Friday to Sunday and include a Meet and Greet club day on Friday with a social match in the afternoon, a full day's club rugby of home matches for Petone's Senior teams and dinner on Saturday and a BBQ lunch and Ken Gray Academy XV v Colts XV game on Sunday. This year Petone becomes the third Wellington club to reach the 125-year milestone after Wellington and Poneke and second in three years after Poneke who hosted Petone teams on their 125th?? celebratory weekend in 2008...More

There was high drama at two separate venues in Wellington's Eastern Suburbs on Saturday after Wainuiomata had toppled previously unbeaten Poneke 22-20 at Kilbirnie Park and Upper Hutt had been desperately unlucky not record their first victory for the season in going down 25-27 to Oriental-Rongotai at the Polo Ground.These two encounters proved the matches of the afternoon in round five of the Swindale Shield that also featured hard fought home wins for Northern United over Petone, 13-8 at Porirua Park, and for Hutt Old Boys Marist over Old Boys-University, 23-16 at the Hutt Recreation Ground...More

First round favourites Northern United face their biggest test of the season to date against Petone at Porirua Park this Saturday as part of this weekend's fifth round set of Swindale Shield matches.In a month of rugby carnage, Norths have swept all before them thus far, including easy victories over an out of sorts Marist St. Pat's, Upper Hutt, the Wests Roosters and Wainuiomata. Norths have scored 251 points and 37 tries and conceded just 70 points and seven tries. Fullback Buxton Popoalii and centre Alapati Leuia have averaged four tries between them per game...More

Defending Jubilee Cup champions Marist St. Pat's earned their first win of the season to lift themselves off the bottom of the table, while Northern United and Poneke marched on with their fourth consecutive wins in the latest round of the Swindale Shield on Saturday.MSP turned around a one-point halftime deficit to score three second half tries and beat Upper Hutt 40-23, while Norths fell short of a half century of points for the first time this season but still won 43-22 win over Wainuiomata and Poneke overcame a plucky Wests Roosters 36-20...More

One of the Hutt Valley's keenest sporting rivalries resumes this weekend when Petone and Hutt Old Boys Marist square off for their annual McBain Shield contest at the Petone Recreation Ground. First played for in 1935 and with both clubs celebrating major milestones in their histories this year, the McBain Shield is one trophy that each will covet for their trophy cabinets in 2010. Wellington's third oldest rugby club Petone celebrates its 125th anniversary in a fortnight's time, while HOBM holds its centenary celebrations on the weekend of 25, 26 and 27 June...More

The ace goal kicking of Hurricanes and All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu and a third straight loss for defending Jubilee Cup champions Marist St. Pat's were two of the talking points of a compelling third round set of Swindale Shield matches played across Wellington on Saturday.Wainuomata first five-eighth Weepu kicked seven penalties to guide his side to a gripping 26-22 win and hand Hutt Old Boys Marist their first loss of the year, while MSP failed to make their first five-eighth Fa'atonu Fili's 100th match for the club a memorable one, going down 32-33 to?Oriental-Rongotai?at the Polo Ground...More

Photo with this story courtesy of Dave Lintott. The 2010 Wellington club rugby season is just two weeks old and there’s no mud to be seen, but the pressure is already on the teams who have yet to win to register their first victories. ? Winless teams Marist St. Pat’s, Upper Hutt, Johnsonville, Old Boys-University and Petone will all be hoping to kick-start their seasons in this Saturday’s third round set of Swindale Shield matches or their first round title aspirations could be quickly over...More

The sun shone brightly and so did the rugby on a hard fought and entertaining second Saturday afternoon of Swindale Shield rugby. In perfect conditions across the Wellington region, there was?enough tension drama and excitement? to indicate that the 2010 club season is going to be a cracker. Large crowds turned out to watch many of Wellington rugby's current and future stars take centre stage, such as Piri Weepu off the bench for Wainuiomata, more fireworks from Northern United duo Alapati Leiua and Buxton Popoalii, Sevens star Nigel Hunt for Tawa and Hurricanes Hosea Gear, Jeremy Thrush and Jason Kawau for Hutt Old Boys Marist and the Wests Roosters in the same match...More

A giant second round of 2010 Swindale Shield rugby this Saturday sees Petone host first round bonus point winners Tawa on their Old Timers' Day, traditional rivals Poneke and Marist St. Pat's square off at Evans Bay Park and opening home games of the season for Oriental-Rongotai, Upper Hutt, the Wests Roosters and Wainuiomata. The Petone Rugby Football Club is holding its Old Timers' Day this Saturday ahead of its 125th anniversary celebrations over the weekend of 7-9 May. The afternoon kicks off with a luncheon in the clubrooms and the official opening of their state-of-the-art memorabilia lounge followed by Senior 1 Harper Lock Shield (1...More