Swindale Shield round seven review: Oriental-Rongotai's re-emergence as a powerhouse of Wellington club rugby appears complete after their outstanding 30-24 victory over defending champions Marist St. Pat's consolidated their position near the top of the table with four rounds of the Swindale Shield remaining. Ories beat MSP with a three-try burst just before and after halftime to inflict a second successive defeat and third of the season on MSP who won or drew 19 games in a row in 2008 to win the Swindale Shield and share the Jubilee Cup title with Norths...More

Wintry weather is forecast in Wellington at the end of the week, but it won't be enough to cool down a rapidly developing contest for the Swindale Shield title. With the first dose of wet and cold conditions of the season?predicted this weekend, fans can look forward to several torrid battles across the seventh round set of matches. Look out for a tough battle at Kilbirnie Park between third placed Poneke and fourth placed Hutt Old Boys Marist in one of two clashes involving teams in the top half of the table...More

Petone have firmed up as 2009 Swindale Shield favourites following their comprehensive?five tries to one 37-11 slaying of defending champions Marist St. Pat's on their Old Timers' Day at Evans Bay Park on Saturday.Petone's sixth consecutive win this year sees them consolidate their position at the top of the Swindale Shield points table at the halfway mark and puts them on track for their 14th first round title and their first since 2004. Over the next month the Villagers play Old Boys-University at home, Upper Hutt at home, Tawa away and Wainuiomata at home, before ending the round robin series with a possible title deciding last round match against Oriental-Rongotai...More

For the third consecutive weekend, Petone will be the centre of attention in Wellington Premier rugby when they take on Marist St. Pat's at Evans Bay Park on Saturday as part of this week's sixth round of the Swindale Shield. Such is the tight nature at the top of the points table after five rounds, with five teams bunched together and separated by just four points, depending on whether they win or lose against MSP, Petone will either end this weekend as the clear leaders or be swallowed up by the chasing pack...More

Swindale Shield round 5 review: The Petone forward pack and the try-scoring feats of? Marist St. Pat's centre Mike Kingsbeer were the talking points of the fifth round set of Swindale Shield matches on ANZAC Day on Saturday, played in perfect autumn conditions across the six venues.Petone are the new Swindale Shield leaders and remain the only unbeaten team after five weeks, after its pack, and in particular its scrum, crushed its Poneke counterparts to set the platform for a decisive 38-14 win over the previous frontrunners and also retain the Fred Tilyard Memorial Trophy...More

Please note that all Swindale Shield matches this week are at 2.15pm on account of the Rebel Sport Super 14 fixture between the Hurricanes and?the Brumbies at Westpac Stadium, starting at 7.35pm. Check draws for all other grades.???Swindale Shield round five preview: This weekend's Anzac Day Swindale Shield Feature match is at the Petone Recreation Ground where the two remaining unbeaten teams Petone and Poneke go head to head in another of Wellington club rugby's great clashes. Not only does this encounter serve as a top of the table match where the winner will get the jump on the rest of the field after five rounds, but the two teams will also be playing for the F...More

Swindale Shield round four review: Petone beat Hutt Old Boys Marist 15-0 to retain the McBain Shield at the Hutt Recreation Ground on Saturday in round four of the? Swindale Shield. Petone scored three unconverted tries in accounting for HOBM in an uninspiring encounter in front of a large and good natured crowd to join Poneke as one of two unbeaten teams after the opening month of 2009 Wellington Club Rugby.At William Jones Park, the Wests Roosters finally earned their first win of the season after two close losses and a draw with a solid 26-19 win against Wainuiomata...More

Please note that all Swindale Shield matches this weekend are at the earlier time of 2.15pm so fans can head to Westpac Stadium to support the Hurricanes against the Stormers from 5.30pm. Check draws for other grades.Hutt Valley rugby fans are in for a cracker of a game at the Hutt Recreation Ground this Saturday, where the McBain Shield is on the line between the home team Hutt Old Boys Marist and their neighbours Petone. The McBain Shield is one of Wellington rugby's keenest annual derbies and one of the biggest matches on the calendar for both clubs...More

Swindale Shield round three review: A sensational five tries to Marist St Pat's left wing Brendan Watt, four tries to Poneke centre Charlie Ngatai and opening wins of the 2009 season for Northern United and Wainuiomata were some of the numerous highlights of the third round of the Swindale Shield.Vodafone Wellington Lions utility back Watt? scored five of this team's eight tries in a comfortable 55-3 win over Tawa at Evans Bay Park and Ngatai dotted down four times in Poneke's 76-0 rout of Old Boys-University across the road at Kilbirnie Park...More

Swindale Shield round three: For this week's teams click here: http://www.clubrugby.co.nz/wellington/games-results.php ?It's been seven seasons since Oriental-Rongotai wonder duo Ma'a Nonu and Roy Kinikinilau dazzled the Wellington club rugby community with their dynamic double act. The year was 2002 and the pair was running rampant across the rugby fields of Wellington. Between them, Kinikinilau, at the time a No. 8 and soon to become an international Sevens star and Super Rugby winger, and Nonu, then as now a blockbusting midfielder feared by many, scored 22 tries between them during the season and set up countless more for their teammates...More