Hurricanes openside flanker Serge Lilo played a leading hand for Northern United in their 30-14 bonus point win over Poneke, moving them one point ahead of the previously unbeaten Poneke at the top of the Swindale Shield points table. Lilo scored two tries and was at the forefront of a committed Norths defensive effort that paved the way for a second half four-try scoring burst that propelled them to a decisive win. It's still tight at the top, with Norths, Poneke, Old Boys-University and Hutt Old Boys Marist still in title contention, with six points separating the top four with three rounds to go...More

There will be few vantage points at Kilbirnie Park this week where Poneke and Northern United lock horns in what is undoubtedly the clash of the Swindale Shield so far. Poneke and Norths are the top two contenders in the competition to date, with the winner of this match favoured to go on over the next three weeks and win the first silverware of the season. Poneke are so far unbeaten after seven rounds, four points clear of Norths at the top of the table with easily the best defensive record of the 12 teams...More

The continued hot form of frontrunners Poneke and Northern United and a sensational injury time victory for the Wests Roosters were key features of an exciting seventh round of Swindale Shield matches played in glorious autumn conditions. Poneke made it seven from seven with a 51-13 win over Wainuiomata at William Jones Park and Norths subdued a spirited Marist St Pat's to win 39-23 at Porirua Park, setting up a probable title-deciding clash between the pair next week at Kilbirnie Park.At Fraser Park Avalon fell fowl of an impressive Wests comeback and scoring spree, including a last second dropped goal, giving the Roosters a 20-17 win...More

The Jubilee Cup aspirations of the current mid-table contenders hang in the balance going into this weekend's round seven Swindale Shield set of matches. This group includes sixth placed Wests Roosters who know that if they can beat ninth placed Avalon at Fraser Park in this week's Club Weekly feature match they will have a real show of making the Jubilee Cup this year, after missing out in 2006 - and then almost being relegated. The Roosters earned their third win last week against Oriental-Rongotai, after previously fighting out close losses to both Poneke and Marist St...More

Hard running Poneke left wing Ambrose Plaister's two tries proved decisive in his side's 25-20 round six Swindale Shield win over Petone at the Petone Recreation Ground. Plaister grabbed a second half double to keep Poneke's unbeaten record intact at the top of the standings.? In Porirua converted left wing, Francis Seumanutafa ran in a first half hat trick and new openside flanker Dean Brunsdon also scored twice as Northern United whipped up a storm to beat Upper Hutt 61-22. Elsewhere, Old Boys-University maintained third place in the standings behind Poneke and Norths with a four tries to two, 33-21, win over Tawa at a windy Basin Reserve...More

One of the oldest club rivalries in New Zealand club rugby resumes this week with Petone and Poneke squaring off at the Petone Recreation Ground for the F J Tilyard Memorial Shield on Petone's Old Timers Day. This will be their tenth clash in the last five years and their head to head results couldn't be closer. In that time Poneke have won five of their clashes to Petone's four.? Last year the two teams shared a win apiece, Petone winning 31-15 in the Swindale Shield and Poneke prevailing 17-6 in round two of the Jubilee Cup...More

Frontrunners Poneke battled to a 12-3 victory over the Wests Roosters to remain unbeaten at the top of the Swindale Shield after five rounds. The arrival of rain and cold southerlies failed to prevent Poneke from holding off a determined Wests challenge at home at Kilbirnie Park.Poneke scored two first half tries through fullback Tevita Latu and lock Taoho Patuawa and held on after halftime with Wests pecking at their heels throughout. For Wests, this was their second narrow loss in as many weeks after falling 9-3 to Marist St...More

The Upper Hutt faithful will be hoping for better things to cheer about on their Old Timers Day this weekend when they host Wainuiomata in this week's Club Weekly feature match. There hasn't been a whole lot of fanfare at the club over the first month of the Swindale Shield, with defeats to Oriental-Rongotai, Avalon, Western Suburbs and Petone leaving them the only side without a win so far. But in a rematch of last year's Hardham Cup final won by Upper Hutt 25-12, the men in maroon will be optimistic of joining the winner's circle in their Maidstone Park clash...More

Defending Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cup champions Northern United laid to rest any thoughts of a softening of their Wellington club rugby supremacy with a decisive 63-12 round four Swindale Shield win over previously unbeaten Old Boys-University at Porirua Park.On a glorious autumn day, Norths' crushing ten tries to two victory was the round's highlight, re-establishing their dominance and leaving Poneke the only unbeaten team so far with a four point lead on the points table to joint second placed OBU and Marist St...More

A tight opening three weeks and several topsy-turvy results make it a difficult job of sorting out the form guide so far in the Swindale Shield. But Wellington club rugby followers should be presented with a clearer gauge of their team's progress after this week's fourth round of matches. A key indicator will be garnered from this week's Club Weekly feature game at Porirua Park between Northern United and Old Boys-University, where OBU will be seeking their fourth straight win and title holders Norths will be out to rebound from back-to-back losses...More