Big wins to Old Boys-University, Poneke and Marist St. Pat’s overshadowed a second loss in a row for champions Northern United and a disappointing draw for Petone, leaving the Villagers winless after three rounds of the Swindale Shield.OBU, Poneke and MSP all registered comfortable bonus point victories against Wainuiomata, Oriental-Rongotai and Avalon respectively at the weekend. But Norths lost for the second week in a row, going down to Hutt Old Boys Marist, and Petone could only draw with Tawa, continuing their poor start to 2007...More

Old Boys-University proved last year that club rugby seasons could be salvaged from three successive losses at the very start of the season. The students went on to recover from their poor start to finish third in the Swindale Shield. However it would take a miracle to recover from three defeats and win the first round title. This year the pressure will be on 2004 champions Petone and 2005 champions Upper Hutt to register their first wins in this weekend's round three matches or their Shield aspirations will be over...More

Wainuiomata have sent a strong warning to the rest of their Swindale Shield rivals that they are not to be taken lightly after upsetting reigning champions Northern United by one point at William Jones Park. With All Black Piri Weepu playing a leading hand at first five-eighth, Wainuiomata leapt to an early lead before Norths clawed their way back. In front of an anxious home crowd, the young Wainuiomata side hung on 30-29 to score the biggest upset seen in recent seasons. Old Boys University travelled to the Petone Recreation Ground and were convincing in steamrolling Petone 25-3 in beautiful autumn conditions...More

This week’s Club Weekly feature match sees 2006 high-flyers Hutt Old Boys Marist take on Poneke at the Hutt Recreation Ground. The impressive Eagles defeated Wainuiomata 45-6 in round one, running in six tries against the competition newcomers HOBM finished second to Northern United in last year’s Swindale Shield, playing through unbeaten for the first seven rounds and leading throughout eight of the first nine rounds, before losing to Norths in week ten in what transpired to be a virtual final...More

2006 Jubilee Cup finalists Northern United and Poneke both emerged as key Swindale Shield first round winners, defeating traditional rivals Petone and Marist. St. Pat's respectively in contrasting circumstances. Norths reinforced their warm favouritism, brushing aside Petone 37-10 at Porirua Park, while Poneke battled to an 18-17 come-from-behind win over MSP at Evans Bay Park. Hutt Old Boys Marist were also significant first round winners, beating newcomers Wainuiomata 45-6 at William Jones Park, while in other games Tawa defeated Avalon 29-17 at home, Oriental-Rongotai overcame Upper Hutt 17-6 at Maidstone Park and Old Boys-University made light work of Western Suburbs, winning 27-8 at Ian Galloway Park...More

A much-anticipated 2007 Premier rugby season kicks off on Saturday with the first round of Swindale Shield matches, all at the earlier time of 2.30 pm. Another action packed competition is expected, following an extraordinary 2006 Club season remembered for its appalling weather off the field and its high-drama on it. In a remarkable finish to the 2006 Jubilee Cup, five teams were left chasing three playoff spots in the last round. The Hardham Cup was even closer, Western Suburbs, Upper Hutt, Oriental-Rongotai and Johnsonville all in danger of relegation right up to the final whistle of regular season play...More

Northern United became the first team in eight years to achieve the coveted Swindale Shield-Jubilee Cup double in the same season by beating Poneke 25-12 in the Jubilee Cup final at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night. Norths were too strong for Poneke, becoming the first team since Marist St. Pat's in 1999 to lift Wellington rugby's two major prizes in one year. This was also their second Cup title in three years and their third title triumph since their breakthrough Shield victory in 2003...More

Upper Hutt were crowned the 2006 Hardham Cup champions after winning an entertaining, but hard fought final 25-12 against Wainuiomata at Westpac Stadium. Upper Hutt outscored Wainuiomata three tries to nil, with All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu kicking all his team's points with four penalties. In the much-anticipated season ender, Wainuiomata were looking to finish their fairytale season with their first Hardham Cup victory, while for Upper Hutt it was their second Hardham Cup and third triumph in three seasons, after beating Johnsonville in the 2004 Hardham Cup final and winning the Swindale Shield last year...More

Northern United and Poneke have undoubtedly been the best performing teams of 2006, and both will be eager to cap it off with the Jubilee Cup title. For Swindale Shield champions Norths it will be about chasing the elusive Shield-Cup double, last achieved by Marist St. Pat’s in 1999, while Poneke will be out to reverse several finals near misses in recent years, including their 18-20 defeat to Norths in the 2004 final.Today Norths will be playing in their third straight final, following their breakthrough Cup win in 2004 and then an upset 20-21 loss to Petone in last year’s final...More

The four corners of Wellington rugby are represented in this year’s club finals, with two teams from either end of the Hutt featuring in the Hardham Cup final. The top two qualifiers at the end of a hotly contested and dramatic round-robin stage, Upper Hutt and Wainuiomata, both arrive at today’s finale with high hopes of taking out the title. For Upper Hutt it will be good reward for a difficult season that saw them finish one place outside the top eight in the first round after the highs of last year, when they won the Swindale Shield and made the top four of the Jubilee Cup...More