Newcomers Wainuiomata were impressive opening round Hardham Cup winners last week, beating a strong Northern United B team 38-3 and reversing a 5-30 scoreline from the first round. The club that turns 60 this year last appeared in the Hardham Cup most recently in 1999 and 2000, but failed to make the Swindale Shield round on both occasions, which it last contested in 1990. With current All Black halfback Piri Weepu signed up, former Samoan International and last year's Jubilee Cup final player of the match Earl Va'a at first five-eighth as player/coach and a hotbed of support, the potential for them to rise again is encouraging...More

This week's Jubilee Cup feature game between Old Boys-University and Northern United at Porirua Park sees two of the form teams go head to head. In a repeat of four weeks ago when these sides last met, this encounter shapes as a potentially explosive match up between two hard working forward packs and equally dynamic backlines. OBU got up to beat Norths 27-21 in the wet in round nine of the Swindale Shield and a repeat performance would set up a hugely exciting run to the playoffs in August. Both sides come off convincing first round wins, securing maximum points and an initial jump on the field...More

There was plenty of drama and excitement in the first round of the Hardham Cup, with the top four teams involved in one-point thrillers to set up a closely fought competition. Western Suburbs pipped Johnsonville 27-26 at Ian Galloway Park and Oriental-Rongotai topped Upper Hutt 21-20 at Maidstone Park, with both sides sealing their wins with time up on the clock.Wests held off a fast finishing Johnsonville, who missed a chance to win with a last gasp conversion after they had fought back from a 13-point deficit with two late tries, while Ories scrambled past Upper Hutt in the dying minutes with a late drop goal to fullback Luke Mears...More

Hutt Old Boys Marist rumble towards the Poneke tryline in this week's feature match Another commanding win for Northern United and a thrilling draw between Petone and Marist St. Pats were features of the opening Jubilee Cup round. Norths continued their winning Swindale Shield form, sweeping past Avalon 48-15 and inflicting the first Fraser Park loss on Avalon this season, while Petone and MSP battled to a 25-25 stalemate at the Petone Recreation Ground.Norths right wing Peato Lafaele continued his 2006 scoring bonanza with 18 points and Wellington Samoans lock-turned left wing Francis Seumanatafa scored a double in Norths’ 33 point win over Avalon...More

There shouldn't be too many surprises in this year's Hardham Cup competition. After almost three months of Swindale Shield rugby Upper Hutt, Western Suburbs, Oriental-Rongotai and Johnsonville should all be too strong for the three ‘B' sides and Wainuiomata, who are making the step up from the Harper Lock Shield. Barring any major shocks these four teams are set to be the semi-finalists in two months. Of the four, Upper Hutt and Wests shape as the most favoured title contenders, with this pair returning to the Hardham Cup after both playing in the Jubilee Cup last year...More

Old Boys-University have completed a remarkable transformation throughout the recently completed Swindale Shield. In less than half a season of premier rugby the previously struggling students have gone from wooden spooners to Jubilee Cup contenders after emerging from the pack to finish third. OBU made a steady progression up the points table in the first round, climbing from dead last after three rounds to third. Losing their first three games to Upper Hutt, Petone and Marist St. Pats they then broke a 15-game losing streak going back to the 2004 Jubilee Cup, by trouncing Western Suburbs 52-12...More

Congratulations to Northern United, 2006 Swindale Shield winners. Norths showed their class and confirmed their hot favouritism for the Jubilee Cup with a dominant 47-0 last round walloping of Tawa at Lyndhurst Park. Captained and inspired by Jerry Collins, Norths were too passionate and too powerful for Tawa, running in six unanswered tries in front of a bumper crowd, who were quick to congratulate them at the end. Title rivals Hutt Old Boys Marist needed a win against Oriental-Rongotai and a Norths loss to capture the Shield in the final round...More

It could be all on at Lyndhurst Park this week, where Northern United play Tawa, where a win for Norths will give them the Swindale Shield and their third premier trophy in as many years after collecting the Andy Leslie Trophy in the Jubilee Cup round robin last season. An equation that sounds uncomplicated, but in Tawa their round eleven opposition promises to be far from a straightforward assignment for coach Eddie Ellison. Tawa is a Jubilee Cup contender in their own right, laden with attacking talent and playing on their home turf...More

Api Naikatini jumps high for Norths against HOBM at Trust Porirua Park.The Swindale Shield is set to go down to the wire next weekend when Northern United and Hutt Old Boys Marist play their final round matches to decide the 2006 champions.Norths play Tawa at Lyndhurst Park, and HOBM take on Ories at the Hutt Recreation Ground, with Norths needing only to win to secure the shield. HOBM will need to beat Ories and then hope for a Tawa victory to take the title off Norths, despite losing narrowly 26-24 to them in round ten at Porirua Park...More

It could be a historic day for Hutt Old Boys Marist at Porirua Park this weekend, where both their premier and senior one sides could take out the top two divisions in Wellington Club rugby one after the other. In a stellar year so far for the club, HOBM's senior one team leads the Harper Lock Shield and their premier side tops the Swindale Shield heading into the penultimate rounds for both competitions, and both play Northern United opposition this weekend in what should decide the titles in both...More