Wet weather came to Wellington premier club rugby in round nine, and with it arrived a fresh batch of surprise results. Round nine of the Swindale Shield brought more twists and turns, with the race to the title far from decided with two rounds remaining. Most significant was Old Boys-University’s 27-21 eye-catching win over leaders Northern United at the Prime Finance Basin Reserve. This victory for the students sees them continue their steady climb up the ladder. In the past four weeks they have had a draw and three wins, and have steadily improved upwards from, ninth, eighth, sixth and now to fifth...More

Gold Squad: Roy McGrath, Siu Katoa (Avalon); Wayne Aquila, Troy Emery, Michael Pehi (HOBM); Manu Paongo, Sam To'ala (Jville); Dane Coles, Michael Hughes, Nick Passi, Ryan Kuggeleijn, Pehira Huwyler, Julian Tupai (MSP); John Fata, Barry Farrow (Norths); Nick Warmke, Tomasi Palu, Seminar Manu (OBU); Mark Reddish, Michael Pahuru, Maehe Austin, Maradona Matu'u (Ories); Piers Gordon (Petone); Hamish Hiroki, Benji Marshall, Shaun O'Connor, Brad Cooper (Poneke); Josh Abraham (Tawa); Nua Fono, Duran West, Greg Tweedle (Upper Hutt); Damian Winter, Simon Shearer (Wests)...More

The pressure is mounting for Jubilee Cup spots in this weekend's ninth round of the Swindale Shield. The race for the title is clearly shaping as a three-horse affair between Northern United, Hutt Old Boys Marist and Poneke, who have cleared out with an eight-point jump lead on the rest of the field. But it's further down the ladder where nine points separate sixth and eleventh. The heat is on for Jubilee Cup places for Old Boys-University, Tawa, Upper Hutt, Oriental-Rongotai and Western Suburbs - and in particular Marist St...More

Hutt Old Boys Marist’s fantastic unbeaten run in the Swindale Shield came to an end on Saturday. The previously unbeaten HOBM were soundly beaten by Avalon 34-8 in their round eight clash at Fraser Park, with Hurricanes No. 8 Thomas Waldrom starring for Avalon with two tries. HOBM’s loss sees them slip to second equal in the race to the title, three points behind new leaders Northern United and alongside Poneke, who both enjoyed bonus point wins at home. Norths made light work of Marist St...More

There was no change at the top of the table after round seven of the Swindale Shield, with Hutt Old Boys Marist, Northern United and Poneke all winning their matches to retain the first three spots. But the trio have now opened up a significant gap over the chasing pack, with Petone, Tawa and Avalon all desperate to win this weekend and remain in the race for the Shield title in the final four rounds. Five points separate frontrunners HOBM and third placed Poneke, with Norths poised in between - but it's the seven-point buffer further back to fourth equal Petone and Tawa that is significant...More

Another week and another remarkable win for Hutt Old Boys Marist in round seven of the Swindale Shield. The high flying Hutt side maintained their unbeaten record at the top of the table with yet another amazing come-from-behind win, this time pipping Tawa with the last act of the game to win 22-20. At the Petone Recreation Ground Northern United avenged last year’s Jubilee Cup final defeat to Petone with a rocketing 42-27 win. There was no shortage of action, with Norths first five-eighth Rob Aloe returning from a four-week layoff to score a hat trick of tries, while right wing Peato Lafaele bagged 22 points...More

Picking a winner at the halfway stage of the Swindale Shield would be a thankless task, with several twists and turns looming in the final five weeks of the first round competition. Recent history will be fresh in the minds at the Hutt Recreation Ground when leaders Hutt Old Boys Marist take on Tawa on their Old Timer's Day in round seven. HOBM enter the seventh round in almost identical circumstances as they were at this stage in 2004, when they had won their first six games, were on 27 points with three bonus points, and had a three-point lead at the top of the table...More

Hutt Old Boys Marist kept their unbeaten run alive with a 29-15 win over Western Suburbs in round six of the Swindale Shield. The Eagles also grabbed a late four-try bonus point against Wests, extending their lead over Northern United at the top of the table to three points at the halfway mark of the competition. Norths rebounded from their first loss to Poneke last week by overpowering Upper Hutt 21-15 at Porirua Park. Norths extended a 6-0 lead over Upper Hutt to 13-3 late in the first half with a converted try to centre Daley Harper...More

Two of the closest performing sides in Wellington club rugby clash in this week's feature match. There could be nothing in it at Fraser Park when Avalon host Marist St. Pats in round six of the Swindale Shield. Both sides will be desparate to win and climb out of their mid table positions at the halfway mark of the competition.Both find themselves on the wrong side of the win-loss ledger and in the same spot on the points table after five rounds. With two wins each, Avalon and MSP are level pegging with Upper Hutt in a three-way tie for sixth with 11 points...More

Hutt Old Boys Marist have grabbed the lead in the Swindale Shield after previous leaders Northern United lost to Poneke, leaving HOBM the only unbeaten side after five rounds.HOBM lead the standings by two points to second placed Norths after a streaky come from behind win against unfavoured Old Boys-University at the Prime Finance Basin Reserve. A converted try to HOBM late in the game broke a 17-17 deadlock and they held on to win 24-17. Over the hill at Kilbirnie Park Poneke’s gallant forwards paved the way for an 11-7 victory over Norths in an old fashioned rugby battle of attrition...More