Round 2 Preview The second round of the Hardham Cup presents some good match ups with all teams eager to get ahead of the pack. Old-Boys University will be keen to continue their winning streak after taking their first win of the season last Saturday against MSP. They face Northern United who were thrashed 53-6 in the mud by Oriental-Rongotai last week. After a narrow loss to Petone in round one, Poneke will be looking to put one up on Johnsonville who also failed to win last weekend. Petone face Harper Lock Shield champions MSP and will be hoping to grab another four points, keeping them near the top of the table...More

Round 1 Review The first round of the Hardham Cup kicked off this weekend with convincing wins to Hutt Old Boys Marist, Old Boys University and Oriental Rongtai. Ories demolished Northern United 53-6 thrusting them to first equal on the points table with 5 points. OBU also shares a spot at the top of the table beating MSP 25-7 getting off to a good start in round one. HOBM are the third team to be tied for first place with a strong win over Johnsonville 41-7.Petone are nipping at their heels narrowly beating Poneke 19-13...More

Round 1 Review As expected, there were no easy games in the first round of the Jubilee Cup. While all four results went the way of the favoured teams heading into the Cup, all four winners were pushed hard, and indications are pointing towards a hotly contested competition this year. Upper Hutt, Northern United, Petone and Marist St. Pats would have been pleased to come away with first up wins. This week the Club Weekly reported from a greasy Porirua Park, where two of the first round?s heavyweights, defending Cup champions Northern United and Western Suburbs, slugged it out...More

Look out for a change of fortune for Old Boys-University in the Hardham Cup. OBU have had a tough time so far this year. The students finished last and failed to win a game in the just completed Swindale Shield. But given some luck they could have won at least four of their games and their season wouldn?t be such disappointing reading. After early losses to Oriental-Rongotai and Northern United, OBU played and lost five tight games in succession. They let a 14-man Johnsonville off the hook (10-14), ran Avalon close (17-27), blew a 20-point lead against Tawa (20-22), let themselves down with a poor performance against Hutt Old Boys Marist (21-29) and pushed Western Suburbs close (9-19)...More

Can Upper Hutt continue their fantastic season and win the Swindale Shield ? Jubilee Cup double? It would be a great achievement if they can and would complete a spectacular turnaround from premier battlers to powerhouse in such a short space of time. Just a year ago they were preparing for a not unfamiliar season in the Hardham Cup. Debut coaches Mark Purdy and Sam McLean have brought together a well-balanced side this year. Strong up front, with Justin Va?a (currently away with Samoa), Joe Duffy and Tui Hunt, the boys in maroon also have depth and experience in the loose, with veterans Mike Robinson and Nathan Russell backed up by the Mei brothers, James and Damien...More

Round 11 Review Despite losing their last round encounter with Marist St. Pats, Upper Hutt held the Swindale Shield aloft over Maidstone Park on Saturday. Elsewhere, both Tawa and Johnsonville had to win against Northern United and Avalon respectively, and hope the other stumbled, to make the Jubilee Cup round - they both did, meaning Tawa held on to finish eighth. Tawa and Johnsonville both played expansive rugby and both scored four-try bonus points as well. In other games Petone and Western Suburbs warmed up for the Jubilee Cup, with Petone running in six tries to one for an easy victory...More

Round 11 Preview Congratulations to Upper Hutt, winners of the 2005 Swindale Shield. Upper Hutt won their first Swindale Shield since 1990 last week with a round to spare. Northern United, the other remaining side in contention prior to last week, lost narrowly to Avalon in round ten, which gave Upper Hutt an unassailable six-point buffer at the top of the ladder heading into this week?s last round.Upper Hutt fully deserves their win. After scraping past Petone 30-27 in round one they have set the pace...More

Upper Hutt lifted the Swindale Shield with a round to spare on Saturday. Upper Hutt?s triumphant first round win was not realised at home at Maidstone Park amidst flourishing fanfare, as expected it might be after next week?s final round, instead it was achieved at a wintry Basin Reserve following a 60-point rout of hapless Old Boys-University. Northern United, their only rivals for the Shield heading into round ten, lost to Avalon to hand them the title.While Upper Hutt had no trouble in dispatching OBU and grabbing a maximum five competition points and moving to 46 points on the ladder, Norths could only manage a bonus point for losing narrowly in their tight encounter with Avalon, to take them to 40 points - giving Upper Hutt the title regardless of what happens next week...More

Round 10 Preview Four into one won?t go. That?s the predicament facing Johnsonville, Oriental-Rongotai, Tawa and Hutt Old Boys Marist heading into this week?s penultimate Swindale Shield round. Avalon?s remarkable come from behind win against Ories last week did more than secure Avalon?s position in the Jubilee Cup, it created a 10-point chasm on the points table between Avalon and Poneke, who are now seventh equal, and these four teams, who are now in a battle to finish eighth and grab the last Jubilee Cup berth...More

Round 9 Review Upper Hutt holds a two-point lead over Northen United after nine rounds of the Swindale Shield. Both frontrunners enjoyed easy wins over Hutt Old Boys Marist and Johnsonville, while Western Suburbs effectively ended Marist St. Pats? challenge by winning their match. MSP is still third, but ten points adrift of Upper Hutt. In other results Petone accounted for Old Boys-University, Poneke beat Tawa and Avalon used their escape card to beat Oriental-Rongotai. This week?s feature game saw fourth placed Wests take on third placed MSP at Rugby League Park...More