Ben Tupuola has little involvement in match day warm-ups for Wainuiomata. The hulking No.8 is a machine operator who needs rest before games. “I often work on Fridays from 1am to 10am. Then I take my two girls to league so I nap before kick-off. If I don’t get my sleep, I get grumpy.” Tupuola explains. Awaking Tupuola from his pre-match dose is like poking a beer. Tupuola is one of the most consistently damaging players in Wellington club rugby, but a decade ago Tupuola was doing more damage to himself than adversaries on the field...More

Scots College: 36 (Sage Shaw-Tait, Malo Manuao, Epa Sailo, Max Taptikilis, Moala Katoa,  Jack Gray; Manuao 3 con) Lindisfarne College: 10 (Mahia Salisbury,  Maika Nasilasila tries) Scots College have beaten Lindisfarne College 36-10 in their annual traditional fixture in Wellington today. In fine, calm conditions, Scots pulled away from the stubborn Hawke’s Bay visitors scoring three of their six tries in the last 15 minutes. Lindisfarne began in promising style anchoring themselves inside the Scots 22, but a turnover and break by Scots first-five Jack Mexted sparked a movement which saw centre Sage Shaw-Tait cross the chalk...More

For the first time the Kapiti College First XV is in Premier One of the Wellington Secondary Schools rugby competition. After being humiliated 97-7 by St. Pat’s Silverstream in Round One, Kapiti have won three games on the trot and caused a huge upset when they tipped over 2016 semi-finalists Rongotai College 19-15 last weekend. A father and son duo, are coach and captain of the team. Hooker Liam Tooman has played over 50 games for the side while his father Mark coaches. Liam admits the pair rarely talks about anything other than rugby...More

Above: The Wellington Axemen U85kg team that won the first round U85kg Division 1 JC Bowl, beating the Tawa Titans 29-10 in Saturday’s decider. The second round Paul Potiki Shield starts this coming weekend. Photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/WellingtonAxemen/ Off the Ball is in association with Rob Law Max , Lovelocks Sports Bar  and Harcourts Johnsonville  Looking at some of the news in briefs, milestones, happenings, statistics and observations from the weekend of rugby just gone and what’s coming up this week...More

Final match report: New Zealand: 64 (Asafo Aumua 3, Luke Jacobson 2, Dalton Papali’i, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Josh McKay, Tom Christie; Stephen Perofeta 7 con) England:17 (Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Josh Bayliss tries; Max Mailns 1 con) New Zealand has won the World Rugby Under-20 Championship for the sixth time demolishing England by a record 64-17 in the final. New Zealand’s victory eclipsed the 62-17 triumph over Australia in 2010 and hooker Asafo Aumua emulated Telusa Veainu’s feat of scoring a hat-trick in the decider...More

Above: Hutt Old Boys Marist centre Ope Peleseuma gets a pass way in the midfield today against Wainuiomata. Updated: There were three close matches and a thrashing in the four second round Jubilee Cup matches played today in lovely sunny conditions. The two closest results of the day were Marist St Pat’s beating Oriental-Rongotai 33-31 at home at Evans Bay Park and Tawa holding on to beat Northern United 30-26 at Lyndhurst Park. Both matches had all the drama and passion associated with the Jubilee Cup...More

Above: Several teams including Poneke are hunting their opening wins of the second round in tomorrow's Jubilee and Hardham Cup grades.  After last weekend’s opener to the second round, expect tomorrow's round of Premier matches to be just as hard-fought and the possibility that some teams could get a real jump on their competitors on the table. Across the lower grades, there are trophies that will be decided in some, while others also move further into the business end of their campaigns...More

George Orwell had this to say in 1984 about the current Lions tour - If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a face — forever. Nek minnit, Crusaders lose. The sort of losses the Canes have suffered this year. Running into brick walls and running out of ideas. Anyway, Orwell's boot - aka a three-zip All Black cakewalk - has gone walkies. I suspect I'm not the only one who isn't too sad the southern men lost. There's plenty of upside. Looks like we'll get a real test series, or at least a first test, where there'll be a ton of tension...More

Above: Tolu Fahamokioa (right) with Jonah Lowe after the recent New Zealand Provincial Barbarians match against the British and Irish Lions in Whangarei.  When Tolu Fahamokioa moved to New Zealand from Tonga in 1999 he was asked by his first rugby coach what position he played. “Lomu,” Fahamokioa recalls, replying with a chuckle. “I started on the wing and was pretty quick over the first 10-metres, but it’s been downhill ever since,” the prop forward continued. Fahamokioa might have a lower jersey number on his back these days, but the former Wellington Lion has enjoyed the best 12 months of his career...More

Above: Porirua College players and supporters celebrate winning the Beard Trophy off Bishop Viard College today.  A round-up below of the First XV matches played yesterday and today involving several Wellington schools. Porirua College (43) v Bishop Viard College (8) Porirua College took the Beard Trophy off Bishop Viard College this afternoon, beating the holders seven tries to one in sunny, windy conditions. Porirua College were far too big and powerful up front for the youthful Bishop Viard College side, dominating at scum time, picking off easy ball in the lineouts off their opposites and making several telling bursts that led directly to tries...More