
Week two of club rugby pre-season matches sees four inter-club matches in Wellington involving Swindale Shield sides, a quadruple header at North Park in Petone and a handful of matches further afield including the annual New Zealand Marist Spillane tournament held in Taupo.
A brief preview of what’s happening tomorrow follows.
Staying in Wellington, the matches involving Premier squads are:
- Avalon v Old Boys University, Naenae College, 11.00am
- Petone v Poneke, North Park, 2.30pm
- Northern United v Wainuiomata, Bishop Viard College, 2.30pm.
- Upper Hutt Rams v Johnsonville, Maidstone Park, 1.40pm
Matches in Wellington involving non-Premier squads in Wellington tomorrow are listed as:
- Norths Colts v Wainuiomata Colts, Bishop Viard College, 11.30am
- Norths Premier 2 v Wainuiomata Premier 2, Bishop Viard College, 1.00pm
- MSP U85kg v Wellington Axemen U85kg, Evans Bay Park, 1.00pm
- Upper Hutt Rams v Johnsonville Colts, Maidstone Park 1, 12.00pm
- Petone Women v Poneke Women, North Park 11.00am
- Petone Colts v Poneke Colts, North Park, 12.00pm
- Petone Premier 2 v Poneke Premier 2, North Park, 1.00pm
The two matches at Maidstone Park also coincide with the opening of the Maidstone Park sports complex.
Also, a selection of matches around the lower North Island:
- Shannon v Waikanae, Shannon Domain, 2.00pm
- Marton v Levin Wanderers, Marton Park, 2.30pm
- Rahui v Freyberg, Otaki, TBC
- Feilding Old Boys Oroua v Carterton, Johnston Park, 2.00pm
- Linton Army v Central Hawke’s Bay, Tikokino Grounds, 12.00pm
Further to these matches, Hutt Old Boys Marist and Marist St Pat’s are both heading to Owen Delany Park to participate in the Spillane tournament.
HOBM are in Division 1 competing for the Spillane Cup itself, and they playing Hasting Rugby & Sports on day one on Saturday. Last year’s finalists, Napier Old Boys Marist and Hamilton Marist, meet in the other day one match.
MSP will be contesting the Division 2 Ham Cumming Cup.
Day two on Sunday sees the two winners from Saturday compete for the silverware and the two losers meet in consolation games. There is promotion- relegation between the divisions so all games carry meaning,
The Spillane Cup was donated in 1926 by the late Mr. C. I. Spillane and from 1926-1929 and was contested annually between Wanganui and Wellington. In 1930 Hamilton issued a challenge to then holders Wellington and the Spillane tournament was started – Wellington beating Hamilton 29-21. Auckland entered in 1931, Napier in 1932 and Gisborne in 1933. In 1935, eight teams entered and the following year it was split into two sections, later three three. The Spillane tournament was originally played over the long Easter Weekend.
The HOBM and MSP squads are:
The Hurricanes and Hurricanes Poua are playing at Wellington tomorrow. More details below: