
Noon Updates: Our news in briefs, happenings and titbits column. As has been the case previously, the intention is that this column will come out on Mondays every week throughout the rugby year, as we set up the week ahead and recap the weekend just gone.
It is a collaborative effort, so if you have news or to contribute and help us out regularly or occasionally please sing out.
We are re-starting tentatively, but as the rugby starts then this content will grow!
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The 15s season starts this coming Friday with the Hurricanes hosting the Blues at William Jones Park. Kick-off is at 3.00pm at what is expected to be a heaving ground packed to the gunnels with local supporters looking to get their one and only taste of corporate rugby in the community for the year. More on the Hurricanes and this game just below.
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The National Club 7s tournament is being played at Karaka, Counties-Manukau, this coming Saturday. If we can get more details we will promote this.
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Ardie Savea has been named as Moana Pasifika’s captain this year.
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A moving and emotional send-off for Pakai Turia in a Memorial Service at Kilbirnie Park on Thursday evening.
This was live-streamed by Pōneke – a replay can be seen at the link below:
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We get this is fully fledged professional rugby and its the first match of the year after weeks of hard training , but 47 Hurricanes players taken to New Plymouth on Saturday? Home team the Chiefs mustered 37, so that is 84 players, plus support staff. We received an email from a local complaining that ticket prices to watch this open field training run and trial were upwards of $40. That’s wild! But who are we to question this, perhaps 100s or more of this person’s fellow Naki faithful paid their money and went along and watched?
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Tickets for Friday’s game at Wainuiomata are well priced at $10 and children go free (after school of course). These can be purchased here: https://hurricanes.flicket.co.nz/events/c3466760-0a5c-433a-bd27-c74f5cd7adc3/reservation The game kicks off at 3.00pm and gates open at 2.00pm.
As noted in this space last week, we are curious as to the logistics of this game at such a small ground, and with teams and support staff likely occupying one side of the ground and probably booking out the carpark, it could be a replay of the Western Bank at Athletic Park in the 1950s or Carisbrook in the 1990s as far as the crowd goes. It could also be a case of straight into the fire for the new Hurricanes operations manager who has replaced Johnny who now works at NZC!
For those that can’t make it or have to work on Friday, the game will be livestreamed on Huddy Sports HERE
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On the field this past weekend, the Chiefs skipped out to a 17-0 lead, before the Hurricanes teams came back to lead 40-36 heading into the dying moments, before the Chiefs scored at the end to win 43-40.
Marc Hinton at Stuff covered the game and reported:
“Both teams would take plenty from a surging encounter which featured some outstanding ball-in-hand play, some quality ball-retention and crisp finishing. After handling errors blighted play early on, both sides also tidied up their error-rates to put in encouraging first-up efforts in the summer heat.
Most importantly, both squads also appeared to avoid any serious injuries, with the respective coaches digging deep into extended squads in the sapping conditions.”
For more read his report at: https://www.thepost.co.nz/sport/360567089/gibson-popoalii-try-sees-chiefs-snatch-super-rugby-pre-season-thriller-over-hurricanes
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Lookout for the first part of two on this website this week looking at rugby in Wellington 100 years ago. This is a re-cap of the 1925 club rugby season. If you are a Pōneke supporter you won’t want to miss this!
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Wainuiomata Life Member Manny Tuhoro recently passed away, leaving another gaping hole in the local rugby community. Manny was most recently Wainuiomata’s Club Captain and always friendly and helpful and passionate about his home club and the people involved in it. We wish all the best for those close to him.
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The Hurricanes Poua beat the New South Waratahs in their 41-29 (halftime 29-5) in their Women’s Super Rugby pre-season opener at Palmerston North on Saturday.
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Xavier Numia Recommits to Hurricanes Through 2027
The Hurricanes announced on Friday that Oriental-Rongotai loosehead prop Xavier Numia has re-signed with the Hurricanes until 2027.
If he stays fit, Numia will usher in his ninth season with the Hurricanes in 2027, after debuting in 2019 and playing his 50th match last year.
The 26-year-old said he was excited to be re-signing with the Hurricanes.
“It’s been my dream for as long as I can remember to play for the Hurricanes,” he said. “Committing to a few more years is an epic feeling. The team is in a great place right now, the coaching staff and the energy within the group are unreal.”
“I’ve got unfinished business after last season, especially the way I went out [injury]. But I’m feeling good after a solid run with Wellington in the NPC and bringing home the title.”
At the time, his name was being talked about, alongside fellow St Pat’s Town old boy Billy Proctor’s, as one for the All Blacks.
Returning from a mid-year calf injury, Numia played a pivotal role in the Wellington Lions’ title-winning 2024 campaign.

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News received that leading Wellington referee Jack Sargentina has headed or is to London, so another big hole to fill in the refereeing ranks this season.
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A Super Rugby Fantasy competition was supposed to be launched in January, and now it’s February.
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A few years ago, Palmerston North Boys’ High School fullback Kurtis Heaphy kicked a sideline conversion to beat St Pat’s Silverstream in their annual traditional match. Yesterday he hit the winning runs for the CD Stags over Canterbury in the domestic Twenty20 cricket competition final.
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The Hurricanes U20s trial series starts this coming weekend, with the first of two ‘Game of Three Halves’ matches between the Wellington, Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay Academies. This is being played at Massey University at midday. The second of these games is the following Saturday, same venue, same time. This is building towards the one-off match on Friday 1 March at Wellington Stadium between the Hurricanes U20s and the Crusaders U20s, and then the Super Rugby U20s tournament in Taupo later in March.
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The opening round of the Six Nations took centre stage in Europe this past weekend.
France were easy winners over Wales in Paris, the final score 43-0. Scotland beat Italy 31-19, while Ireland beat England 27-22 in the feature match.
This coming weekend’s second round fixtures see Italy play Wales, England play France and Scotland play Ireland.

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The Kapiti Coast’s Ben O’Keeffe refereed the Ireland – England match in Dublin. This was his 50th test, since his debut on the international stage in 2016.
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Club Rugby is looking for an additional advertiser or website sponsor (or more, come on buy us out) for the year ahead, so if this is you or you know of anyone that wants to align with our proven track record of consistent content and loyal, engaged audience please get in touch. Best way is via email at editor@clubrugby.co.nz