Schedule of Pre-season matches in March

Updated: With a month of Saturdays leading up to the start of major club rugby competitions starting in the lower North Island, all clubs are getting into the swing of their pre-season campaigns.

As well as internal trainings, trials and camps, many teams play games against each other over the next few weeks, including some ‘cross-competition matches between clubs in different regions.

See below for a pre-season match guide for the next four weekends of March, these being Saturdays the 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd and 29^th March.

All matches below are assumed to be between/involving Premier squads, unless otherwise stated.

As always, this is not a definitive list of fixtures. We will update this article as we are made aware of additional fixtures or changes to the schedules below. Please email editor@clubrugby.co.nz for more.

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Saturday 8 March

• Hutt Old Boys Marist v Napier Pirate, Napier
• Wainuiomata v Paremata-Plimmerton, Mary Crowther Park
• Marist St Pat’s at NZ Marist Tournament (Spillane) 9/10 March in Hamilton
• Pōneke v Petone Premiers and Colts, North Park.
• Freyberg v Johnsonville, TBC
• Marist St Pat’s Women v Paremata-Plimmerton Women, Evans Bay Park
• Wellington Axemen in camp.
• Northern United in camp.
• OBU internal trial, Boyd Wilson Field.

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Saturday 15 March (the Ides of March)

• Marist St Pat’s v Rahui, Otaki (Friday night game).
• Tawa v Northern United, Lyndhurst Park.
• Wainuiomata v Wellington Axemen Premiers and Premier 2s, Mary Crowther Park.
• Central (Marlborough) v Paremata-Plimmerton, Blenheim
• Petone men in camp.
• Petone Ponies Women v Waikato University, North Park, 11.00am.
• Rongotai College v Tawa College, RC 1
• Old Boys University v Massey University Premiers/Premier 2s, Rugby League Park
• Old Boys University Colts v Paremata-Plimmerton Colts, Rugby League Park

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Saturday 22 March (the autumn equinox)

• Hutt Old Boys Marist v Old Boys University Premiers and Colts, Mary Crowther Park
• Upper Hutt Rams v Petone Premiers, Premier 2s, Colts, Maidstone Park.
• Northern United v Johnsonville, Mana College
• Feilding Yellows v Marist St Pat’s, Johnston Park.
• Pōneke v Tukapa (Zemba Cup match), Evans Bay Park
• Oriental-Rongotai v Wainuiomata, Rongotai College
• Kaierau v Paremata-Plimmerton, at Whanganui
• Avalon Wolves v Freyberg, Naenae College
• Pioneer v Wainuiomata Premier 2, Masterton
• Linwood v Tawa, Christchurch.
• Petone Women v Palmerston North Old Boys Marist Women, North Park 11.00am.
• Northern United Women v Paremata-Plimmerton Women, Mana College, 11.00am
• MSP U85kgs v Wellington U85kgs, Evans Bay Park (Sunday 23 March)
• Old Boys University Colts v Wellington College First XV, Boys Wilson Field (Friday night game)

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Saturday 29 March (the final weekend of preparations)

• Wellington Axemen v Hutt Old Boys Marist Premiers and Colts, Mary Crowther Park
• Upper Hutt Rams v Tawa Premiers and Colts, Maidstone Park.
• Marist St Pat’s in camp at Ngawi, Cape Palliser.
• Pōneke Premiers in camp.
• Wainuiomata Premiers in camp.
• Wainuiomata Colts v Avalon Colts, Mary Crowther Park.
• Rongotai College v Palmerston North Boys’ High School, RC 1
• Old Boys University v Auckland University and Waikato University, Game of three halves, Taupo.

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Saturday 5 April (liftoff)

Wellington club rugby Swindale Shield Round One:

• Johnsonville v Paremata-Plimmerton, Helston Park
• Marist St Pat’s v Pōneke, Evans Bay Park
• Northern United v Avalon Wolves, Porirua Park
• Old Boys University v Tawa, TBC
• Oriental Rongotai v Upper Hutt Rams, Polo Ground
• Petone v Wellington, Petone Rec
• Wainuiomata v Hutt Old Boys Marist, William Jones Park

2025 SWINDALE SHIELD DRAW