Last afternoon of pre-season club rugby tomorrow

Above: Action from last Saturday’s match at Evans Bay Park between Pōneke and Tukapa. The ground hosts three games tomorrow, more details below. Photo: Andy McArthur.

It’s the final weekend of pre-season rugby for most of the lower North Island, so for many supporters, unless they live in Horowhenua-Kapiti, it could be a final opportunity to do chores around home and generally keep those home fires burning before Saturdays are filled with community rugby.

Many of Wellington’s, Manawatu’s and Wairarapa-Bush’s clubs are holding internal trainings and camps as they fine tune their preparations for the start of these competitions on Saturday 5 April.

Starting in Horowhenua-Kapiti, it is week two of the Ramsbotham Cup. Defending champions Foxton make their season debut at home against Levin Wanderers, while both Rahui and Paraparaumu look to make it two-from-two when they host Shannon and Waikanae respectively, the latter being one of the great traditional clashes of regional club rugby. Kick-off in all three fixtures is 2.45pm.

In Wellington, it’s a bit of a potpourri of rugby tomorrow.

There are two pre-season Premier fixtures being played, both in the Hutt Valley.

At Maidstone Park, the Upper Hutt Rams and Tawa Premiers, Colts and Premier 2 sides kick off at 1.00pm in a rolling match of 6 x 20 minute spells.

At Mary Crowther Park, the Hutt Old Boys Marist and Wellington Axemen Premiers kick off at 1.00pm, with their Colts teams starting at 12.00pm.

Further afield, the Old Boys University Premiers head to Taupo to play a game of three halves events with the Auckland and Waikato University clubs.

In Other Colts pre-season games not listed above, include the annual match between the MSP Colts and the St Pat’s Town First XV, which kicks off at Evans Bay Park at 2.30pm. This is for the Xavier Reidy Memorial Cup.

The Pōneke Colts are at North Park in Petone to play Palmerston North Old Boys Marist Colts kicking off at 2.15pm.

The Wainuiomata and Avalon Colts play at William Jones Park at 12.00pm.

The Wellington Women’s competition also starts next week, with Pōneke Women playing the Palmerston North Old Boys Marist  Women at North Park at 12.30pm.

Wellington’s nine U85kg teams start their JC Bowl competition next week and there are two pre-season fixtures involving these sides.

The Paremata-Plimmerton U85kgs and Wellington Light Axemen kick off at Aotea College at noon, MSP Red and Eastbourne go at Evans Bay Park at 1.00pm.

There is an 11.45am game at Evans Bay Park too, with the MSP Internationals and the Old Boys University Righteous Pink Ginners meeting in a Reserve Grade pre-season fixture.

The Wainuiomata and Avalon Women’s sides kick off after their Colts at 1.30pm at William Jones Park.

There is a three-way pre-season Colts game at Hataitai Park from early afternoon, involving the Wellington Axemen Colts, Johnsonville Colts and Hutt Old Boys Marist Colts.

The Northern United Premier 2s and Petone Premier 2s kick-off at [insert venue here] at 12.00pm.

Further to the Xavier Reidy Memorial Cup involving St Pat’s Town and the MSP Colts, there are other First XV games in the region tomorrow.

Rongotai College are in action against Palmerston North Boys’ High School at 12.00pm.

Upper Hutt College’s First XV host the Aotea College First XV at 1.00pm.

There is pre-season college action on Porirua 3 and 4 involving squads from Tawa College, Palmerston North Boys’ High School, St Pat’s Town and St Bernard’s College, between 10.00am and 1.00pm.

There are also several lower grade early season college matches being played around the region.

Still a week away from kick-off in Wairarapa Bush. In pre-season matches being played tomorrow Masterton Red Star play East Coast and Greytown hosts Manawatu side Te Kawau.

There’s also a college run with Wairarapa College and Scots College meeting at Carterton.

Further afield, it is week two of Hawke’s Bay club rugby, with a full slate of Nash Cup games underway tomorrow afternoon.

In high performance rugby, the Hurricanes Development team play the Kia Toa Premiers at NZCIS at 1.00pm, the Hurricanes Poua are playing the Chiefs in the match that follows this on NZCIS and the Hurricanes men’s side hosts the Waratahs tonight at 7.05pm in Wellington.

Aisle be Back: Hurricanes v Waratahs

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Join us in playing the Wellington club rugby tipping competition – details at the link below:

Link here to club rugby Tipping Competition 2025 (with prizes)