Club rugby pre-season 2026 – what’s coming up in March?

The scheduled kick-offs of major club rugby competitions in Wellington (4 April), Manawatu (28 March), Hawke’s Bay (21 March) and Wairarapa-Bush and Horowhenua-Kapiti (both TBC) are in sight.

All matches that have been collated below and ordered by date are assumed to be between ‘Premier [Senior A]’ squads unless stated, although many are Premier/Premier Reserve mixed matches as well as Colts, U85kgs and Women’s. Specific kick-off times to be confirmed nearer the time.

All games are subject to change, so this is a guide only. Please get in touch to add or amend fixtures.

As well as playing inter-club games, all clubs are holding internal trials and match days and club days on various weekends. These are also listed below if known.

Saturday 7 March

Paraparaumu v Pōneke, Soldier Field Paraparaumu

Northern United v Marist St Pat’s, Porirua Park 3

Johnsonville v Avalon Wolves, Venue TBC.

Linton Lions v Upper Hutt Rams, Linton Army Camp

Feilding Old Boys Oroua Stags v M.A.C, Victoria Park, Feilding

Feilding Yellows v Central Hawke’s Bay, Johnston Park

Spillane Tournament at Hastings. Including Hutt Old Boys Marist

Napier Pirate v Freyberg, Napier.

Oriental-Rongotai Club Day, Polo Ground

ALSO: Waratahs v Hurricanes, Sydney (Friday 6 March) / Hurricanes Hunters v Blues Development, NZCIS 11.30am (Friday 6 March).

Saturday 14 March

Hutt Old Boys Marist v Pōneke v Napier Pirate (Game of Three Halves), NZCIS

Marist St Pat’s v Petone, Evans Bay Park

Tawa v Oriental-Rongotai, Lyndhurst Park

Varsity Rams, v Old Boys University Goats, Massey #4

Feilding Yellows v Paremata-Plimmerton, Johnston Park

Wainuiomata v Northern United, Mary Crowther Park

Wellington Axemen v Kia Toa, Venue TBC

Johnsonville Hawks v Freyberg, Mana College

Feilding Old Boys Oroua Stags v Havelock North, Victoria Park Feilding

ALSO: Hurricanes v Force, Napier (Friday 6 March)

Saturday 21 March

Upper Hutt Rams v Hutt Old Boys Marist, Maidstone Park

Tukapa v Pōneke (Zemba Cup match), New Plymouth

Nelson Marist v Marist St Pat’s, Blenheim

Kia Toa v Oriental-Rongotai, Bill Brown Park, P.N.

Petone v Paremata-Plimmerton, Petone/North Park

Tawa v Northern United, Lyndhurst Park

Avalon Wolves v Freyberg, Naenae College

Varsity Rams v Waikato University, Turangi

Wainuiomata v Wellington Axemen, Mary Crowther Park

ALSO:

Old Boys University Internal Camp

Johnsonville Internal Trial

Highlanders v Hurricanes, Dunedin (Friday night game) / Highlanders Development v Hurricanes Development, Dunedin (Friday night game – curtain-raiser to SRP fixture).

Hawke’s Bay Premier Nash Cup Round 1: Aotea v Havelock North/Central HB v NOBM/ Taradale v Napier Tech/Hastings v Bridge Pa/Napier Pirate v M.A.C/

Saturday 28 March

Upper Hutt Rams v Marist St Pat’s, Maidstone Park

Oriental-Rongotai v Old Boys University, Rongotai College

Tawa v Linwood, Lyndhurst Park

Paremata-Plimmerton v Kaierau, Venue TBC

Wainuiomata Premier 2 v Masterton Pioneer, William Jones Park

ALSO:

Pōneke Internal Camp

Petone Internal Camp

Wellington Axemen Internal Camp

Johnsonville Internal Camp

Hurricanes v Reds, Wellington 4.35pm (Saturday) / Hurricanes Development Hunters v Blues, Wellington 2.00pm (Saturday).

Manawatu Senior A Hankins Shield Round 1: Feilding Yellows v Linton Army /Freyberg v College Old Boys / Varsity v Kia Toa / Te Kawau v Old Boys Marist

Saturday 4 April (Wellington Swindale Shield Premier and Harper Lock Shield Round one)

Northern United v Marist St Pat’s, Porirua Park

Old Boys University v Johnsonville, Nairnville Park.

Oriental-Rongotai v Paremata-Plimmerton, Polo Ground

Petone v Tawa, Petone Rec

Upper Hutt Rams v Pōneke, Maidstone Park

Wainuiomata v Avalon, William Jones Park

Wellington v Hutt Old Boys Marist, Hataitai Park