Championship rounds kick off in Wellington club rugby this weekend

The Jubilee Cup and Hardham VC Memorial Cups will take pride of place in Wellington Premier club rugby over the next month. 

• By Scott MacLean 

Friday lunchtime edition, to be updated later in the afternoon. It’s the start of the Jubilee and VC Hardham Memorial Cup rounds this weekend, with seven big battles coming up. After last weekend’s atrocious weather, the elements have settled down and it promises to be another bumper day for rugby in the region.

The final 2026 Swindale Shield points table is here: https://stats.clubrugby.nz/table/2026-swindale-shield/ 

The weather forecast for Saturday is benign. No rain on the radar. View it here: https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/hourly-table/2-2179537/New%20Zealand/Wellington%20Region/Wellington%20City/Wellington?i=1

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Draws & Results – visit https://stats.clubrugby.nz/ for these. Click on a fixture for teamlists and match details. Teamlists as received and subject to change.

Radio commentary  – online at teupoko.co.nz or by tuning into 87.5FM or 1161AM is Petone v HOBM at the Petone Rec with Gordon Noble-Campbell and Andy Leslie.

Tipping Competition – Visit https://www.faceyoursfears.com/games/WGTN2026/join   To make your picks for week 14. This round has been entered into the system (and will be on a week-by-week basis from now on). Following on from last year, TWO extra wildcard rounds have been added for the last four weeks. So this competition is all on with perhaps 20 players still in the hunt should they play their cards right and others falter.

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Premier Jubilee Cup

Petone (1) vs Hutt Old Boys Marist (4) – Referee: Ethan Jefferson

McBain Part II. The newly-minted Swindale Shield holders against the defending Jubilee Cup champions. It’s far to say the neither side in this clash will be feeling the need to offer their neighbours and great rivals any sort of leniency; this one speaks for itself. Petone, of course, won the match where the old wooden shield was actually at stake just three weeks ago by 29-16.

Petone roll out the same pack as that McBain clash, and their only changes from that day have Jordan-Glen Bradbrook in place of Lester Maulolo in midfield, Wesly Faitele on the wing, and Stanley Solomon and Jacob Waikari-Jones swapping places. The eye-catching addition for HOBM is James O’Reilly, finally fit and able to take his place at hooker. Mika Alaifatu also returns, albeit at lock with the rest of the side that same as that which ran out against Ories.

Upper Hutt Rams (2) vs Tawa (3) – Referee: Ethan Loveridge

If you’d asked even the most-ardent Rams supporter if they’d be in this position after their limp defeat to Pare-Plim in April, and they’d have bitten your hand off. Tawa fans would have done likewise after their Opening Day disaster against Petone, and yet here they both are. As with the two above, there will be strong familiarity with each other – they only met a fortnight ago where the Rams snuffed out a late Tawa comeback with a monstrous scrum to secure a 24-19 win. One note: This game is at the NZCIS campus as Maidstone Park is booked out by Super Rugby Aupiki for the Poua’s clash with the Blues.

The Rams side was still on its way to us when this was prepared for publication. To little surprise, Tawa start both Matolu Petaia and George Risale, but the notable name missing is Hemi Fermanis who is on the bench alongside brother TJ. Kemara Hauiti-Parapara resumes both the halfback spot and the captaincy, while veteran Nigel Hunt and a returning Isi Saumaki make up the midfield.

For the four teams below, it’s must-win if they want to keep their chance of lifting the Holy Grail this season intact.

Old Boys-University (5) vs Wainuiomata (8) – Referee: Charlie Harris

Only two teams that missed out on this stage of the season last year made it this term, and they face each other at Nairnville Park. It’s quite the testament to the Goats determination and culture that they’re here given their litany of injuries and the heavy lack of success for their second team. Wainuiomata have made it here through sheer grit; there’s been some heavy losses but in the last month they’ve tipped over Tawa and pushed both Upper Hutt and Pare-Plim close. They will be the underdogs here, but their recent form suggests they can cause an upset at a place where they have in the past. OBU won 24-10 at William Jones back in the second week of the season.

OBU bring Ethan Pule and Zac Pene back into the front row alongside skipper Geordie Bean. Othe changes see Sam Walton-Sexton and Malo Manuao provide the halves pairing with Tomaisi Palu swapping back to midfield, and Isaac Wong deputises for an injured Hunter Kennedy at fullback. As supplied, Wainuiomata have gone with the same 22 that fronted against Pare-Pim last week.

Paremata-Plimmerton (6) vs Oriental Rongotai (7) – Referee: Matt Thomas

Two sides that have fought some pitched battles against one another clash at Ngati Toa Domain. Joint-leaders after their midweek catch-up game against Avalon, the Hammerheads have faltered a bit down the stretch and the losses to MSP and Wellington will still grate. They did enough last week to lock in their place here, but will feel they can be much better again. Ories Swindale defence got off to a horrible start with three straight losses – beginning Opening Day when they fell at home 14-15 to Pare-Plim – but lost just once after that. Their 2023 Jubilee triumph – which came over Pare-Plim at the Hutt Rec – started from this position so that won’t faze them.

Pare-Plim make just a single change to last weeks run-on side with Trent Livesey at lock in place of centurion James Corcoran. They have a couple of welcome returns on the bench in prop Werdna Maligi-Leota and outside back Joe Faleafaga. Ories are waiting on a couple of fitness tests before confirming their team as at 12.30pm.

Premier Hardham Cup

For the six teams contesting the Hardham Cup from this week, tomorrow is about seeding and trying to avoid the two dropping down from the Jubilee.

Marist St Pats (9) vs Avalon (14) – Referee: Campbell Barry

For MSP last Saturday was a frustrating experience, largely having their fate in their own hands but ultimately unable to seize the place ahead of Wainuiomata and leaving themselves in the Hardham Cup once more; a galling experience for a club much more used to competing for the Jubilee. They’ll need to pick themselves up, less they stumble against a Wolves outfit that’s been more competitive than their record really suggests, and have already tasted success in the eastern suburbs once this year.

MSP swap flankers this week with Ben Gardiner and debutant Troy Gray coming in. Tomasi Connor and Sefo Aukustino are both absent so Fabio Minelli and Francis Mettrick are the midfielders. Avalon’s side has just two changes from that with took the field last Friday night at Maidstone Park both in the outside backs with Tauvaga Siolo and veteran Jordan Aquila coming in.

Johnsonville (10) vs Poneke (13) – Referee: James Taylor

It hasn’t been the season the Hawks envisaged, but they’ll be energised after dragging MSP into the Hardham with them in the muck last weekend. They host a Poneke side they beat handily a couple of weeks ago, but the Kilbirnie squad have pushed sides further up the table and will want to hold onto one piece of Premier silverware for the summer. Their immediate focus will be on flipping that past result, but you can’t imagine the hosts will make that easy for them.

Raja Sami, Kolo Aisake, and Regan Herbert are the additions to the Hawks pack this week, who will be without both Ha’amea Ahio and Serge Hollis. Finlay Sharp moves to the wing to accommodate Niall Delahunt at fullback, with Jacob Walmsley continuing at first-five. Poneke welcome back the Tuifao-Galuvao brothers and winger Jeremiah Tuhega-Vaitupu, but are otherwise largely unchanged.

Wellington (11) vs Norths (12) – Referee: Ollie Michie

With both sides finishing up on 22 competition points, the venue for this was determined by the Axemen’s win over Norths at Porirua Park earlier in the year. Wellington will be both disappointed and buoyed by their narrow loss to Tawa last week, but had that last conversion gone over it wouldn’t have changed this part of the picture. Conversely, Norths were on the end of another hefty margin against OBU and it will take some effort to turn that around.

Wellington have gone big up front, with Tui Tuiatua named at hooker in a largely settled side, unusual for the Axemen in recent years. One change of note sees Willie Schutz at halfback, allowing Ben Tuiatua to move back into midfield. Norths side hasn’t reached us.

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A quick reminder of the extra-time rules should any of these matches end even at full-time. These apply to all WRFU grades:

• Extra-time of 10 minutes each way (NO Golden Point)
• If still ties at the end of extra-time, then the order of resolution is:
  • If Game On was applied (not applicable to Premier or Premier 2 Men’s grades), the team that did not require it wins,
  • Most tries in the match,
  • Head-to-head match in the relevant competition round. For Premier and Premier 2, this is their Swindale or Harper Lock Shield match.
  • If that was a draw (or match not played in the case of the HLS), then points-differential is used.

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Premier 2 Ed Chaney and HD Morgan Cups

As with the Jubilee Cup, two teams will progress directly to the semi-finals in a fortnight’s time. The season’s leading pair will fancy their chances of doing that as Petone (1) host Pare-Plim (4) south of the Hutt River, and HOBM (2) welcome MSP (3) to the north side. The visitors in each won’t be daunted by the challenge, and will be keen to provide an upset.

In the elimination games, Tawa (5) face Ories (8) at Lyndhurst, while in a bit of a twist Upper Hutt (6) will “again” host Avalon (7) after the two were scheduled to meet in last week’s cancelled round; albeit this time at Trentham Memorial Park.

Like the Hardham Cup, the HD Morgan sides are playing for seeding in next week’s quarter-finals. Wellington (9) are at home against OBU (14), just down the road Poneke (11) face Norths (12) at Kilbirnie, and Johnsonville (10) and Wainuiomata (13) take to Newlands Park.

Women’s Tia Paasi Memorial and Izzy Ford Cups

Like their male counterparts, the Women will be hoping for much drier conditions tomorrow. The feature match of the Tia Paasi division is at the Petone Rec, where Norths will look to rebound from their loss last week in the Polo muck and upset the home team who have Wellington legend Jackie Patea becoming the first woman to reach a century of matches for the Villagers. Over the Hill Road Wainuiomata host Poneke with the latter looking for their first win in this part of the year. Oriental Rongotai has the bye.

Izzy Ford Cup leaders Avalon are back home on Fraser Park where they’ll take on Paremata-Plimmerton, with Wellington returning from the bye to host Old Boys-University at Hataitai. Stokes Valley has the bye here.

Colts John Kelly and Vic Calcinai Cups

Last week’s cancelled round won’t be played, so all eight teams that were scheduled to play have received three points. This week’s Division 1 clashes see leaders Petone head to Kilbirnie to take on MSP, while Tawa and HOBM face off at Redwood Park.

The Division 2 matches have the northern city derby between Norths and Pare-Plim at Porirua Park, and OBU make the long trek out to Trentham Memorial to face Upper Hutt. Poneke has the bye.

Under 85kg Paul Potiki and Tony O’Brien Shields

Last week’s cancellation pushed the Division 1 semi-finals back a week, so here’s hoping for a successful second attempt tomorrow. First up Johnsonville hosts defending champions and JC Bowl winners Tawa at 1pm in the Helston cauldron, while at the regular 2.45pm time Poneke takes on Pare-Plim in front of the clubrooms at Kilbirnie Park.

The Division 2 side continue their double round-robin format with both matches in the southern suburbs; Eastbourne head to Kelburn to take on the OBU Scallywags, with HOBM at MacAlister Park to face Wellington.

College

After last weekend’s wholesale cancellations the Premiership returns tomorrow. The five matches won’t be caught up, so the round-robin will consist of just eight matches this season. Starting things off is the regular noon kickoff in the Wairarapa with Rathkeale (19) hosting Mana (0), followed at 1pm by Wairarapa College (6) taking on leaders Wellington College (24) and St Pats Town (19) hosting St Bernards (12). In the 2.30pm timeslot are two local derbies; Scots (15) host Rongotai (1), and Silverstream (19) welcome Hutt International (15) down from Trentham.

In Premier 2 each of the eight sides whose matches were cancelled have been awarded two points. Like the Premiership, those matches won’t be made up, but the difference here was that Tawa and Aotea had played their match on the Wednesday night. Tomorrow’s slate starts with unbeaten leaders the Silverstream 2nds (27), hosting Porirua (7), followed by the Stream 3rds (9) taking on the Town 2nds (22), There’s also an early start for the Wellington College 2nds (12) against Paraparaumu (8), with 2.30pm starts for Hutt Valley HS (17) and Aotea (25), and Tawa (1) up against Kapiti (22)

Elsewhere

Its semi-finals weekend in the three other lower North Island NPC unions.

In the Hankins Shield in the Manawatu city sides make up three of the four semi-finalists. Defending champions Varsity host Old Boy Marist, while Kia Toa are at home against interlopers Feilding Yellows where the visitors will want to inflict further misery on the hosts after their shock loss to College Old Boys last week. In the subsidiary Val Holland Cup matches COB hosts Freyberg, and Feilding OB-Oroua make the trek to the Army Camp to take in Linton.

Napier sides make up the bulk of the field in Hawkes Bay’s Maddison Trophy as well. Defending champions Taradale host city rivals Napier Tech, while across the rivalry between the biggest clubs in each of the two centres is renewed when Napier OB Marist welcomes Hastings to Tremain Field.

Taranaki is also at the semi-final stage with the country sides taking most of the stage. Unbeaten Clifton will look to roll on into the final as they host defending champions Stratford-Eltham out at Tikorangi, while New Plymouth OB will seek to keep the city flag flying as they head out to Rahotu to take on Coastal.

Our two neighbouring Heartland unions have reached their final rounds, though in each the semi-finalists have already been found. In Horowhenua-Kapiti leading duo Foxton (66) and Waikanae (47) face off, Paraparaumu (42) visit Rahui (31), and there’s the final Levin derby between Wanderers (36) and College Old Boys (14).

And lastly, three matches to close out the regular part of the season in Wairarapa-Bush. The feature game here is the clash between leading duo Carterton (41) and Greytown (45) to determine top spot. Behind them Marist (28) have already secured third and host cross-town neighbours Masterton Red Star (3), while East Coast’s (20) bonus-point win over MRS last week secured them fourth and they’ll prepare for the playoffs at home in Whareama against Martinborough (14).