Schedule for remainder of Premier and Premier 2 club season set, with semis and finals on 18 and 25 July

The following statement was released at noon Thursday, by the WRFU to all club delegates for distribution:

Following consultation with councils regarding venue availability and scheduling options, WRFU has carefully explored opportunities to provide clubs with the option of rescheduling Premier and Premier 2 fixtures during the coming week.

While there was a genuine desire and attempt to create playing opportunities where possible, WRFU carefully considered the feedback received on Monday’s call, alongside venue availability, scheduling constraints, and the broader implications for the competition. We explored a range of alternatives, including mid-week fixtures and the availability of artificial turf venues, in an effort to provide clubs with a pathway to complete these matches. However, ongoing weather impacts, limited venue availability and the challenges associated with organising meaningful competition fixtures at short notice ultimately constrained those options.

While mid-week rugby can work in some circumstances, delivering playoff rugby mid-week with only a few days’ notice presents significant challenges for players, coaches, volunteers, officials, and clubs alike. It would also have created the prospect of some teams being required to play two high-stakes matches within a matter of days, creating additional concerns around player availability, welfare, and competitive equity.

Having weighed our available options, it has been determined that maintaining the current season conclusion date of 25 July represents the fairest and most practical outcome for clubs, match officials, venue partners, and the wider rugby community.

As a result, the highest qualifiers from each Premier Men’s and Premier 2 Men’s scheduled playoff matchup will progress to next week’s playoff fixtures.

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Emphasis in bold above added by us.

What this also means is that it is the end of the line for both of the Oriental-Rongotai Premiers and Premier 2s, the Wainuiomata Premiers and the Avalon Premier 2s. All these teams were scheduled to meet in the next stage of knockout matches this coming Saturday.

Similarly in the Premier competition, current bottom ranked four clubs Pōneke, Johnsonville, Norths and Avalon have played their last competition matches in 2026.

Wellington club rugby will resume on Saturday 18 July, with semi-finals in the Premier and Premier 2 grades, these being (unofficial):

Premier Top 4 Jubilee Cup Semi-Finals

• Hutt Old Boys Marist v Tawa
• Upper Hutt Rams v Petone

Premier 5-8 Hardham Cup Semi-Finals:

• Old Boys University v Wellington Axemen
• Paremata-Plimmerton v Marist St Pat’s

Premier 2 Ed Chaney Cup Semi-Finals:

• Petone v Marist St Pat’s
• Hutt Old Boys Marist v Paremata-Plimmerton

Premier 2, Division 2 HD Morgan Semi-Finals:

• Tawa v Johnsonville
• Avalon v Wellington Axemen

See the link below for the original news and background to this:

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