Sideline Conversions 20 July (some news and information to start the new week in rugby)

Monday late morning updates: The 2026 club rugby Premier, Premier 2 and Women’s finals are upon us.

It’s the defending champions Hutt Old Boys Marust against the first round winners and multiple past champions Petone in this coming weekend’s Jubilee Cup final, while Paremata-Plimmerton and Wellington meet in the Hardham VC Memorial Cup decider. The schedule at a glance is:

• Jubilee Cup: Petone v HOBM, Porirua Park 1, 3.00pm
• Hardham VC Memorial Cup: Porirua Park 2, 2.45pm
• Premier 2 Ed Chaney Cup: HOBM v Petone, Porirua Park 1, 1.00pm
• Premier 2 HD Morgan Memorial Cup: Avalon v Johnsonville, Porirua Park 2, 12.45pm
• Women’s Division 1 Tia Paasi Memorial Cup: Petone v Ories, Porirua 1, 11.15am
• Women’s Division 2 Izzy Ford Cup: Avalon v Old Boys University, Porirua 2, 11.00am

+++++

The First XV Premiership resumes this coming Wednesday with the annual post school holidays midweek meeting between St Pat’s Town and St Pat’s Silverstream. Kick-off at Evans Bay Park is at the earlier time of 12.10pm.

There is the final Beard Trophy fixture of the year on Wednesday at 5.00pm at Porirua Park, where new holders Aotea College will look to lock the silverware away for the year with their defence against Porirua College.

Kapiti College and Paraparaumu College meet on Tuesday at 3.00pm at Kapiti College #1 in their annual traditional, which is also a Premier 2 and Co-ed Cuup match.

St Bernard’s College also hosting an outside school on Thursday – we are looking for details of that match.

The remainder of the Premiership’s last round is this coming Saturday, ahead of the semi-finals the following weekend and the finals the weekend after that.

+++++

Sideline Conversions did a double take when it read that the Hardham VC Memorial Cup is being played up on Porirua Park 2 at 2.45pm (clashing with the Jubilee Cup that kicks off at 3.00pm down on No. 1). But on asking, this is what the clubs wanted. They would rather play at Porirua 2 at their usual late kick-off time than on Porirua 1 at 1.00pm.

+++++

Tipping competition – updates and leaderboard with one round to go:

– https://www.faceyoursfears.com/games/WGTN2026

+++++

Send in by a reader: “After all the negative vibes of the last two week’s both games yesterday I attended had great atmospheres. The Premiers semi-final between Petone and the Upper Hutt Rams was an epic encounter. I felt sorry for the Rams as it would’ve been a fantastic story for them to make the finals. You have to hand it to Petone though. They hung tough when it mattered most.”

+++++

Jacob Waikari-Jones scored 26 points for Petone in their 48-40 extra time win against Upper Hutt. That matches the 26 scored by Tawa’s Kemara Hauiti-Parapara in their 36-5 win over Marist St Pats in the 2021 Jubilee Cup final.

+++++

A few notes from Saturday’s pulsating extra-time Jubilee Cup epic at the CIS:

• A fiver for the thoughts today of the Upper Hutt supporter who sledged sin-binned Rory Woollett when the home team went sixteen points up. And in fairness to the combustible Petone pivot, he didnt respond and left his teammates to do that
• The Rams have a few players with utility value, but is Josh Mallon their most valuable? The former loose forward started in his new home on the wing, moved into the loose in the second half, and ended up at lock in extra-time
• Pundits would have noted that both Senio Sanele and Ieti Campbell played, perhaps final confirmation neither are in the yet-to-be-announced Lions squad. Of correct, both played like they had a very serious point to prove and maybe both Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wairarapa-Bush might rethink ther own loan player situations
• And lastly, and well away from the eyes of the throngs that surrounded the ground during the match, it was great to see both sides – and the match officials – come together in the changing rooms afterwards over beers and a wall of pizzas. Kudos to Rams manager Dustin Brattle for organising that!

+++++

A few hundred Premier caps at one table, enjoying their team’s semi-final win over Tawa. Photo: Warwick Burke.

+++++

Some details about the Wairarapa Bush final that weren’t available to us on Saturday evening. Greytown jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the first half through tries to first-five Nick Olsen, winger Kallum Pike, and mulleted tighthead Lewis Bush against a solitary score by 2025 Wai-Bush captain Topou Lea’aemanu. But Carterton chipped away at the margin through a Daryl Pickering penalty, a brace to tighthead prop William Kloeg, and one to replacement Iherangi Namana against a Greytown penalty to through halfback Joe Te Naihi and a try to replacement loosie Isireli Biumaiwai. Kloeg’s second, and conversion by Josh Cavanagh tied matters at 29-apiece and sent it to extra-time, which is Golden Point over in the Wairarapa. Carterton were penalised, and Te Naihi stepped up with the game-winning kick.

+++++

+++++

Four tries and a conversion to Hutt Old Boys Marist first-five Junior Leleisiuao in their Premier 2 Ed Chaney Cup semi-final 62-12 victory over Paremata-Plimmerton on Saturday.

+++++

+++++

Tyrel Lomax played his 50th Test for the All Blacks in their 47-17 win against Italy in Wellington and followed it with a solid, disruptive display at Eden Park in the 40-21 win against Ireland. Lomax is the 70th player to reach 50 Tests for the All Blacks. When he’s on the field with Asafo Aumua and Xavier Numia, every player in the front row can say, Sectare Fidem (“Hold Fast to your Faith”), the motto of St Patrick’s College, Silverstream and Town.

+++++

The New Zealand Under-20s finished the World Rugby Junior Championship with a 41-26 win against England to secure third place. Given the roster was far from vintage and weaker than last year, this is a respectable result. New Zealand was narrowly pipped by France 26-22 in the semis. Standout prospects include first-five or fullback Cohen Norrie, loose forward Finn McLeod when back from injury, and hooker Josh Findlay, who had a strong tournament. Loose forward Micah Fale made a big impact off the bench, though one wonders if he could have started more often. Patrick Mauga showed signs of the hype surrounding him, leading to a tug-of-war between New Zealand and France.

+++++

Did the Upper Hutt Rams losing Maidstone Park and having to move to a new home ground at NZCIS for their last two games cost them?

+++++

Greatest performance in extra time of a rugby match? How about this dropped goal in a 1999 Rugby World Cup semi-final by Stephen Larkham? It was the first one he’d ever kicked. Australia won this match 27-21 and then the final the following week 35-12 against France. In 101 Tests, 130 points and 67 wins, the only other drop kick he slotted was in a 49-0 win against South Africa in Brisbane in 2006. He kicked five in 117 games for the Brumbies.  (131) Celebrate Australia Day with Stephen Larkham’s stunning drop goal at Rugby World Cup 1999 – YouTube

+++++

Some serious non-coverage of Friday’s pre-season NPC match between the Manawatu Turbos squad and a Wellington XV.

There was nothing posted by the WRFU to suggest it was even on. The Manawatu Standard carried a match report but this was behind a paywall so unreadable. For the record, Manawatu won 54-35 after leading 33-7 at halftime.

+++++

Is there a timeline of when the Wellington Lions 2026 squad will be released? Will there be any ‘bolters’ selected out of club rugby?

+++++

This coming Friday a Wellington XV meets Taranaki at Kaitake in a match that is being billed as the ‘Battle of the Beach’ in their second and final match of their NPC pre-season preparations before hosting Hawke’s Bay in their opening round the following Sunday.

We await news and details of that later in the week, including a possible teamlist.

+++++

Four tries and six conversions for 32 points for Baylee Meroiti in Old Boys University’s 97-21 Izzy Ford semi-final victory over Paremata-Plimmerton on Saturday.

+++++

Jerry Collins‘ daughter gets her first professional contract:

Jerry Collins’ legacy lives on as daughter signs first professional contract

+++++

Another astonishing performance from the Hurricanes Poua, rolling Chiefs Manawa 47-33 to win their fourth match in a row. They led 42-19 at halftime, even scoring two tries from tighthead scrums. Unfortunately, the Blues’ 38-29 win over Matatū means the Poua miss the final. However, with a record four wins after zero in the previous two seasons, Poua have been an unexpected and heartwarming success. Renee Holmes has kicked 24 of her last 27 goals. Sam Taylor (Lock), loose forwards Anahera Hamahona, Neve Anglesey, and Brianna Wallace, centre Hinemaringi Scott, and winger Wikitoria Viljoen (5 tries in 5 games) are players whose seasons could pique the interest of Black Ferns selectors.

+++++

Horowhenua-Kapiti released their Heartland Championship squad on Sunday:

+++++

In the Pacific Nations Cup, Romania beat Manu Samoa 38-37 in their international that was played in Uruguay. Romania won with an 82^nd minute try.

+++++

Photo galleries – loads of photo galleries are continuously being posted to the Photos Hall of Records website (not all galleries are shown on social media) – bookmark https://clubrugby.smugmug.com/2026 

This column is a collaborative effort – please get in touch with news and information or to support us.

+++++