Above: New Hurricane Eric Sione takes on representative props Whetu Henry (left) and Donal McNamara in last year’s Jubilee Cup whilst playing for Norths against Ories. There is much to look forward to for Eric Sione with a bright career ahead of him. He spoke of great pride about his rugby when we caught up with him this week at the Hurricanes’ open training session at the Hutt Recreation Ground.Northern United prop Eric Sione is finding his feet within the current ranks as one of the young debutants for the Hurricanes 2013 season...More

Above: Former Northern United tearaway Buxton Popoalii, now with Otago and the Highlanders, scoring one of his two tries in his side’s 2008 Jubilee Cup semi-final win over Petone.A decade in review part 3: Part 3 of 4 looking back at some of the highlights of Wellington Premier Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cup rugby over the past decade (2003-2012). Note, these selected matches and performances are revisited through the perspective of the Club Weekly.? 1 August 2008: Popoalii streaks in for two tries in semi-finalNorthern United fullback Buxton Popoalii burst on to the Premier rugby scene 2008, lighting up the fields of Wellington for three years before his shift south to Otago...More

Above: Former Marist St Pat’s No. 8 Alex Tulou running hard against Petone in 2007. MSP lost this match 34-39, before going on to pip Petone 24-23 in the following week’s Jubilee Cup semi-final. Tulou was directly involved in two stunning wins for MSP over arch-rivals Northern United in 2007 and 2008, as summarised below.A decade in review part 2: Part 2 of 4 looking back at some of the highlights of Wellington Premier Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cup rugby over the past decade (2003-2012), -? as witnessed first-hand by the Club Weekly...More

Above: Left to right - Hoani Tui, Eugene Smith and Thomas Tupuivao packing down in the front row as part of the successful? Petone team of the mid-2000s. Photo credit: Chris Clifton/www.petonerugby.com A decade in review part 1: Part 1 of 4 looking back at some of the highlights of Wellington Premier Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cup rugby over the past decade (2003-2012), as witnessed firsthand by the Club Weekly.24 April 2003: Alatini carves up Poneke under lightsA brilliant individual try by former All Black Pita Alatini inspired Northern United to an upset 13-5 victory over Poneke under lights? at the Hutt Recreation Ground in this midweek Swindale Shield match...More

?*** Off-season news ***If you send us your off-season news and stories we will happily (re) publisice it for you to the wider audience via this website and social media channels. Please emai editor@clubrugby.co.nz for more. ??With the Wellington club season over for another year and the last of the club awards evenings celebrated, here's a recap of the 2012 team trophy and individual awards winners.Club Premier Player of the Year award recipients:Hutt Old Boys Marist: Parataiso Silafai-LeaanaaMarist St Pat's: Lua LokotuiNorthern United: Alapati LeiuaOld Boys University: Andrew SmithOriental Rongotai: Paulo AukusoPetone: Best Forward Aiden Cains; Best Back Nick GriggPoneke: Presley TufagaRimutaka: Mitchell MarkovTawa: Taniela Koroi Upper Hutt: Kayne Hammington Wainuiomata: Teru TimeWests Roosters: Rolagi LepupaAlso: WRRA Official of the Year: Ben O'KeeffeBilly Wallace Best and Fairest winner: Shahn Eru (Wainuiomata) and Ardie Savea (Oriental-Rongotai) shared...More

?The Wellington representative Men’s and Women’s 7’s teams are competing in the Central Region tournament at Massey University in Palmerston North tomorrow, Saturday 15 December. ?Six men's and four women's teams are playing to secure one of the five men’s and two women’s places up for grabs for the National 7’s in Queenstown in the New Year. ?Pools The two men’s pools are:Pool A: Taranaki, Wellington, Horowhenua-Kapiti Pool B: Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa-BushThe Women’s competition is a four-team round-robin with a straight final...More

Want to play rugby in 2013? The new Poneke Ravens team is positioning itself as a great social team for beginners to feel welcome and learn what club rugby is like on and off the field. The team will also welcome those individuals that cannot make every training during the week through work commitments but want to be part of a team and get their boots dirty on a Saturday. The Poneke Ravens is a new U85kg weight restricted team for 2013. With the Poneke Dogs of War on leave from active duty and the Cavs starting to take things a bit more seriously working towards being contenders in Division 1 this year a new social team called the Ravens is being introduced...More

Above Boyd Wilson Park, training headquarters of Old Boys University, where former Wellington Lions prop and Petone, Wests and Ories Premier coach Phil Proctor will take charge of the club’s Premier forwards in 2013.Old Boys-University have announced that Phil Proctor is joining its Premier Coaching panel for 2013 from Oriental Rongotai, whom he has guided to two consecutive Jubilee finals in 2011 and 2012. Proctor will be taking charge of the OBU Premier forwards, joining Head Coach Paddy Gough and new backs coach and former OBU player Shannon Paku...More

Above: William Jones Park in Wainuiomata is set to come alive on Saturday for the second annual Piri Weepu Invitational Sevens tournament ?The second annual Piri Weepu Invitational Sevens Tournament this weekend at William Jones Park in Wainuiomata will feature a host of leading players from around Wellington and elsewhere lining up in the one of the 12 teams entered in the main men’s draw. The day-long tournament on Saturday, hosted by the Wainuiomata Rugby Club, was started last year by Ulalei Wellington, the organisation formed by four of Waiuiomata’s famous rugby families in 1990 - the Weepu, Laban, Va’a and Umaga families...More

Wellington’s club and college rugby coaches can expect their players to report for pre-season training in 2013 with an extra spring in their steps. That’s the goal of the guys behind Wellington-based fitness group Elevate Plus who are busy preparing Wellington’s rugby players of all levels and abilities to be ready to explode into next season. Furthermore, they currently have a fantastic discount offer for all Wellington’s currently affiliated club and college rugby players...More