Expanded Colts competition to kick-off this Saturday

This year’s Wellington club rugby Colts competition kicking off this coming weekend sees an increase of two teams to 17 and the return to a two-division structure.

As required to enter a Premier team, all 14 Swindale Shield clubs have entered a side, with Old Boys University entering three teams and MSP two.

There will be two rounds played, with the Division A teams playing for the Paris Memorial Trophy in the first round and the John E Kelly Memorial Cup in the championship round, and the Division B silverware being the JRD Cup in the first round and the Vic Calcinai Memorial Cup in the second.

Ten teams will contest the Division A grade in an eight-week round-robin competition, meaning all teams will play a Wednesday night match over the next two months.

The Division B grade will see seven teams contesting a round-robin over six weekends, ahead of the championship round that follows, with the Division B final scheduled for Saturday 6 August and the Division B final on Saturday 13 August.

There will be added spice to the first round with promotion-relegation between the two divisions in place – with two teams from each set to move up or down at the season’s mid-point.

Wellington Rugby Community Rugby manager Will Caccia-Birch explained the importance of this grade to the fabric of club rugby.

“This grade is very important to Wellington Rugby, and is particularly important for college leavers playing their first year of senior club footy,” he said.

“We want to ensure that there is a positive and competitive environment for these players. There will be some players that will play ar premier level, however in the main our college leavers will play Colts rugby and we want that to be an exciting and engaging experience for them.”

“It’s fantastic that we have an increase of two teams from last year, however it’s not too late for more teams to join.”

The Division B competition will also have the flexibility of playing under uncontested scrum rules should the required front rowers not be available. “The flexibility of playing uncontested scrums in this division is an incentive for clubs to field another team with any excess players."

Who will take the spoils this year?

In a super-competitive U21 grade, there will be no shortage of suitors at the title’s door.

Last year, Hutt Old Boys Marist came through from fourth place to win the semi-final over defending champions Old Boys University Green (25-8) and then won the final at Jerry Collins Stadium over Northern United (16-11).

Last year’s Colts competition was a straight multi-week round-robin and throughout the course of the season several teams stood out at one time or another. The Upper Hutt Rams qualified second but lost to Norths in their home semi-final, while Petone, Poneke, Marist St Pat’s, Wellington and Tawa were all competitive.

The Poneke side caused an early season upset when they ended 2013-15 champions OBU Green’s 37-match winning streak by beating them 25-24.

Each year many former Colts players progress to the Premier and Premier Reserve ranks, so supporters wanting to watch future Swindale Shield and Jubilee Cup stars should catch a dose of Colts rugby this year.

This week’s Colts fixtures

Division A Paris Memorial Trophy (All games Saturday at 1.00pm):

• Oriental-Rongotai v Tawa, Polo Ground 2
• Petone v Hutt Old Boys Marist, Petone Rec 2
• Poneke v Northern United, Kilbirnie Park 2
• Upper Hutt Rams v Marist St Pat’s Blue, Maidstone Artificial 4
• Wellington v Old Boys University Green, Te Whaea

Division B JRD Cup (all games Saturday at 1.00pm, unless stated):

• Old Boys University Black v Marist St Pat’s Red, Te Whaea (Friday night, 7.30pm)
• Avalon Wolves v Wainuiomata, Fraser Park 2
• Paremata-Plimmerton v Old Boys University White, Ngati Toa 3
• Johnsonville BYE