NZ Club Rugby 2025 ( General)
-
In Counties they are changing the grades slightly. I think Onewhero will go into Division 2 and Waiuku into the top grade, Division 1. Onewhero beat Waiuku but Waiuku has more depth.
https://countiessportshub.co.nz/big-structural-change-to-club-rugby-in-2025/
-
-
Look at who made an appearance at my Wellington Axemen pre-season training yesterday. Those Wellington hills take no prisoners - amateur or professional all know they are in for a tough time
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1128011912663892&set=pcb.1128012059330544
but we finish off in style though!
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1128011939330556&set=pcb.1128012059330544 -
A sad day for the Wellington club rugby community announcing the passing of Pakai Turia. Turia, out of Wellington College went on to play for Hutt Old Boys Marist, Poneke, the Wellington Lions in the NPC and Horewhenua-Kapiti in the Heartland Championship.
It's understood he has passed away in Brisbane, where he was living and playing in the Queensland Premier rugby competition in 2023 and 2024.
Rest easy Pakai.
For those who want to read more, Club Rugby have put out an article update below.
https://clubrugby.nz/wp/2025/01/27/pakai-turia-rip-extremely-gifted-and-consistently-exciting/
-
I have been told 300,000 emails will be sent out very soon to NZ community rugby participants. This is to sign up for the new system, Rugby Xplorer. It takes over from sporty to administer player registrations. Hopefully not too many teething issues. I went to an info evening at Hamilton Marist last night to get my club all set up.
I didn't get a close look at Marists' flash turf, it looks nice from a distance. I hope to get to play Pressies on it ha ha. Premier grade players are so much bigger than Div 1 players, I saw a big unit who was probably only 18/19.
-
I have been told 300,000 emails will be sent out very soon to NZ community rugby participants. This is to sign up for the new system, Rugby Xplorer. It takes over from sporty to administer player registrations. Hopefully not too many teething issues. I went to an info evening at Hamilton Marist last night to get my club all set up.
I didn't get a close look at Marists' flash turf, it looks nice from a distance. I hope to get to play Pressies on it ha ha. Premier grade players are so much bigger than Div 1 players, I saw a big unit who was probably only 18/19.
-
Counties Club Rugby News
A seven-team McNamara Cup for 2025 has been confirmed with the same teams competing as last year and no club making the jump up.
The CMRFU Community Rugby Committee opened the way for Championship clubs to make the jump up but the likes of Waiuku, Onewhero and Weymouth have opted for the status quo in 2025 as they continue to build strength.
It means defending champions Patumahoe will face a challenge from Karaka, Manurewa, Pukekohe, Bombay, Papakura and Ardmore Marist when the club season begins in March.
The same seven clubs have entered teams in the Bob Chandler Cup Division 2 grade.A total of 10 clubs have entered the Sid Marshall Shield Division 3 competition – reigning champions Onewhero, Waiuku, Weymouth, Drury, Tuakau, Te Kauwhata, Te Kohanga, Maramarua, Puni and Manurewa.
The Massey Cup U21 competition will feature nine local clubs – Weymouth and Onewhero joining returning clubs Karaka, Waiuku, Pukekohe, Patumahoe, Papakura, Ardmore Marist and Manurewa.
Seven clubs have entered the Bright Cup U19 grade with Ardmore Marist, Manurewa, Papakura, Patumahoe, Pukekohe and Waiuku joined by a combined Maramarua/Hauraki North side that will be known as Rua North.The U85kg grade will see eight Counties Manukau clubs entered – Beachlands Maraetai, Drury, Bombay, Papakura, Pukekohe, Patumahoe and Karaka – while four clubs from Waikato (Hamilton Marist, Morrinsville, Fraser Tech and King Country’s Kio Kio) will also take part. The grade will see teams compete within their own province before the top sides from each province advance to the semi-finals and the winner of each will meet in a regional final.
Ardmore Marist, Pukekohe and Manurewa will field a President’s grade side in 2025.The season is set to being on March 29.
-
@mikedogz Marist has just refurbished the inside of their clubrooms too.
On the local front I see that HOB have been busy recruiting from other clubs.
-
Here in the Waikato, no change in format for the two main senior grades. Division 2 is dead and gone. It sounds like the Presidents grade is growing with the SA Buffalos affiliating with my club Te Rapa and chat that Fraser Tech are trying to get a team. Under 85kg is down to four teams with a cross border competition with Counties helping to add a few more games in the season.
In Te Rapa's grade, Division 1, Frankton rate themselves with a new coaching team and some Melville 85's coming across. Suburbs have Cortez Ratima's dad. Numbers are building nicely at Te Rapa with not too much exodus.
-
@ploughboy I did see that Josh Coffin has left Oto, and Sean Ralph (Waikato squad hooker) has left TA Sports to join his brother.
-
The Harbour Hawks in Dunedin have announced several signings on Instagram. Players from all over the country and overseas. Can't imagine they will be cheap....
https://www.instagram.com/harbourhawksrfc?igsh=MW9sYWMydDd3YXRxNA==
-
There are 9 teams in the Premiership comp in Northland (Wellsford through to Kerikeri) with Waipu removing themselves from the Premiership competition, so we end up with a bye week. Potentially strengthens some sides as many of their better players look to have moved to other Prem sides.
-
The Harbour Hawks in Dunedin have announced several signings on Instagram. Players from all over the country and overseas. Can't imagine they will be cheap....
https://www.instagram.com/harbourhawksrfc?igsh=MW9sYWMydDd3YXRxNA==
@SouthernMann said in NZ Club Rugby 2025 ( General):
The Harbour Hawks in Dunedin have announced several signings on Instagram. Players from all over the country and overseas. Can't imagine they will be cheap....
https://www.instagram.com/harbourhawksrfc?igsh=MW9sYWMydDd3YXRxNA==
its interesting, ive been doing some recruitment for my club, there are social media groups where players and clubs can find each other...and there are a lot of people out there looking for gigs, even unpaid, we have guy thats played semi pro in france joining us, another that has a handfull of game for wasps and leister joining, at most we'll pick up their registration unofficially
Dunedin might be a less attractive destination than melbourne...but there is a talent pathway of people do thing they could play up a level
more specifically re their announcements...that font is unreadable...i cant tell you any of their names from the pictures
-
Looking like 15 teams in the Presidents grade in the Waikato. We have relaxed the age limit down to 30. Some are out of the lapsed Div 2 grade.
@mikedogz said in NZ Club Rugby 2025 ( General):
Looking like 15 teams in the Presidents grade in the Waikato. We have relaxed the age limit down to 30. Some are out of the lapsed Div 2 grade.
I didn't realise there was an age limit. What was it previously?
-
@mikedogz said in NZ Club Rugby 2025 ( General):
Looking like 15 teams in the Presidents grade in the Waikato. We have relaxed the age limit down to 30. Some are out of the lapsed Div 2 grade.
I didn't realise there was an age limit. What was it previously?
@antipodean Usually 35. Under 30's can play but can't score and need to play to the spirit of the grade. Some of the former Div 2 teams last year didn't always follow the spirit.
-
@SouthernMann said in NZ Club Rugby 2025 ( General):
The Harbour Hawks in Dunedin have announced several signings on Instagram. Players from all over the country and overseas. Can't imagine they will be cheap....
https://www.instagram.com/harbourhawksrfc?igsh=MW9sYWMydDd3YXRxNA==
its interesting, ive been doing some recruitment for my club, there are social media groups where players and clubs can find each other...and there are a lot of people out there looking for gigs, even unpaid, we have guy thats played semi pro in france joining us, another that has a handfull of game for wasps and leister joining, at most we'll pick up their registration unofficially
Dunedin might be a less attractive destination than melbourne...but there is a talent pathway of people do thing they could play up a level
more specifically re their announcements...that font is unreadable...i cant tell you any of their names from the pictures
@Kiwiwomble said in NZ Club Rugby 2025 ( General):
@SouthernMann said in NZ Club Rugby 2025 ( General):
The Harbour Hawks in Dunedin have announced several signings on Instagram. Players from all over the country and overseas. Can't imagine they will be cheap....
https://www.instagram.com/harbourhawksrfc?igsh=MW9sYWMydDd3YXRxNA==
its interesting, ive been doing some recruitment for my club, there are social media groups where players and clubs can find each other...and there are a lot of people out there looking for gigs, even unpaid, we have guy thats played semi pro in france joining us, another that has a handfull of game for wasps and leister joining, at most we'll pick up their registration unofficially
Dunedin might be a less attractive destination than melbourne...but there is a talent pathway of people do thing they could play up a level
more specifically re their announcements...that font is unreadable...i cant tell you any of their names from the pictures
Top tier players they recruited.
A guy with super experience
Two Canterbury B players
A former Wellington club player of the year.
Plus some decent young players like Luca Fuller who will be apart of the Dunedin based Southland Acadamey.
The owner of Chipmunks used to dund Harbour a few years ago. Not sure who is funding it now.
Say some of these guys will be heading to Dunedin with the expectation of making Otago. Apart from Fuller.
And yeah the font is rubbish.
