Club Rugby NZ 2019 (Not BOP, Magpie, Northland)

They aren't as tough on the team naming, mainly for media purposes. The last year the official team sheet after the game had to be in on Monday by 12pm, This year it is done through the app.

Our B team default was done early Friday morning. 3 Defaults over both A and B teams and you are at risk of being dropped down a division. Our current coaching group are a bit too keen to default. I was at Frankton before Te Rapa and I had to play two games sometimes when away at places like Matamata and Tokoroa. Never played a home A game though.

Isaac Boss was one of S.U.R.F's coaches. Looks the goods.

@mikedogz @mikedogz up here if you cant field your reserves, both teams default and fined.

My son plays U14 which is under IMB now, and if we are to default and don't give 24 hours notice we are fined.

All this talk of kids at this age getting out if rugby; due to the rules, we have at least 6 or so kids who wanted to play (for us) who wont play at all this year.

We have 13 year olds at 40kg not wanting to play due to 6ft + 100kg+ 13 year olds and then a 68kg 14yr old isnt given dispensation.

Not sure what it is like elsewhere but the rules seem to contradict thier desire to keep kids in rugby.

Those Prem teams would have used their B team players to make up their Bench. They probably decided on the day. In Div 1 here Huntly are don't have to run a B team. Kereone tried to come up for their 100th and may have done the same.

A slight change is possibly coming up next year. There will be a pro reg between Div 1 and Div 2. Old Boys C team could end up in Division one. They win every year and under current rules can't go up.

In Counties the Reserve team no longer follows the A team. Onewhero reserves are now in premier 3. Weymouth has gone up and playing most of the reserve teams of Premier 1 clubs.

Here is how they do it in the Hamilton part of Waikato for junior rugby.

My son was in 11th grade last year because he was too heavy for 10th. He is doing a second year in 11th because he is within the weight. The big kids in his grade will open weight kids and will be a year younger. Any older kids will be lighter boys.

In High School rugby they have the usual open weight teams from Under 14 up to 1st XV. The restricted grades are Under 65 kg and under 55kg.

Wellington (The Axemen) 13
Marist St Pats 10
Only happened two or three time times in the twenty or so years I have been in Wellington and the first win at home on Hataitai Park over them in 13 years. Needless to say the celebrations were world class. Likewise the hangover!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The team lists for the Wellington Premier sides for this week are out and it looks like Marvan Karawana played well enough off the bench last week to attain a starting spot against Tawa tomorrow, albeit at blindside flanker. Nepia will be intrigued by that selection.

Waikato update
Another month and then split. Bottom two of prem join top six of Division One to make the Championship.

My club Te Rapa struggling again but our B team is doing alright.

Ohaupo the big movers in Div 1 this year.

Ardmore Marist, Manurewa, Bombay and Pukekohe making up the top four in Counties.

My home District club Onewhero down near the bottom. Waiuku way at the bottom which is a big fall from grace. Waiuku celebrate their 125th tomorrow playing Onewhero.

Premier 2 (B teams) doesn't follow A teams as much anymore. Onewhero Reserves dropped down to Premier 3 and Weymouth A's promoted.

@mikedogz Have the clubs secured any good recruits from outside Counties this year?

@Tim said in Club Rugby NZ 2019 (Not BOP, Magpie, Northland):

@mikedogz Have the clubs secured any good recruits from outside Counties this year?

Onewhero has a player from out of St Pauls, Cameron Roigard. Don't know much about any other clubs. Don't recall anything in pre season media. I live in Hamilton so follow it from a distance. I hope to get up for a couple or Onewhero games this season.

@mikedogz said in Club Rugby NZ 2019 (Not BOP, Magpie, Northland):

Waikato update
Another month and then split. Bottom two of prem join top six of Division One to make the Championship.

My club Te Rapa struggling again but our B team is doing alright.

View image

Ohaupo the big movers in Div 1 this year.

View image

Putaruru

They Gave Huntly a good hiding yesterday. Everyone does that though.

I have seen a draft of possible changes where the top Division Two teams Join the Bottom Div 1 teams for promotion - relegation. That would allow Old Boys Guzzlers (C Team) to play stronger teams. They are 100 games unbeaten and have nowhere to go.

Player numbers have dropped so much in the last few years. A lot of the bigger clubs had a C team in Division two or three, just the Guzzlers now. Colts grade is small with a Boys high team involved too. 85's has shrunk too.

Women's rugby is on the rise, I was surprised to see Kihikihi doing well in their inaugural season.

Not sure if anyone else has picked up on this but Grassroots Rugby is back on Sky soon. That's really good news, watching and gaining knowledge of how things are going in other parts of the country as well as learning plenty of history about the clubs involved.

Thanks for that info, guys.

@mikedogz Eden! Top of the table