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

I am less involved with my club Te Rapa. Not Managing but still doing registrations. Waikato are using the my rugby app for scoring and team sheets. A few teething problems for the less tech savvy coaches/Managers. Our main goal is to make the Pro-Reg Championship Round. We have played two top teams to start off with and have had periods of parity. Playing a team closer to our level next week.

My Home District club Onewhero have had a similar start in the Counties prem grade. Doing better than Waiuku who got smashed today 106 nil by Ardmore Marist.

A few Chiefs players and Guildford moved to Fraser Tech

@mikedogz Would you mind putting Waikato in the thread title? It's a bit confusing, considering there are also similar thread titles on other forums, for example, the Magpies forum?

This is for every other province that doesn't have its own forum.

@mikedogz whats with all the TBCs for Taupiri and Te Awamutu?

I dunno, struggling for numbers? We had to default our B's because half the backline was away.

@mikedogz do they get fined for that?

Up here the team supposed to be named by Thursday I think and if you dont advise of default 24 hours prior you get fined (payable to the team that didnt default)

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.