Rugbe news
The good stories from around the game, your stories.
There is no Rugby Championship this year. Here is what replaced it
2026 is the first Nations Championship: twelve teams, six cross-hemisphere matches each, two tables, and a final at Twickenham on 29 November. The All Blacks are level with South Africa at the top of the southern table after the July leg, and they play Scotland, Wales and England in November.
27 August 2026
Six Kiwis are running clubs in Europe this season, and Munster is one of them
Clayton McMillan at Munster, Chris Boyd at Gloucester, Wayne Pivac at Benetton, Filo Tiatia at the Dragons, John Plumtree at the Sharks and Pat Lam at Bristol. Plus the New Zealanders heading north to play. A guide to who to follow when the Premiership and URC kick off on 25 September.
27 August 2026
Farah Palmer Cup 2026: twelve teams, two pools, and it starts Saturday
The Farah Palmer Cup opens on 29 August with a new twelve-team structure split into Premiership and Championship pools, more than half the matches played as double-headers alongside the NPC, and free entry at Rugby Park in Christchurch.
26 August 2026
Four home, six in, and Richie Mo'unga back in black
The South African tour has cost the All Blacks four players sent home and an ankle infection that ended Anton Segner's trip on the eve of the first Test. It has also brought Richie Mo'unga back into the jersey for the first time since the 2023 World Cup final, and handed two uncapped players a debut.
26 August 2026
Du Toit's 100th, Nche's 50th, Pollard back at 10: the Boks reload for Cape Town
Pieter-Steph du Toit captains South Africa in his 100th Test on Saturday and Ox Nche brings up his 50th. Handre Pollard returns at first five, Cheslin Kolbe is out injured, and Rassie Erasmus says his hurting side has to play smarter after losing the first Test 33-16.
26 August 2026
Down 35-17 with half an hour left: All Blacks 41, Lions 35
The All Blacks were 14-0 down inside seven minutes and 35-17 behind in the 47th, then scored the last four tries to beat the Lions 41-35 at Ellis Park and finish the tour with a clean sweep of all four South African franchises.
25 August 2026
One win at Ellis Park and the All Blacks are world number one again
The All Blacks went into the first Test ranked second, 1.68 points behind South Africa. They came out of it on top of the World Rugby rankings on 94.03 points, with the Springboks second on 92.21. Here is how the ranking actually works, and what could take it away again.
24 August 2026
NPC round four: Hawke's Bay are four from four, and seven teams are separated by six points
Hawke's Bay put 59 on Manawatu to stay perfect, Northland won in Christchurch, Otago hit 61 and Wellington and Counties Manukau are still looking for a first win. The full round four results and the ladder heading into round five.
24 August 2026
Ten tries in four games: Kyren Taumoefolau is having a season people will remember
A hat-trick in round one, five in a single match to equal Terry Wright's all-time NPC record, then two more against Southland. Tasman's 23-year-old winger has broken the Mako's single-season try record in four matches, and the season is not half over.
24 August 2026
Ten tries and three debutants: Black Ferns 66, Wallaroos 19
The Black Ferns swept the Laurie O'Reilly Cup series with a ten-try performance at Mt Smart, Braxton Sorensen-McGee scoring 21 points and all three debutants making their mark, one short of the competition record.
22 August 2026
Ellis Park, and a streak ended: All Blacks 33, Springboks 16
New Zealand went to Ellis Park as underdogs, trailed at halftime, and then produced their biggest ever win at the ground to draw first blood in the four-Test series. Twelve straight Springbok Test wins, over.
22 August 2026
Forty-eight years: the Ranfurly Shield is coming to Northland
Northland went to Christchurch and beat Canterbury 36-12 to take the Ranfurly Shield for the first time since 1978, held the champions scoreless for the last 63 minutes, and flew home to a packed airport. The Log o' Wood is going on tour.
20 August 2026
Thirty years on: what the 1996 tour of South Africa tells us about this one
In 1996 the All Blacks did what five previous touring sides could not, winning a series in South Africa for the first time. Three decades later they are back for a full tour, and the venues, the calendar and even the arguments have a familiar ring.
16 August 2026
Ten thousand at Eden Park for a school game: Kelston Boys' High win the Auckland 1A final
Kelston Boys' High were 15-10 down at halftime to Auckland Grammar, a side that had beaten them a fortnight earlier. They scored 17 unanswered points after the break to win 27-15, take their fourth Auckland 1A title in six years, and do it in front of about 10,000 people.
16 August 2026
The last kick: 19-year-old Jimmy Taylor wins it for Southland
Southland ended a seven-match NPC losing run in the most dramatic way available, with teenager Jimmy Taylor landing a sideline conversion after the final hooter to beat Waikato 32-31 in Invercargill.
16 August 2026
Shield held: Canterbury survive a Bay of Plenty comeback, 33-28
Canterbury's first defence of the Ranfurly Shield went to the last ten minutes, with Bay of Plenty hauling back a 21-7 deficit to level at 28-28 before Toby Bell's late try settled it in Christchurch.
15 August 2026
Fifty-seven years: Hawke's Bay finally win at Eden Park again
Hawke's Bay beat Auckland 44-31 at Eden Park for their first national championship win there since 1969, scoring six tries against a side reduced to 14 men inside the opening five minutes.
15 August 2026
One point in it: Hamilton Boys' take the Super 8 shield 13-12
Hamilton Boys' High School held off a brave Napier Boys' High School by a single point to win the 2026 Super 8 First XV final, with first five-eighth Jackson Botherway scoring every one of his side's 13 points.
15 August 2026
Fifty at Loftus: All Blacks finish the build-up in style, 50-19
New Zealand passed its last examination before the test series with a 50-19 win over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, a 24-0 halftime lead setting up doubles for Josh Moorby, Leroy Carter and captain Codie Taylor.
15 August 2026
Four in a row: Southland Boys' High take the Southern Schools title again
Southland Boys' High School made it four Southern Schools titles in a row with a 49-17 win over King's High School at Les George Oval, stretching an extraordinary unbeaten run in the competition to 35 matches.
15 August 2026
Taniwha run riot: Northland 42, Taranaki 0
A first-minute charge-down set the tone, Lachie Hooper's first-half hat-trick broke it open, and Rivez Reihana kicked six from six as Northland kept Taranaki scoreless for the first time ever in a record 42-0 win at Semenoff Stadium.
14 August 2026
Free entry, club ground, hat-trick debutant: the Black Ferns in Upper Hutt
The Black Ferns beat the Black Ferns XV 62-19 at Maidstone Park in Upper Hutt, with Elinor-Plum King scoring three on debut, in a free-to-attend hit-out at a community ground before the biggest Test season the team has ever had.
14 August 2026
Shared: the Wellington schoolgirls final ends 27-27
St Mary's College and Taita College could not be separated in the College Sport Wellington Schoolgirls Premier 1 final at Porirua Park, with Taita coming back from 27-10 down to level it in the closing minutes and share the title.
12 August 2026
Clinical in the wet: All Blacks blank the Sharks 54-0 in Durban
A much-changed All Blacks side ran in eight tries to shut out the Sharks 54-0 in wet conditions in Durban, with Luke Jacobson leading from the front and Jordie Barrett scoring the pick of the night.
11 August 2026
Tour opener: All Blacks edge a gutsy Stormers 38-21 in Cape Town
New Zealand kicked off Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour with a 38-21 win over the Stormers at a packed DHL Stadium, their first tour victory on South African soil in 30 years, though it took four late tries to shake off a stubborn home side.
7 August 2026
Three in a row, and then the double: the Blues Women's 2026
The Blues Women won an 80th-minute thriller against Matatū to take a third straight Super Rugby Aupiki title in front of more than 10,000 in Christchurch, then went to Sydney and beat the Waratahs for back-to-back trans-Tasman crowns.
1 August 2026
Blues women march back to the Aupiki final
The defending champion Blues women have booked a third straight Super Rugby Aupiki grand final, and they are one win from a hat-trick of titles.
30 July 2026
Chiefs Manawa: the proud Aupiki pioneers regrouping for the future
New Zealand's inaugural Super Rugby Aupiki champions endured a rebuilding 2026, but the Chiefs Manawa's history and young talent point to brighter days ahead.
30 July 2026
Hurricanes Poua leave their mark on Super Rugby Aupiki 2026
The pride of the lower North Island came within a whisker of the Aupiki final, toppling both the Blues and unbeaten Matatū in a fearless 2026 campaign.
30 July 2026
Matatū earn home final as they top Super Rugby Aupiki in 2026
The Crusaders-region women's side finished on top of the 2026 Sky Super Rugby Aupiki ladder and will host the grand final at Christchurch's new Te Kaha stadium on 25 July.
30 July 2026
Hamilton Girls' High stack the national U18 squad and eye the final again
Five Hamilton Girls' High First XV players made the New Zealand U18 Girls' Pathways Squad, and after a heartbreakingly close 2025 final, the Waikato side is one to watch.
30 July 2026
Christchurch Girls' High: the South's powerhouse feeding the Black Ferns pathway
A national top-four finish and three players in New Zealand's U18 Girls' Pathways Squad. Inside the Canterbury programme quietly building future Black Ferns.
30 July 2026
Ten in a row: St Mary's College rule Wellington girls' rugby
St Mary's College have won ten straight Wellington Premier 1 girls' titles, capping 2025 with a huge final win and a run to the Hurricanes decider.
30 July 2026
Westlake Girls' High put two into the national U18 squad as Auckland girls' rugby grows
Two Westlake Girls' High School players earned spots in the North squad of New Zealand Rugby's U18 Girls' Pathways campaign, a bright marker for a growing girls' First XV scene on the North Shore.
30 July 2026
Rotorua Girls' High put a prospect on the national stage
Midfielder Kaiarihi Puku is one of three Bay of Plenty players named in the 2026 NZ Under-18 girls' squad, and she pulled on the North jersey at St Peter's, Cambridge. A quiet win for a rising Rotorua programme.
30 July 2026
Feilding High's girls on the rise in the Manawatu heartland
A national pathways call-up and a fresh First XV squad have Feilding High School's girls building again in one of the country's toughest schoolgirl competitions.
30 July 2026
Howick College's girls storm into the national top four
As Blues champions, the Howick College girls' First XV reached the 2025 Hine Pounamu National Top Four and finished fourth in the country, a marker of a fast-rising East Auckland programme.
30 July 2026
Canterbury eye redemption as the 2026 Farah Palmer Cup nears
So close in last year's final, Canterbury open their 2026 Farah Palmer Cup campaign at home to Auckland, with a talented group determined to go one step further.
30 July 2026
The NPC is back for its 50th season, with Richie Mo'unga leading the homecomings
New Zealand's provincial competition turns 50 in 2026 and kicks off this week, and one of the great feel-good storylines is Richie Mo'unga pulling on the red and black again for Canterbury.
30 July 2026
Champions again: Waikato ready to defend their Farah Palmer Cup crown
Back-to-back titleholders and JJ Stewart Trophy custodians, Waikato head into the 2026 Farah Palmer Cup as the team to beat, with an early home defence against Auckland to look forward to.
30 July 2026
A fresh chapter: the Black Ferns roll through 2026 under Whitney Hansen
New head coach, a record-breaking captain and a clean sweep of the Pacific Four Series. The Black Ferns have opened their 2026 season in style, and an August rematch with Australia now awaits at Mount Smart.
30 July 2026
Southland Girls' High School: a First XV story that keeps growing
The red and navy are back in the thick of Southland's girls' 1st XV season, and a trio of old girls are showing exactly where school rugby can lead.
30 July 2026
Never say die: Black Ferns Sevens crown a golden 2026 in New York
Down 21-5 with under four minutes left, the Black Ferns Sevens produced one of the great comebacks to beat Australia 22-21 in the New York Grand Final and seal another SVNS League title.
30 July 2026
Legends in black: interesting facts and records from All Blacks history
From the 1905 Originals and the silver fern to Sam Whitelock, Jonah Lomu and the record-breaking Black Ferns, here are some genuinely wonderful facts from New Zealand rugby history.
30 July 2026
Auckland Storm gear up for a fresh Farah Palmer Cup era
A new 12-team format, a season kicking off on 29 August and an early trip south to challenge for the JJ Stewart Trophy. The Auckland Storm have plenty to look forward to in the 2026 Farah Palmer Cup.
30 July 2026
Fatherhood inspires Tyrel Lomax to reconnect with his Maoritanga
The All Blacks prop says becoming a dad has driven him to embrace te ao Maori, and he spent his last morning before the South Africa tour sharing that with tamariki at a local school.
29 July 2026
Three dreams come true: meet the All Blacks' newest bolters
Siale Lauaki, Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa and Josh Jacomb have each earned a first All Blacks call-up for the South Africa tour, three feel-good stories from three different corners of the provincial game.
28 July 2026
All Blacks name 44-strong squad for the Greatest Rivalry tour of South Africa
Dave Rennie has picked three uncapped bolters and welcomed back a swag of familiar faces for an eight-match, six-week adventure in South Africa, headlined by a four-Test series against the Springboks.
27 July 2026
From the Axe to the Barbarians: Scott Robertson's 2026
Scott Robertson was let go as All Blacks head coach two years into a four-year deal, and has resurfaced in 2026 leading the Barbarians on their winter tour.
22 July 2026
Ireland's Eden Park Reality Check After a Winning Start Down Under
Andy Farrell's Ireland arrived in Auckland with two wins from two, then ran into a rampant All Blacks side who won 40-21 to extend a remarkable Eden Park record.
22 July 2026
Dave Rennie's All Blacks Reign Begins With a Perfect July
The Dave Rennie era has opened with three straight home wins in the Nations Championship, and the new coach reckons there is plenty more to come.
22 July 2026
The Hurricanes Try Machines Now Chasing All Blacks Wings
Title-winning Hurricanes finishers Fehi Fineanganofo and Josh Moorby have earned uncapped All Blacks call-ups after a stellar Super Rugby Pacific season.
22 July 2026
England and Scotland's Contrasting July in the Nations Championship
England were battered by the Springboks then hammered Fiji, while Scotland again fell just short in South Africa, as the All Blacks' November tour opponents took shape.
22 July 2026
Savea Named Captain as Four Uncapped Bolters Make Rennie's First Squad
Ardie Savea will lead the All Blacks in 2026 and new coach Dave Rennie has handed test call-ups to four uncapped players in his debut 34-man squad.
22 July 2026
Rugby's Greatest Rivalry: All Blacks Face Four Springbok Tests, One in Baltimore
The All Blacks' 2026 centrepiece is a four-test series against the Springboks in South Africa, capped by a historic first meeting on US soil in Baltimore.
22 July 2026
France Bounce Back to Lead the North After Christchurch Heartbreak
France pushed the All Blacks to the wire in a 34-32 thriller before rebounding with two big wins to top the Northern group of the 2026 Nations Championship.
22 July 2026
Tana Umaga Headlines Rennie's Rebuilt All Blacks Coaching Team
Dave Rennie has assembled a new-look All Blacks coaching group led by the return of All Blacks great Tana Umaga as defence coach.
22 July 2026
Springboks Also Perfect: South Africa Loom as the All Blacks' Biggest Test
South Africa matched the All Blacks with a flawless July and now sit level at the top of the Nations Championship Southern group, setting up a blockbuster clash of unbeaten heavyweights.
22 July 2026
Christ's College First XV 2026: a proud Canterbury side that keeps swinging
A season-so-far look at Christ's College's First XV: a tough Miles Toyota Premiership campaign, a plucky College Day fightback against Christchurch Boys' High, and plenty still to build on before they host the 2027 clash.
20 July 2026
Aorere College First XV 2026: a proud Papatoetoe side rolls up its sleeves in Auckland 1B
A season-so-far look at Aorere College's First XV, a South Auckland programme with deep Pasifika roots that is backing its work-rate through the Auckland 1st XV 1B grade in 2026.
20 July 2026
Liston College First XV in 2026: a proud West Auckland side digs in through a brutal 1A
The Henderson boys have drawn one of the toughest draws in the country in 2026, yet kept swinging - pushing sides right to the final whistle and building for the West Auckland derby ahead.
20 July 2026
St Thomas of Canterbury College First XV 2026: a proud Christchurch side making its mark in the top tier
A positive look at St Thomas of Canterbury College's First XV so far in 2026, including a standout home win over Christ's College, and what lies ahead in Canterbury's premier schoolboy competition.
20 July 2026
Marlborough Boys' College First XV 2026: Falcons take on a brand-new frontier
A season-so-far look at the MBC Falcons, who are juggling two competitions, a season on the road and one of New Zealand's oldest school rugby rivalries in 2026.
20 July 2026
St Peter's College (Palmerston North) First XV 2026: proud green and gold grafting through a Manawatū season
A season-so-far look at St Peter's College Palmerston North's First XV, grafting away in the Manawatū Premier 3 grade and carrying a proud Catholic-schools tradition into the run home.
20 July 2026
De La Salle College First XV 2026: brotherhood and belief in a brutal Auckland 1A
A season-so-far look at De La Salle College's First XV in Auckland 1A: two hard-earned wins, a gutsy draw, and a young Mangere East side leaning on its famous brotherhood.
20 July 2026
Feilding High School First XV 2026: a proud Manawatū side building through a big season
From an unbeaten start at an international youth tournament in Japan to a full Central North Island campaign, Feilding High School's First XV have packed plenty into their 2026 season so far.
20 July 2026
Hastings Boys' High First XV 2026: a proud programme digs in through a tough Super 8
A season-so-far look at Hastings Boys' High School's First XV in the 2026 Super 8: a young side learning fast in New Zealand's toughest schoolboy competition, with plenty of heart and plenty still to play for.
20 July 2026
Hutt International Boys' School First XV 2026: a small school punching above its weight
A season-so-far look at HIBS in the Wellington Premiership: a young, home-grown side from Upper Hutt mixing it with the region's biggest names, and a standout win over Rongotai.
20 July 2026
Kelston Boys' High First XV 2026: West Auckland's proud powerhouse rolls on
A season-so-far look at Kelston Boys' High School's First XV in Auckland 1A, from a strong opening-round win to some big scorelines, backed by one of New Zealand school rugby's proudest heritages.
20 July 2026
Sacred Heart College First XV 2026: a proud Auckland 1A side right in the mix
As the winter break arrives, Sacred Heart College (Auckland) sit fourth in a fiercely contested Auckland 1A, with big scorelines, big fixtures and plenty still to play for.
20 July 2026
St Patrick's College (Town) First XV 2026: a resilient season builds towards the derby
St Pat's Town have answered a tight opening-day loss with a run of wins, tracking near the top of the Wellington Premiership as the traditional Town v Stream clash looms.
20 July 2026
Wesley College First XV 2026: a proud Pasifika rugby nursery keeps winning
A season-so-far look at Wesley College's First XV, who have built a winning record in the CNI 1st XV competition and sit inside the national top 20 as the business end of 2026 approaches.
20 July 2026
King's College First XV in 2026: a young side building character in a brutal Auckland 1A
Defending champions King's College have blooded a wave of new players in 2026, riding the highs and lows of one of the country's toughest school competitions while staying right in the mix.
20 July 2026
Gisborne Boys' High First XV 2026: a young Tairāwhiti side that never stops fighting
A season-so-far look at Gisborne Boys' High School's First XV in the Super 8, a pre-season scalp, a near-boilover against the world youth champions, and one of the schoolboy comebacks of the year.
20 July 2026
Rongotai College First XV 2026: a proud side flushes it and finds a famous win
A season-so-far look at Rongotai College's First XV in the Wellington Premiership: a tough campaign, a rich history, and a rousing bounce-back victory that lifted the whole school.
20 July 2026
Tauranga Boys' College First XV 2026: the anchor holds through a fierce Super 8
The 2024 Super 8 champions are digging in through a demanding 2026 campaign, and a one-point heartbreaker showed a young side that never stops swinging.
20 July 2026
St Bede's College First XV in 2026: a season taking shape in Canterbury's top tier
A positive look at St Bede's College's First XV campaign in the 2026 Miles Toyota Premiership so far, from a big home win to a stern test at the South Island Magic Round.
20 July 2026
Nelson College First XV 2026: heritage, heart and a season still unfolding
A positive look at Nelson College's First XV in 2026 so far: a nail-biting opening win, a test against the defending champions, and one of New Zealand's oldest school rugby rivalries still to come.
20 July 2026
New Plymouth Boys' High First XV 2026: a Super 8 season with plenty still to play for
A landmark away win over Hastings, a heartbreaker against Gisborne, and a spot right in the mix of a tightly bunched Super 8. Here is how the NPBHS First XV's 2026 campaign is shaping up.
20 July 2026
Southland Boys' High First XV 2026: a flying start to a brand-new frontier
The blue and whites from Invercargill have made the inaugural South Island Boys' Schools competition their own, banking a long winning run and toppling old rivals Otago Boys' along the way.
20 July 2026
St Peter's College (Epsom) First XV 2026: statement wins and a tough test in Auckland 1A
A season-so-far look at St Peter's College's First XV in one of New Zealand's fiercest schoolboy grades, where early wins over King's and Liston have been backed up by hard lessons against the competition's frontrunners.
20 July 2026
Whanganui Collegiate First XV 2026: a season of graft, and the honour of hosting the 100th Quad
A young Whanganui Collegiate side has taken its lumps in a fierce Central North Island competition in 2026, but the school's proudest moment came off its own boot, hosting and helping to celebrate the 100th Quadrangular Tournament.
20 July 2026
Rathkeale College First XV 2026: a proud Wairarapa side right in the mix in the Wellington Premiership
In just their second season in the Wellington Premiership, Rathkeale College sit inside the top group at the business end of the 2026 First XV campaign. A positive, question-led look at the Masterton side's season so far.
20 July 2026
St Patrick's College Silverstream First XV 2026: back-to-back champs chase a hat-trick
A positive look at how the Wellington powerhouse have gone so far in 2026 - a record romp, a rare loss, and a big derby ahead.
19 July 2026
Scots College First XV in 2026: a proud Wellington programme digs in for a semifinal push
As of mid-July, Scots College sit in the competitive middle of the Wellington Premiership, banking big-match experience and keeping a semifinal spot within reach.
19 July 2026
Season so far: Christchurch Boys' High First XV keep rolling in 2026
The defending Canterbury champions have made a flying start to 2026 across two competitions, headlined by a big College Day win. Here is how the campaign has unfolded to mid-July.
19 July 2026
Mt Albert Grammar First XV in 2026: a season of grit and a signature win
Halfway through a demanding Auckland 1A campaign, Mt Albert Grammar's First XV have turned early lessons into real momentum, capped by a memorable comeback-proof win over Sacred Heart.
19 July 2026
Palmerston North Boys' High First XV 2026: reigning champions rebuild and stay in the Super 8 hunt
A season-so-far look at Palmerston North Boys' High School's First XV in 2026: a new-look pack, a retained Wallace Cup, and a nail-biting win keeping them in touch at the top of a tight Super 8.
19 July 2026
Hamilton Boys' High First XV 2026: a title-chasing season takes shape
A halfway look at Hamilton Boys' High School's First XV campaign: a testing pre-season, a fast start in the Super 8, and a familiar name back on top of the table.
19 July 2026
Wellington College First XV: a 2026 season to remember so far
A 100th Quadrangular title, a streak-breaking win over Silverstream, and two victories on the same day. A look back at Wellington College's 2026 campaign to mid-July.
19 July 2026
Season so far: Auckland Grammar First XV keep the perfect run going in 2026
Unbeaten and top of Auckland 1A at the mid-July mark, Auckland Grammar's First XV are chasing their first premier title since 2014. A look back at the campaign arc so far.
19 July 2026
Otago Boys' First XV in 2026: tradition, a new frontier, and plenty still to play for
A positive look at Otago Boys' High School First XV's 2026 season to date: a winning start in the new South Island competition, a proud interschool win over King's High, and the 124-year Southland rivalry rolling on.
19 July 2026
Napier Boys' High First XV 2026: a Super 8 season with real momentum
Three wins, a top-of-the-table run and a big Australian tour to come. A look back at Napier Boys' High School First XV's 2026 Super 8 campaign so far.
19 July 2026
Rotorua Boys' High First XV 2026: world champs set the pace in a stacked Super 8
A season-so-far look at Rotorua Boys' High School's First XV in 2026: a Sanix world youth title, a long unbeaten run and Moascar Cup defences, then a tightening Super 8 race heading into the run home.
15 July 2026
Hamilton Boys' High surge to the top of a tightly bunched Super 8
Hamilton Boys' High School beat Napier Boys' High 40-28 at home to move two points clear at the top of the 2026 Super 8, with the top five schools separated by just five points.
30 June 2026
Māori All Blacks storm home in Nagoya thriller
Four tries in the final quarter turned a 17-point deficit into a famous 38-31 win over the Japan XV in the first match of the Tamati Ellison era.
27 June 2026
Fifty of NZ's Best Schoolgirl Players Named for U18 North v South Showdown
NZ Rugby has named a 50-strong Under 18 Girls' Pathways Squad for a week-long Hamilton camp culminating in a North v South match at St Peter's School Cambridge on 9 July, a pathway that sent six players into Super Rugby Aupiki this year.
26 June 2026
Wellington College crowned champions as 100th Quadrangular lights up Whanganui Collegiate
Wellington College beat Nelson College 43-13 in the final of the 100th Quadrangular Tournament, hosted with pride by Whanganui Collegiate in front of a wonderful centenary crowd.
22 June 2026
Fresh Faces and a New Era: Dave Rennie Names His First All Blacks Squad
New All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has named a 34-strong squad for the July Nations Championship tests, with four uncapped players and Ardie Savea as captain.
22 June 2026
Seventeen tries each: Fineanganofo and Moorby rewrite the record books
Hurricanes wingers Fehi Fineanganofo and Josh Moorby both scored 17 tries in 2026, breaking a single-season Super Rugby record that had stood since 1997.
20 June 2026
Hurricanes crowned Super Rugby Pacific champions after unforgettable night in Wellington
The Hurricanes claimed their second Super Rugby title with a record 60-5 win over the Chiefs in front of a sold-out Wellington crowd on 20 June.
20 June 2026
Chiefs 2026: eleven wins, a Super Point classic, and a final that got away
Jono Gibbes' first season in charge produced 11 wins from 14, the Chiefs' biggest ever victory over the Crusaders, a Player of the Year in Quinn Tupaea, and then a grand final in Wellington that went wrong from the first whistle. Every game, reviewed.
20 June 2026
Hurricanes 2026: the first team to 100 tries, and a final nobody saw coming
Clark Laidlaw's Hurricanes won their first title in a decade, became the first side in Super Rugby history to score 100 tries in a season, produced two players who broke the single-season try record on the same night, and finished it with the biggest win a Super Rugby final has ever seen. Every game, reviewed.
20 June 2026
St Pat's Town and Silverstream hit form as the traditional Town v Stream clash looms
Both St Patrick's colleges posted commanding midweek wins in Wellington's Tranzit Coachlines Premiership, sharpening the anticipation for their annual traditional fixture at Silverstream on 22 July.
18 June 2026
Monday Magic: Auckland's Girls' First XV Season Hits Full Stride
Auckland's 2026 girls' First XV competition has passed the halfway mark, with Mt Albert Grammar, Southern Cross Campus and McAuley High School lighting up Monday afternoon rugby across the city.
15 June 2026
Blues 2026: a team that shaved its heads, and a season that stopped after Round 12
Vern Cotter's last season with the Blues had a record win over the Waratahs, a golden-point winner from Beauden Barrett, and a whole squad shaving or bleaching their hair for a teammate. It also had a finish nobody could explain: not a single competition point after Round 12. Every game, reviewed.
13 June 2026
Auckland Grammar reclaim the Cooper-Greenbank Cup in 215th clash with King's College
Auckland Grammar's First XV won a free-flowing, 11-try encounter 52-27 at King's College to take back the Cooper-Greenbank Cup in the 215th edition of a rivalry that dates to 1896.
13 June 2026
Crusaders 2026: a farewell season, a new home, and one half too many
The defending champions started 0-2, said goodbye to Apollo Projects Stadium with a 69-point night, opened a new home, and finished third. Then came 40 minutes in Hamilton that ended Rob Penney's tenure and David Havili's Crusaders career at once. Every game, reviewed.
12 June 2026
Grassroots to Greatness: Manukura Girls Crowned Manawatū Team of the Year
Four-time national champions Manukura have been named Manawatū Standard Team of the Year at the 2026 Sport Manawatū Regional Sports Awards, with coach Kristina Sue taking home Coach of the Year honours.
11 June 2026
Highlanders 2026: the moments that got away
They beat the defending champions in Round One, produced three Team of the Year players, and came within a countback of a Player of the Year. They also lost four matches by a single moment. Jamie Joseph's side finished ninth, and it flattered nobody. Every game, reviewed.
1 June 2026
'It feels like Christmas Day': Christchurch Boys' keep the college match at school over new stadium
Offered the chance to move their 134-year-old fixture against Christ's College to Christchurch's new covered stadium, the unbeaten Christchurch Boys' High School first XV chose the school's No 1 field instead.
1 June 2026
Moana Pasifika 2026: they won the last one, with 14 men
The Pacific Islands franchise announced it was folding in April, went into liquidation in May, and then in its final match ever, a man down in Canberra, beat the Brumbies. Tana Umaga's last season with Moana Pasifika, every game, reviewed.
30 May 2026
New era begins: South Island first XV competition kicks off with students behind the cameras
A season-long South Island Boys' Schools first XV competition spanning the Crusaders and Highlanders regions has kicked off, with every game live-streamed and students helping run the broadcasts.
5 May 2026
Southland Boys' claim first-ever Alatini Skelt Cup with gutsy win over King's College
Southland Boys' High School opened their 2026 season with a 29-12 defensive masterclass over Auckland champions King's College in Invercargill, becoming the first name on the new Alatini Skelt Cup.
18 April 2026
France Win the Six Nations With the Very Last Kick of a 13-Try Epic
Thomas Ramos slotted a long-range penalty after the final hooter to edge England 48-46 in Paris and hand France back-to-back Six Nations titles.
14 March 2026
All Blacks and Wallabies Land in the Same Pool for the First Time at Rugby World Cup 2027
The Sydney draw has delivered a trans-Tasman blockbuster, with New Zealand and Australia drawn together in a World Cup pool for the first time ever.
3 December 2025