The highest level of Men's club rugby in Wellington, featuring fierce competition between teams. Premier rugby showcases the region’s top club players and provides a pathway into representative opportunities.

Trophies & Structure

The Premier Men's club competition features the following trophies:

• First Round
  • Swindale Shield
    Joseph F. Swindale, a proud Petone RFC Life Member and licensee of the historic Palace Hotel, gifted the Swindale Shield to WRFU in 1910 with the vision of igniting pre‑season competition between Wellington clubs. A respected figure in early rugby circles, Swindale later enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1916. He passed away in 1939, but his legacy lives on through one of Wellington’s most iconic and fiercely contested trophies.
• Second Round
  • Jubilee Cup - First Division

    The Jubilee Cup was presented to WRFU in 1929 to mark the Union’s Golden Jubilee, with Victoria University College RFC becoming the first club to lift the iconic trophy. In 1993, the Cup took on a new identity as the Lion Brown Trophy when Lion Breweries became WRFU’s major sponsor. It remained under that name until 1998, when, following strong support from clubs and supporters, the original Jubilee Cup was proudly reinstated as the Premier Men’s trophy. During the remainder of the sponsorship period, it was known as the ‘Lion Brown Jubilee Cup’, honouring both tradition and partnership.

  • Andy Leslie Trophy - Jubilee Cup Minor Premiership
    Andy Leslie, a Life Member of Petone RFC, is one of Wellington’s most iconic rugby figures. He captained the All Blacks on debut in 1974 and represented them until 1976. A standout for Wellington, Andy played 144 matches for the province after debuting in 1967 (Lions #1136) and won the Jubilee Cup an incredible eight times with Petone. In recognition of his service to rugby, Andy was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2001, and later served as President of the NZ Rugby in 2007. The trophy bearing his name was introduced in 2005, honouring his extraordinary contribution to both Wellington and NZ Rugby.

  • Jim Brown Memorial Medal - Player of the Jubilee Cup Final

    Jim Brown was a standout Wellington representative, playing for both Wellington A (Lions #1143) and Wellington B between 1965 and 1975, appearing in 44 matches. A badly broken leg in 1972 ruled him out of the 1973 season and unfortunately ended what had been promising All Blacks prospects. At club level, Jim was a stalwart of the Petone Rugby Club, playing an impressive 171 Premier matches between 1964 and 1980. In recognition of his contribution to the game, the Jim Brown Memorial Medal was introduced and first awarded in 2004, honouring his legacy within Wellington club rugby.

  • Hardham VC Memorial Cup - Second Division
    Named in honour of Major William James Hardham VC, the first New Zealand‑born recipient of the Victoria Cross (awarded during the Boer War), this trophy carries one of the most remarkable legacies in Wellington Rugby. Hardham, a Gallipoli veteran, also represented Wellington in first‑class rugby (Lions #193) and later became WRFU Life Member #6. He passed away in 1928, and the Hardham Cup was first presented for competition in 1939, with WCOB the inaugural winners.
• End of Season Awards
  • Billy Wallace Best & Fairest - Club Player of the Year
    Billy Wallace was one of the early stars of New Zealand rugby, playing 51 matches for the All Blacks, including 11 tests, between 1903 and 1908. A key member of the legendary 1905 Originals, he helped shape the foundations of the modern game. Beyond the field, Wallace contributed significantly to rugby administration, serving on NZ Rugby’s management committee from 1931 to 1936 and its executive committee from 1937 to 1938. He was also a Wellington selector in 1910, 1922 and 1924, and represented the province as Wellington Lion #190. Billy Wallace passed away in 1972, leaving a remarkable legacy in New Zealand rugby history.

• For historical champions, scroll to the bottom of this page

2026 Participating Clubs

The 14 clubs active in the competition include:

• Avalon
• Hutt Old Boys Marist
• Johnsonville
• Marist St Pats
• Northern United
• Old Boys University
• Oriental Rongotai
• Paremata-Plimmerton
• Petone
• Pōneke
• Tawa
• Upper Hutt Rams
• Wainuiomata 
• Wellington

2026 Competition Structure & Format

First Round: Swindale Shield (4 April – 27 June)

• 13-week competition (full round-robin)

Second Round: Jubilee Cup & Hardham VC Memorial Cup (4 July – 25 July)

• Initial 8-6 split
  • Jubilee Cup – Premiership
  • Hardham VC Memorial Cup – Championship
• Four week playoff series - see this playoffs map for full details

Past Winners