Annual Under 15 Boys' Tournament

As part of Winter Tournament Week, the annual Under 15 Tournament comprises twenty teams from secondary schools (on an invitational basis) who compete in a Cup and Plate section for the Rex Kerr Trophy.

Annual Under 16 Boys' Tournament

Every year in the third term school holidays, the Council holds New Zealand's premier tournament for Under 16 players, comprising teams from all member Provincial Unions, competing in two divisions for the Don Broughton Shield, the Saracens Cup and the Manaaki Tangata Trophy.

Annual Under 18 Boys' Competition

Every year in September, the Council holds a competition for Under 18 teams from member Provincial Unions, competing in two divisions for the John Hornal Shield and Gordon Noble-Campbell Cup.

Annual Under 20 Tournament

This competition comprises teams from Wellington, Hawkes Bay and Manawatu, and a Hurricanes Heartland Team (comprising players from the Council's member Heartland Provincial Unions), competing for the Central Region Shield on a home and away basis.

Annual Under 21 Heartland Development Series

Comprising teams from the regions Heartland Provincial Unions, the Heartland Development Series is held annually over two weeks, with teams competing for the Hurricanes Cup.

Girls' Rugby Development Programmes

Every year, with the support of New Zealand Rugby, the Council provides Development Days, an Under 15 Tournament, and Under 16 and Under 18 Development Camps for young women within the Hurricanes Region.

Annual Hurricanes Sevens Tournament

The best secondary school Sevens players in the region (in Boys and Girls divisions) compete for the Hurricanes Secondary Schools Sevens Cup, hosted by Wairarapa-Bush.

Central Region Shield Returns “Home” For First Time In 15 Years

Hawkes Bay RFU have won the Under 20 Central Region Shield for the first time since 2012, with a clean-sweep of their opponents and earning maximum championship points. In blustery conditions at Palmerston North’s Colquhoun Park yesterday, Hawkes Bay defeated Manawatu by 55 points to 14, after leading by 31 points to nil at the half-way point of the game. Overall, the Hawkes Bay side scored 187 points in three games, and conceded only 30.

The win is doubly special for Hawkes Bay as the Shield was originally donated for competition by Hawkes Bay rugby legend Peter Loomes who had a long and distinguished career as a coach of many Hawkes Bay representative sides and he was also a long-serving referee for the local Referees Association.

Hawkes Bay CEO, Jay Campbell said, “Ellery Wilson, Sam McNicol and Matt Wyatt can take all the credit for working incredibly hard in upskilling our under 20 group, which includes academy, [and] quality premier and colts players.”

In yesterday’s other competition fixture, Wellington RFU defeated the Hurricanes Heartland Under 21 side by 64 points to 26, after leading by 26 points to 12 at half-time. Wellington finished in second place overall, Manawatu RFU in third place with one win, with the Hurricanes Heartland side in fourth place.

(Published: 06/09/26)