Annual Under 15 Boys' Tournament

As part of Winter Tournament Week, the annual Under 15 Tournament comprises sixteen 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 for the TrustBank Central Secondary Schools Shield first competed for in the 1990's.

Annual Under 19 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 20 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 Under 20 Cup.

Girls' Rugby Development Programmes

Every year, with the support of New Zealand Rugby, the Council provides Development Days, an Under 15 Tournament and an Under 18 Development Camp 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.

Wairarapa-Bush RFU Wins Under 20 Series At Bulls RFC

Wairarapa-Bush RFU last won the Hurricanes Under 20 title in 2019, for only the second time in 17 years. On Sunday, at the Bulls Rugby Football Club, they secured their third title in 20 years of competition, following an emphatic 53 points to 0 victory over the winless Poverty Bay RFU team.

(Wairarapa-Bush won the Under 20 Cup, for the third time, in 20 years)

Going into today’s final round matches, any one of three teams could have won the title, with defending champions Whanganui needing a win over Horowhenua-Kapiti to have a chance of retaining the Cup.

That was not to be, as the Levin based side also romped to a comfortable 41 points to 22 win, to secure second place in the 2023 Series overall. That was some achievement, given they had defaulted their first-round match to the 2023 champions.

(Hayden Cooper, Captain of the victorious Wairarapa-Bush team, with Chris Back)

The final Hurricanes Under 20 Series competition points were: Wairarapa-Bush RFU, 15; Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU, 10; Whanganui RFU, 8; and Poverty Bay RFU, 2.

The Player of the Series was Hayze Nepia from Poverty Bay RFU.

(2023 Player of the Series, Hayze Nepia, from Poverty Bay RFU)

With special thanks to the Bulls Rugby Football Club for their hospitality and organisation in ensuring that the Hurricanes Under 20 Series for 2023 was a memorable and successful event.

Published: 06/08/23