News

Big upgrades unveiled at Weymouth
The Weymouth Rugby Club celebrates 50 years by unveiling their renovated clubrooms on Saturday morning.
There has been an enormous amount of work go into the upgrades and it is the second such kinda of project conducted in Counties Manukau this season following Puni’s renovation.
Club Rescue has again run the project with significant help from Wiri Licensing Trust and other parties to give the proud club the facelift it badly needed.
A day full of fun, games, food, entertainment and more will follow with a game between Weymouth and Te Kohanga at 1pm the feature.

Local coaches get professional insight
Approximately 20 local coaches and three referees attended a two-hour session on Wednesday night with Paul Wheeler, PIC Steelers coaches Reon Graham and Richie Harris.
The workshop looked at selection process for Friday’s game, how it aligned to analysis of Waikato and identity (pride in the hoops), previewing Waikato defence/players and attack plan based on this.
The coaches gifted tickets to the game to see the plan in process and invited the attendees to discuss post game. 

Plenty of rep footy in the region this weekend
While the PIC Steelers are in action tonight, the Counties Energy Heat have the weekend off in the Farah Palmer Cup.
Elsewhere, the Bayleys Counties Manukau Bs take on North Harbour Bs at Colin Lawrie Fields in Pukekohe from midday on Saturday.
That match is followed by Counties Manukau U19s taking on Waikato at 2pm.
The Counties Manukau Heat Development side takes on Auckland from 2pm at Massey Park in Papakura.

Finals time in secondary schools comps
Our secondary schools are closing in on finals across the region. This week sees semi-finals for our 1st XV Premiership grade and Under 15 boys grades whilst Pukekohe High School 1st XV and Manurewa High School 1st XV boys travel for their grand finals respectively.
It is an exciting time for our schools and community, and we encourage good skills and sportsmanship on the field and on the side lines. All the best to all our schools at crunch time of the season.

Muster for Counties Maori teams
Counties Maori Rugby are set to host their upcoming muster at Tuakau College on August 21 from 10am.
The grades are U13, U15, U17, U19 for Tane and U18 girls & Wahine.
Counties Maori extend their invitation across the region welcoming our people to their muster across these grades. Please head to the Counties Maori Facebook page for more information.

Travelling fans almost get Steelers home
It was great to see so many PIC Steelers fans make the trip down to Napier last week for the Ranfurly Shield Challenge.
It looked and sounded like it could well have been a home game such was the level of support.
While it was disappointing not to win the game, the PIC Steelers played with plenty of heart and the fans in attendance were proud of their efforts.

Another crack at the Shield
And while the PIC Steelers weren’t able to lift the Log of Wood on this occasion, they could well get another crack in just a few weeks.
Holders Hawke’s Bay will face North Harbour in their next defence next weekend and, if the visitors were to win the Shield, Counties Manukau would get first crack on Sunday September 4.
Should Hawke’s Bay defeat North Harbour and retain the Shield, their next defence comes against Southland.
If Southland were to win it, their first defence would be against… you guessed it… Counties Manukau.

Crossover games confirmed for local schools
Pukekohe High School 1st XV (boys) and Manurewa High School 1st XV (girls) will represent Counties Manukau in the upcoming Chiefs Top 4 1st XV Crossovers.
Both Pukekohe High School and Manurewa High School will travel to Taranaki next week to play their respective knock out fixtures.
Pukekohe High School will take on New Plymouth Boys High School whilst Manurewa High School will take on Sacred Heart Girls College.
A victorious performance from either team will book a home final knockout fixture vs the victorious winner between Bay of Plenty/Waikato schools the following week.
National 1st XV Championships are set for September 16-18.

Three cheers for Craig Notman
Shout out to former director and assistant manager of the PIC Steelers Craig Notman who had a massive week last week with Dale Tucker (regular manager) out with COVID.
Notman was juggling two businesses and stepping up to manage the Steelers in an important Shield game.

Local schools prepare for AIMS GAMES
Six local Intermediate Schools took part in our one-day Rugby 7s tournament to help prepare those heading to AIMS GAMES 2022 in Tauranga this September.
It proved a key experience a few weeks out from the games for Pukekohe Intermediate, Randwick Park School, Reremoana School and Tuakau College.
Special mention to Pukekohe North School and Strathallan College who accepted the invitation late to be a part of the day.
Special thanks to Wesley College who put their hand up providing a venue to host this event. Wishing the schools bound for AIMS GAMES 2022 all the very best in final preparation.