Farah Palmer Cup

The squad announcement occurred on August 18 yet no sooner had the applause quietened down, has New Zealand Rugby (NZR) had to postpone the North v South clash as the ability for the match to continue is wholly dependent on Covid-19 alert level status. With the harsher restrictions surrounding the Auckland boundaries, and with a […]

A revised 2020 Farah Palmer Cup draw has been released by New Zealand Rugby (NZR),  with provincial women’s rugby set to resume play in August. In a pivotal 12 month period, New Zealand will aim to host and defend the Rugby World Cup. Competitions like the Farah Palmer Cup, plus the club and provincial leagues […]

In a study that compared Rugby Players to Swimmers and Rowers, study author Ravi S. Menon, Ph.D., FRSC, of Western University in London, Canada, found that contact sports have a correlation with brain damage and concussion. According to a new study published in the June 17, 2020, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of […]

A revised 2020 Mitre 10 Cup draw has been announced, with a new schedule for the Premiership and Championship conferences, that starts on September 11. Across New Zealand, the 14 unions are committed to commencing the national provincial championship, as the country overcomes the Coronavirus pandemic. With Super Rugby being played, the Mitre 10 Cup […]

A check-up has resulted in Black Fern Charmaine Smith facing an early retirement from professional women’s rugby. Due to a diagnosed bulging disk in her neck, the 29-year old has made the cautionary decision to end her 27 cap New Zealand Black Ferns XV career. New Zealand Rugby’s head of Women’s Rugby, Cate Sexton said […]

From the intense Covid-19 personal health and family focus of the last few months, it now switches back to one of a ‘rugby training mode’ for both men and women across the rugby-globe. Moving from the life-affecting changes to society and to the state of rugby worldwide was monumental for all. One which the Coronavirus […]

After an age of postponement, Women’s rugby and Schools and Clubs have been given the green light in New Zealand, to resume training ahead of a June return. The phased reintroduction of team sports across rugby union, football, and other sports like Hockey, Netball/Basketball, will see many smiling faces. Player’s have had to bide their […]

Southern Hemisphere rugby has had to endure a period of change in the last month. Not battered to the same degree as Europe has, yet wage cuts, fans and players’ seasons disrupted, and unease for what the future may hold is certainly is disarming. While still well mannered and constructive, everything has been spoken of, […]

When compiling our list of Rugby Highlights, all the contributions were both personal, and a mix of popular and particular. Just like every rugby-conversation though, it is a mix of the most popular, and the most enjoyable moments across another great 12 months for Last Word on Rugby. Rugby Highlights of 2019 – LWOR top […]

As the details emerge, it has been a big week in New Zealand Rugby; there has been the announcement of a new head coach and the 2019 ASB Rugby Awards. Over the course of three days, the speculation over which man would helm the All Blacks direction over the next two years was finally decided. […]

With the traditional ‘north versus south’ fixture of Canterbury v Auckland scheduled in the final of the 2019 Farah Palmer Cup, women’s rugby will hold the attention this weekend. With the two tiers, the Premiership cup final is scheduled to be played on Saturday, October 26 in Christchurch’s Rugby Park. The Auckland Storm will need […]

After months of waiting, the schedule for the 2019 Farah Palmer Cup has been released. And acknowledging the growth of the women’s game across the globe, this year’s competition is set to be the ‘Best Ever’. After three successful and well supported seasons in its current name, the Women’s national provincial championship has developed from an […]

When the women’s final clashes of the 2018 Farah Palmer Cup were played this weekend, the results went the way of the favourites

After the final regulation season game was concluded on Sunday, New Zealand Domestic Rugby is building toward the major Semifinals for all men’s and women’s rugby competition. That is for the Mitre 10 Cup; both the Premiership and the Championship. The Heartland Championship; both for the Meads Cup and the Lochore Cup. Each of those competitions […]

125 years ago, New Zealand led the world in recognizing women, when the government of the day legalized the rights of women, to vote. A formalization of the growing suffragette movement, which this weekend will be celebrated in New Zealand Rugby. The very first ‘Wahine Round’ of Farah Palmer Cup and Mitre 10 Cup fixtures will highlight […]