The 2023 club season is a matter of days away. Kicking off on Saturday 1^st April we see our Waikato Draught Breweries Premiership get underway with a week 1 rematch of last years final with beaten finalists Fraser Tech hosting old foes Hamilton Old Boys at Waikato Steel Fabricators Park. Other notable matches in round 1 are some good old fashioned local derbies – Hamilton Marist travel up Old Farm Road and take on the University, United Matamata Sports play host to Te Awamutu Sports at Bedford Park, while Melville travel out to Campbell Park in Morrinsville and Otorohanga host the men from Cambridge - Hautapu.

This season we have the introduction of the Power Farming George Simpkin Memorial trophy – current holders are United Matamata Sports. The Power Farming George Simpkin Memorial is a challenge trophy that will be played for between country sides with the holder putting it up for grabs when they host a fellow country opposition. United Matamata Sports first challenge will be vs Morrinsville Sports in week 3, although hosting Te Awamutu Sports in week 1, the arrangement had been made in 2022 that the first challenge event will be between United Matamata Sports & Morrinsville Sports.

Two other notable mentions in the Premier space is Hamilton Marist host their Centenary Celebrations on Easter Weekend with a big, full weekend planned with the Premier sides hosting United Matamata Sports. Fraser Tech will play host to their own Centenary Celebrations on Kings Birthday weekend on 3^rd July – those opponents won’t be known until the second-round draw is completed.

Division 1 kicks off on Saturday 1^st April before they break for the Easter long weekend. Like 2022, Division 1 will play the same format as they did last year – first round comprises of 9 rounds, followed by a second round where the competition is split into a top 5 / bottom 5 format. The team that reigns supreme at the end of the second round will not only take home the Lone Star Cup, they will also have the right to face the bottom Premier side in a one off promotion / relegation match.

Notable matches on opening weekend sees Te Rapa host across bridge rivals Suburbs – last year saw Suburbs take that game 29-7 at Suburbs, Te Rapa will be out to return the favor in 2023. Southern United get there long journey north over with early in the season heading up State Highway to take on Taupiri at Murphy Lane. Southern United were strong in 2022 and won the right to challenge in the promotion/relegation fixture will be out to repeat that in 2023. In other match ups in round one, Frankton travel out to face Ohaupo, while Leamington make the trip south to do battle with Putaruru at their newly renovated Nola Block and Hinuera do battle with Pirongia in Pirongia.

The final competition to get started on 1^st April is our Gallagher Women’s Premiership. This season our Women’s Premiership is an eight-team affair all playing each other across seven weeks of competition. 2022 Gallagher Premiership Winners Hamilton Old Boys – more known as the ‘Huskies’, are out to win their third consecutive title in 2023. Last tasting defeat in 2020 they will have several teams chasing them down looking for that allusive upset. Along with their Division 1 side, Putaruru Women start their season at home on Nola Block hosting the 2022 Champions – the Huskies, Otorohanga also host a big day with double headers with both Premier men & Premier women sides at home – women’s hosting Southern United. Like Otorohanga & Putaruru, the University ladies play alongside their male counterparts hosting Kihikihi, with our last match of the weekend – Hamilton Marist playing host to Melville.

Our remaining competitions will commence on Saturday 15^th April following the Easter long weekend.

Article added: Tuesday 21 March 2023