Waikato Rugby in partnership with the senior clubs and the Club Rugby Committee (CRC) have confirmed the 2024 competition start dates with the draws to be released prior to the Christmas holidays.

The Premier and Division One competitions are set to start on Saturday 6^th April with other competitions (Colts, Women’s, Under 85kgs and Division 2) all to be confirmed early in the new year following team entries into each of the respective grades.

The Premier and Division One competition format will remain the same as it has done in 2022 and 2023 where the two competitions, each with 10 teams, will compete in a 9-week first round, before the teams split into a top 5 and bottom 5 for the second round. In the second-round teams will play the other 4 sides with a bye, before the top four wrap up the season in the traditional 1v4 and 2v3 semi-finals.

The aim in 2024 is to align the competitions back up to have a ‘Club Rugby Finals Day’, however, that will largely depend on the team entries for other respective competitions in early 2024. The Premiership club final will take place on Saturday 20^th July while the Division 1/Premier Promotion/Relegation game will take place on Saturday 27^th July at the Premier club’s home venue.

The later start date into April also ensured club rugby would not commence until following the late March Easter Weekend, while again, entries in other grades will determine if they do not play long weekends – details that will be confirmed in February 2024.

Article added: Monday 04 December 2023