U85kg National Club Cup: High stakes and hard-hitting action Quarter Finals await

It’s been four months since the first match was played in the six-round U85kg National Club Cup (NCC) 2023. Originally, 52 teams from across Aotearoa were in the running, with now only eight remaining. 

This is one action-packed Saturday of senior weight-restricted club footy not to be missed in which each of the Quarter Finals include mouth-watering cross-provincial matchups.  

The first to kick-off is Wellington U85kg local champion Old Boys University Scallywags taking on the Auckland U85kg runners up Pakuranga United Black Panthers at Nairnville Park at 1.00pm.   

In the south the High School Old Boys Light Bears host the 2020 NCC finalists Auckland University Squids at Bob Deans at 1.00pm. In Round 3, the Light Bears knocked off the two-time reigning NCC Champions, Southern Bush Pigs in a rematch of last years’ Southern Region Final. This time falling the way of the Cantabrians, who delivered the Bushies their first ever taste of defeat. The Squids beat an in-form College Rifles Bombers side in last weekend’s Round 3 match to earn the trip down to Christchurch.  

“The boys have all been to the pharmacy to get their passport photos taken this week. There are heaps to be excited about in the Squids’ camp. Heading down south will always be tough and we may be heading in as underdogs, but we will be leaving the Squids’ brand all over the field,” Squids co-captain Campbell Busby said. 

Later in the day at 1:45pm, U85kg first timers, New Plymouth HSOB Half Pints play the Grammar TEC Old Boys at Yarrow Stadium as a curtain raiser to the Taranaki Bulls v Bay of Plenty Steamers NPC match.  

“We are pumped to play in the Quarterfinal this weekend, especially with the opportunity to play on Yarrow Stadium. We’ve been tracking well with some good wins in the first three rounds, but we know Grammar TEC are going to be another step up, so we need to be on top of our game,” Half Pints coach Caleb Mawson said.

The GTEC Old Boys will certainly be no pushovers led by experienced head coach Bruce West. The Old Boys finished painstakingly short in the Auckland U85kg competition this season after bowing out by a fine margin in the semi-final stage and will be fizzing to end on a better note in the NCC. 

To cap off Saturday’s slate of Quarter Finals, the North Harbour U85kg two-time reigning champions Takapuna Bombers play host to Counties Manukau U85kg runners-up, Patumahoe at Onewa Domain at 2:15pm. This will be a hotly contested match with Patumahoe looking to hand the Bombers their first loss in 2023.  

 All four matches will be livestreamed and shared on the New Zealand Rugby Facebook page. 

OBU Scallywags v Pakuranga United Black Panthers 

26 August, 1:00pm 

Nairnville Park Field 1 

High School Old Boys Light Bears v Auckland University Squids 

26 August, 1:00pm 

Bob Deans Field 1 

New Plymouth HS Old Boys Half Pints v Grammar TEC Old Boys 

26 August, 1:45pm 

Yarrow Stadium 

Takapuna Bombers v Patumahoe 85s 

26 August, 2:15pm 

Onewa Domain Field 1