A new regional rugby competition has launched in Auckland to showcase the talents of our U21 players in the Auckland Rugby community.

The Sky Sport Super Club Rugby U21 Championship is a new initiative driven by the Auckland Rugby Clubs for young players in the wider Auckland region to showcase their talents in a regional based competition.

The Championship is the culmination of the Goodyear Club Rugby season. Four teams will compete for the Sir Michael Jones Trophy and the local clubs that they represent are as below:

West Rangers – Waitemata RFC, Waitakere City RC, Suburbs RFC, Massey RFC

Central Knights – Ponsonby RC, College Rifles RC, Eden RFC, Grammar TEC, Te Papapa RFC

East Toa Moana – University RC, Pakuranga RC, Marist RFC, Mount Wellington RFC

Southside Rising - Papatoetoe RC, Manuaku RC, East Tamaki RC. Otahuhu RC, Manurewa RC

Leaders of the Pasifika and Auckland Rugby community are backing the initiative, including Auckland Rugby Union President and New Zealand Rugby’s Pasifika Engagement Manager Eroni Clarke. 

After a rugby season disrupted by COVID-19, Eroni Clarke believes the championship is a great way to offer alternative pathways for our U21 players.

“We’re seeing at high school, mainly at 1st XV level, that they’re getting a lot of media coverage. I don’t think before that we had any sort of media coverage around this age group (U21s) and it’s a very important age group as well” said Eroni Clarke.

“We need more and more of that, particularly as they leave high school and I’m not talking about 1st XV, it’s that second tier of athletes who are thinking about ‘what, do I need to carry on? I didn’t make the 1st XV, maybe I should stop, maybe I should focus more on work’. 

Eroni Clarke says he wants the competition to attract a wider audience, in particular, the Pasifiki community. Clarke believes the championship will do just that.

“We’ve got the biggest Pacific population in the world and I think it’s something that’s really great that Auckland Rugby, together with Counties Manukau and also with North Harbour, that they’re taking a real lead in this.” 

The four teams will compete for the Sir Michael Jones Trophy over four weeks (8^th-29^th October) with double header games every Thursday night at Waitemata Rugby Club. All games will be live on Sky Sport.

Sir Michael Jones, a member of the New Zealand Rugby Board and Waitemata Rugby Club Life Member says it is an honour to have the tournament’s trophy named after him.

"I suppose you’re never really going to get used to it. But because it is something that’s so innovative and new and creative and it’s going to make a big difference, it makes it really special so I’m very grateful again, very humbled” said Sir Michael.

Round One of The Sky Sport Super Club Rugby U21 Championship begins this Thursday night with Southside Rising V East Toa Moana at 4:05pm. All games will be broadcast live on Sky Sport.