Jerry Collins Stadium to host Jubilee Cup

The renamed Jerry Collins Stadium will host the 2016 Jubilee Cup final for Wellington's most prized club rugby trophy on August 6.

The Jubilee Cup and Hardham Cup premier rugby finals will be played in Porirua for the second year running on a day that will double as the Wellington Lions' season launch ahead of their Mitre 10 Cup campaign.

Wellington Rugby chief executive Steve Rogers said the 2016 finals day was already shaping as a coming together of the local rugby community.

"Firstly, this is another great way to remember Jerry Collins and he would have loved to see the Jubilee Cup contested on a ground bearing his name and in his home town.

"With the Lions players on site running activities for the kids, manning the barbecues and mixing and mingling with the crowd, it promises to be a colourful day on and off the field.

"A big thank you also to the Porirua City Council and the Northern United Rugby Club for their support in helping us keep the club finals in the heart of a really passionate part of our rugby community."

Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett said thousands had attended the finals last year and the city was thrilled to be hosting the event again.

"Porirua is passionate about its rugby and we expect the newly named Jerry Collins Stadium to be packed out on what is always a popular and exhilarating day on the rugby calendar.

"Porirua Park is a top quality ground and these high calibre matches will provide a fun and exciting day for everyone."

WRFU community rugby manager Will Caccia-Birch said keeping the finals in Porirua hadn't been a difficult decision after the success of last year's finals.

"The weather didn't come to the party in 2015, but the players, the crowd and the facilities certainly did. We saw two thrilling finals between Upper Hutt Rams and Johnsonville in the Hardham Cup, then Marist St Pat's and Old Boys University in the Jubilee Cup.

"I'm sure this year's finals will be equally as exciting and here's hoping the sun will be shining on the afternoon of August 6.

"There's a lot of rugby to be played before then, so we wish our clubs all the best for the remainder of the season, and look forward to seeing four of them at Jerry Collins Stadium for the finals."

In last year's Jubilee Cup final at the ground, Old Boys University defeated Marist St pat's 30-27 with OBU and Lions wing Joe Hill claiming the Jim Brown Medal as player of the day. From 2012-14 the final was played at the Hutt Rec.

Schedule for Saturday August 6, Porirua Park:
12.30pm: Hardham Cup (Premier 2 final)
3.15pm: Jubilee Cup (Premier 1 final)