The Jubilee Cup is a rugby trophy. It is the premier club competition trophy of the Wellington Rugby Football Union, and the current holders are Petone , following their defeat of HOBM in the 2026 final.
Origins and history The Jubilee Cup was first presented for competition in 1929 by the WRFU, honouring the union's 50th Jubilee. The first winners were the Victoria University club, defending the title they won in 1928.
Petone are the club with the most Jubilee Cup successes, winning the trophy 22 times, including five consecutive wins from 1967 to 1971. Two of these titles were shared, with St Pat's Old Boys in 1949 and Wellington in 1982.
The next most successful club is Marist St Pats (14 titles since formation in 1971) who can also claim another 6 titles from its predecessor clubs Marist Brothers Old Boys (3 outright, 2 shared) and St Pat's Old Boys (1 shared). Other clubs with five or more titles are Athletic (7 outright, 1 shared), Victoria University (7 outright, 1 shared), Wellington (five outright, two shared), and Poneke (five outright plus another two in amalgamation with Oriental during World War II).
By contrast Oriental-Rongotai's 2011 victory was their first outright Wellington title since 1910. Old Boys-University's 2015 success was their first since their 1991 merger, and first for the merger identity since University's last win in 1966.
Recent history Between 1993 and 1996 the trophy was rebranded as the Lion Brown Trophy for sponsorship purposes. This also coincided with the introduction of the current finals format. Since then the trophy has been won by Marist St Pats (7), Petone (3), Norths (3) Poneke (2), Hutt Old Boys-Marist (2), Tawa (2), Oriental-Rongotai (2), Western Suburbs (1), and Old Boys-University (1). Norths and Marist St Pats also shared the 2008 title after the final finished 10-all and the competition rules did not allow for extra-time to be played, a situation which has since been rectified.
Competition format Currently the Jubilee Cup round is the second round of the Wellington competition. The fourteen teams in the Premier competition firstly play the round-robin Swindale Shield competition over 13 rounds, with the top 8 teams moving onto the Jubilee Cup round (the bottom 6 teams are joined by the top 2 eligible teams from the Premier Reserve competition to contest the Hardham Cup). The Jubilee Cup is also contested in a round-robin format, this time over seven rounds, with the top 4 teams progressing to the semi-finals where the top team (since 2009 awarded the Andy Leslie Trophy) hosts the fourth-placed qualifier and second hosts third. The final is then held at usually a neutral venue. Athletic Park hosted the final up to the 1999 decider, since then Westpac Stadium has been the main venue, though recent finals have been held at the Petone Recreation Ground, Hutt Recreation Ground, and Porirua Park.
Wellington Club Championship titles won (Jubilee Cup from 1929 and pre-Jubilee Cup) + Wellington club rugby championship winners Club(s) YearPetonehttps://clubrugby.nz/wp/2026/07/25/petone-avalon-and-paremata-plimmerton-win-finals-day-trophies/2026Hutt Old Boys Marist2025OBU2024Oriental-Rongotai2023Northern United2022Tawa2021Old Boys University2020Northern United2019Old Boys University 2018Old Boys University 2017Tawa2016Old Boys University 2015Hutt Old Boys Marist2014Tawa 2013Marist St Pat's2012Oriental-Rongotai2011Northern United2010Marist St Pat's2009Marist St Pat's/Northern United2008Hutt Old Boys Marist2007Northern United2006Petone2005Northern United2004Poneke2003Marist St Pat's2002Marist St Pat's2001Petone2000Marist St Pat's1999Western Suburbs1998Marist St Pat's1997Poneke1996Marist St Pat's1995Marist St Pat's1994Petone1993Petone1992Hutt Old Boys1991Petone1990Petone1989Marist St Pat's1988Wellington1987Petone1986Wellington1985Marist St Pat's1984Wellington1983Wellington/Petone1982Marist St Pat's1981Petone1980Marist St Pat's1979Marist St Pat's/Wellington1978Athletic 1977Petone1976Poneke1975Petone1974Petone1973Wellington/Athletic1972Petone1971Petone1970Petone1969Petone1968Petone1967Victoria University1966Athletic 1965Marist Bros Old Boys/ Victoria University1964Marist Bros Old Boys1963Marist Bros Old Boys/Onslow1962Petone1961Marist Bros Old Boys1960Petone1959Victoria University1958Petone1957Petone1956Onslow1955Victoria University1954Victoria University1953Victoria University1952Poneke1951Marist Bros Old Boys1950Petone/St Pat's Old Boys1949Marist Bros Old Boys1948Wellington1947Victoria University1946Athletic 1945Poneke-Oriental1944Poneke-Oriental1943Petone1942Athletic 1941Athletic 1940Wellington1939Petone1938Athletic 1937Athletic 1936Petone1935Hutt1934Wellington College Old Boys1933Poneke1932Hutt1931Petone1930Victoria University1929Victoria University1928Wellington College Old Boys1927Athletic 1926Poneke1925Petone1924Petone1923Petone1922Poneke1921Petone1920Poneke1919Poneke1918Petone1917Petone1916Athletic 1915Athletic and Wellington shared1914Athletic 1913Athletic 1912Athletic 1911Oriental1910Poneke1909Melrose1908Petone1907Petone1906Petone1905Petone1904Poneke1903Melrose1902Wellington1901Melrose1900Petone1899Melrose1898Melrose1897Melrose1896Petone1895Poneke1894Poneke1893Poneke1892Athletic 1891Wellington1890Poneke1889Poneke1888Poneke1887Poneke1886Wellington1885Athletic 1884Wellington and Greytown shared1883Athletic 1882No Contests1881Athletic 1880
Number of titles by club Club Total Titles Won Outright Titles Shared TitlesPetone40382Poneke20180Athletic18162Marist St Pat's14122Wellington1385Victoria University1091Northern United761Marist Bros Old Boys642Melrose660Tawa330Hutt Old Boys Marist660Old Boys University 330Onslow211Hutt220Wellington College Old Boys220Poneke-Oriental220Oriental-Rongotai220Western Suburbs110St Pat's Old Boys101Greytown101 Statistic valid as of August 2022. + Total Jubilee Cup titles won credited to modern successor / custodian club Club Titles won Current, pre-mergers / custodian teamsPetone38MSP21Marist St Pat's: 14, Marist Bros Old Boys: 6, St Pat's Old Boys: 1Western Suburbs21Western Suburbs: 1, Athletic: 18, Onslow: 2Poneke 20Poneke 18, Poneke-Oriental: 2OBU15OBU: 3, Victoria University: 10, Wellington College Old Boys: 2Wellington13Northern United7HOBM6HOBM: 3, Hutt 2, Hutt OB 1Oriental-Rongotai4Oriental-Rongotai: 2, Poneke-Oriental: 2Tawa3Greytown1Wainuiomata0Upper Hutt0Stokes Valley0Paremata-Plimmerton0Newlands0Johnsonville0Avalon0Eastbourne0 Statistic valid as of July 2023.
References 2. http://www.clubrugby.co.nz/wellington/story.php?id=2276