The Central North Island (CNI) 1st XV Rugby competition is one of the strongest school rugby tournaments in New Zealand. Known for its intensity, physical gameplay, and high-level talent, the 2026 season is set to showcase some of the country’s best young players.
👉 Ultimate Rugby Full Match - Every Game, Schedule & Live Watch Guide
Central North Island (CNI) 1st XV Rugby 2026 Season Overview
The CNI 1st XV season takes place during the main New Zealand school rugby window:
- Season: May – August 2026
- Match Days: Primarily weekends (Saturday)
- Kick-off Time: Usually around 11:00 – 13:00 NZT
Teams compete in a structured league format, playing weekly matches to climb the standings and fight for the championship title.
Central North Island (CNI) 1st XV Rugby 2026 Fixtures
Sat, 2 May 2026 – St Peter’s Cambridge vs Wesley College
Sat, 2 May 2026 – St John’s Hamilton vs Whanganui Collegiate
Sat, 2 May 2026 – Lindisfarne College vs St Paul’s Collegiate
Sat, 2 May 2026 – Matamata College vs St John’s Hastings
Sat, 9 May 2026 – Whanganui Collegiate vs St Peter’s Cambridge
Sat, 9 May 2026 – Lindisfarne College vs Wesley College
Sat, 9 May 2026 – St John’s Hastings vs FAHS (Rick Francis Memorial Shield)
Sat, 9 May 2026 – St Paul’s Collegiate vs Matamata College
Sat, 9 May 2026 – FDMC vs St John’s Hamilton
Sat, 16 May 2026 – Whanganui Collegiate vs FAHS (Rick Francis Memorial Shield)
Sat, 16 May 2026 – Wesley College vs FDMC
Sat, 16 May 2026 – St John’s Hamilton vs St Paul’s Collegiate
Sat, 16 May 2026 – St John’s Hastings vs St Peter’s Cambridge
Sat, 16 May 2026 – Matamata College vs Lindisfarne College
Sat, 23 May 2026 – St Paul’s Collegiate vs St John’s Hastings
Sat, 23 May 2026 – FDMC vs St Peter’s Cambridge
Sat, 23 May 2026 – Matamata College vs Wesley College
Sat, 23 May 2026 – FAHS vs St John’s Hamilton (Rick Francis Memorial Shield)
Wed, 27 May 2026 – Lindisfarne College vs Whanganui Collegiate
Thu, 28 May 2026 – St Paul’s Collegiate vs St Peter’s Cambridge
Wed, 3 Jun 2026 – Whanganui Collegiate vs FDMC
Sat, 6 Jun 2026 – FAHS vs Matamata College (Rick Francis Memorial Shield)
Sat, 6 Jun 2026 – St John’s Hastings vs Lindisfarne College
Sat, 6 Jun 2026 – St John’s Hamilton vs Wesley College
Wed, 10 Jun 2026 – FAHS vs FDMC (Rick Francis Memorial Shield)
Wed, 10 Jun 2026 – Wesley College vs Whanganui Collegiate
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 – FAHS vs Lindisfarne College (Rick Francis Memorial Shield)
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 – St Peter’s Cambridge vs Matamata College
Sat, 13 Jun 2026 – FDMC vs St Paul’s Collegiate
Sat, 20 Jun 2026 – Lindisfarne College vs FDMC
Sat, 20 Jun 2026 – St John’s Hamilton vs St Peter’s Cambridge
Sat, 20 Jun 2026 – St Paul’s Collegiate vs FAHS (Rick Francis Memorial Shield)
Sat, 20 Jun 2026 – Wesley College vs St John’s Hastings
Sat, 27 Jun 2026 – St Peter’s Cambridge vs Lindisfarne College
Sat, 27 Jun 2026 – FAHS vs Wesley College (Rick Francis Memorial Shield)
Sat, 27 Jun 2026 – Whanganui Collegiate vs St Paul’s Collegiate
Sat, 27 Jun 2026 – Matamata College vs St John’s Hamilton
Sat, 11 Jul 2026 – St John’s Hastings vs St John’s Hamilton
Mon, 20 Jul 2026 – Whanganui Collegiate vs Matamata College
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 – St John’s Hastings vs Whanganui Collegiate
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 – Wesley College vs St Paul’s Collegiate
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 – St Peter’s Cambridge vs FAHS (Rick Francis Memorial Shield)
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 – St John’s Hamilton vs Lindisfarne College
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 – Matamata College vs FDMC
Wed, 29 Jul 2026 – FDMC vs St John’s Hastings
Sat, 1 Aug 2026 – Playoffs (TBC vs TBC)
Sat, 1 Aug 2026 – Semi-Finals (TBC vs TBC)
Sat, 8 Aug 2026 – 9th vs 10th Place
Sat, 8 Aug 2026 – 7th vs 8th Place
Sat, 8 Aug 2026 – 5th vs 6th Place
Sat, 8 Aug 2026 – 3rd vs 4th Place
Sat, 8 Aug 2026 – Final
How to Watch CNI 1st XV Rugby 2026
1. At the Ground (Best Experience)
Most matches are played at school fields or local stadiums in the Central North Island.
👉 You can watch by:
- Visiting the host school (e.g., St Peter’s Cambridge, Hamilton Boys, etc.)
- Buying a ticket at the gate (many school games are low-cost or free)
- Sitting on sidelines or small stands
2. Live Streaming (Online)
Some bigger matches may be streamed online by:
- 🎥 School sports departments
- 📺 NZ school rugby streaming platforms (varies by school)
- 📱 YouTube live streams (occasionally for major games)
- 🏉 CNI Rugby official channels (selected matches)
👉 Not every match is streamed—usually only:
- Big rivalry games
- Shield matches
- Finals / playoffs
Finals & Playoffs (Best Coverage)
For:
- Semi-finals (1 August 2026)
- Finals (8 August 2026)
👉 These are most likely to have:
- Live video coverage
- Full match highlights
- Media reporting
