WFR News
🏆 WFR XXX PREMIERSHIP FINALS
2026-09-01 09:30:24
🏆 WFR XXX PREMIERSHIP FINALS
ROUND ONE PLAYOFFS — WFR TV MATCH REPORT
☘️ GALWAY GREYHOUNDS 31 – 13 NEW MEXICO DIABLOS
Half Time: Galway Greyhounds 21 – 3 New Mexico Diablos
The Galway Greyhounds are through to the WFR XXX Semi Finals after producing a commanding 31–13 knockout victory over the New Mexico Diablos.
There was no feeling-out period from Galway. With their season on the line, the Greyhounds attacked the contest from the outset and had established a formidable 21–3 halftime advantage.
What made that opening 40 particularly impressive was how even the underlying contest actually was. Possession stood at 51–49% and territory was also 51–49%, yet Galway were ruthless when opportunities appeared.
New Mexico had plenty of the ball, but Galway had the points.
Galway's Four-Try Knockout Punch
The Greyhounds crossed four times through:
Jack Conan
Ross Byrne
O'Loughlin
Aaron Sexton
And Antoine Dupont delivered an outstanding night from the tee, converting all four tries and adding a penalty goal.
That gave Galway the complete scoring package:
4 tries + 4 conversions + 1 penalty = 31 points.
New Mexico refused to surrender. Fuala'au and Esdale crossed for the Diablos, while Manie Libbok landed their penalty goal, but neither try was converted.
The Diablos actually finished with 53% possession, yet Galway continued to control where the important rugby was being played, ending with a 54–46% territorial advantage.
There was little between the teams statistically — Galway made 8 line breaks to New Mexico's 7, while both sides recorded 12 kicks — but the scoreboard told the story.
Galway were simply more clinical.
⭐ WFR TV Match Summary
FULL TIME: Galway Greyhounds 31–13 New Mexico Diablos
HALF TIME: Galway 21–3 New Mexico
Tries:
Galway — Conan, Byrne, O'Loughlin, Sexton
New Mexico — Fuala'au, Esdale
Conversions:
Galway — Dupont 4/4
New Mexico — 0
Penalty Goals:
Galway — Dupont 1
New Mexico — Libbok 1
Possession: Galway 47% – 53% New Mexico
Territory: Galway 54% – 46% New Mexico
Line Breaks: Galway 8 – 7 New Mexico
Scrums Won: Galway 2 – 4 New Mexico
🔥 GALWAY GREYHOUNDS ADVANCE TO THE SEMI FINALS.
❌ NEW MEXICO DIABLOS ELIMINATED.
🐬 WELLINGTON DOLPHINS 3 – 7 DURBAN SPORTS CLUB 🦈
Half Time: Wellington Dolphins 3 – 0 Durban Sports Club
If Galway's victory was about attacking efficiency, the second WFR TV playoff was its complete opposite.
This was knockout rugby in its rawest form.
Durban Sports Club have eliminated the Wellington Dolphins 7–3 in an extraordinary defensive battle to keep their WFR XXX Championship dream alive.
Wellington struck the only points of the opening half through an Evans drop goal, giving the Dolphins a slender 3–0 halftime lead.
Yet that score disguised how much pressure Durban were applying.
At halftime Wellington had enjoyed 64% possession, but Durban had commanded a massive 63% territorial advantage and already produced five line breaks to Wellington's two.
The Dolphins had the ball.
Durban had the field position.
And eventually something had to give.
🦈 Wessels Breaks Wellington Hearts
The decisive moment came in the second half.
Wessels crossed for the only try of the entire match, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted.
Suddenly it was:
Wellington 3 – 7 Durban.
And that was enough.
There would be no late escape for the Dolphins.
Durban's defence closed the door, and when the final whistle sounded, one of WFR's foundation giants had been knocked out of the Championship race.
The final statistics show exactly how brutal the contest became.
Durban finished with 53% possession and an enormous 64% territory, while generating eight line breaks compared with Wellington's six.
But Wellington made Durban earn every centimetre.
The Dolphins completed 84 tackles, while Durban were forced to make 74.
Only four points separated them.
In a playoff, four points might as well be forty.
⭐ WFR TV Match Summary
FULL TIME: Wellington Dolphins 3–7 Durban Sports Club
HALF TIME: Wellington 3–0 Durban
Tries:
Wellington — None
Durban — Wessels
Conversions:
Durban — Feinberg-Mngomezulu 1/1
Penalty Goals: None
Drop Goals:
Wellington — Evans 1
Possession: Wellington 47% – 53% Durban
Territory: Wellington 36% – 64% Durban
Line Breaks: Wellington 6 – 8 Durban
Tackles: Wellington 84 – 74 Durban
Penalties Conceded: Wellington 1 – 2 Durban
🔥 DURBAN SPORTS CLUB ADVANCE TO THE SEMI FINALS.
❌ WELLINGTON DOLPHINS ELIMINATED.
🏆 AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR...
Round One has claimed New Mexico Diablos and Wellington Dolphins.
Galway entered as the higher-ranked surviving Round One winner, while Durban were the lower-ranked winner. Under the WFR Finals pathway — #1 plays the lowest-ranked Round One winner and #2 plays the highest-ranked winner — the Semi Finals are therefore locked in.
🔥 WFR XXX PREMIERSHIP SEMI FINALS
LEEDS TIGERS 🆚 DURBAN SPORTS CLUB
Minor Premiers Leeds finally enter the Finals — and standing between them and the Grand Final are the battle-hardened Durban Sports Club.
SOUTHERN SWASHBUCKLERS 🆚 GALWAY GREYHOUNDS
Southern's reward for finishing second is anything but comfortable: a Galway side arriving after a four-try knockout performance.
Two games.
Four clubs.
Two places in the WFR XXX GRAND FINAL.
And from here on...
⚡ LOSE — AND THE SEASON IS OVER.
Back to News Centre
ROUND ONE PLAYOFFS — WFR TV MATCH REPORT
☘️ GALWAY GREYHOUNDS 31 – 13 NEW MEXICO DIABLOS
Half Time: Galway Greyhounds 21 – 3 New Mexico Diablos
The Galway Greyhounds are through to the WFR XXX Semi Finals after producing a commanding 31–13 knockout victory over the New Mexico Diablos.
There was no feeling-out period from Galway. With their season on the line, the Greyhounds attacked the contest from the outset and had established a formidable 21–3 halftime advantage.
What made that opening 40 particularly impressive was how even the underlying contest actually was. Possession stood at 51–49% and territory was also 51–49%, yet Galway were ruthless when opportunities appeared.
New Mexico had plenty of the ball, but Galway had the points.
Galway's Four-Try Knockout Punch
The Greyhounds crossed four times through:
Jack Conan
Ross Byrne
O'Loughlin
Aaron Sexton
And Antoine Dupont delivered an outstanding night from the tee, converting all four tries and adding a penalty goal.
That gave Galway the complete scoring package:
4 tries + 4 conversions + 1 penalty = 31 points.
New Mexico refused to surrender. Fuala'au and Esdale crossed for the Diablos, while Manie Libbok landed their penalty goal, but neither try was converted.
The Diablos actually finished with 53% possession, yet Galway continued to control where the important rugby was being played, ending with a 54–46% territorial advantage.
There was little between the teams statistically — Galway made 8 line breaks to New Mexico's 7, while both sides recorded 12 kicks — but the scoreboard told the story.
Galway were simply more clinical.
⭐ WFR TV Match Summary
FULL TIME: Galway Greyhounds 31–13 New Mexico Diablos
HALF TIME: Galway 21–3 New Mexico
Tries:
Galway — Conan, Byrne, O'Loughlin, Sexton
New Mexico — Fuala'au, Esdale
Conversions:
Galway — Dupont 4/4
New Mexico — 0
Penalty Goals:
Galway — Dupont 1
New Mexico — Libbok 1
Possession: Galway 47% – 53% New Mexico
Territory: Galway 54% – 46% New Mexico
Line Breaks: Galway 8 – 7 New Mexico
Scrums Won: Galway 2 – 4 New Mexico
🔥 GALWAY GREYHOUNDS ADVANCE TO THE SEMI FINALS.
❌ NEW MEXICO DIABLOS ELIMINATED.
🐬 WELLINGTON DOLPHINS 3 – 7 DURBAN SPORTS CLUB 🦈
Half Time: Wellington Dolphins 3 – 0 Durban Sports Club
If Galway's victory was about attacking efficiency, the second WFR TV playoff was its complete opposite.
This was knockout rugby in its rawest form.
Durban Sports Club have eliminated the Wellington Dolphins 7–3 in an extraordinary defensive battle to keep their WFR XXX Championship dream alive.
Wellington struck the only points of the opening half through an Evans drop goal, giving the Dolphins a slender 3–0 halftime lead.
Yet that score disguised how much pressure Durban were applying.
At halftime Wellington had enjoyed 64% possession, but Durban had commanded a massive 63% territorial advantage and already produced five line breaks to Wellington's two.
The Dolphins had the ball.
Durban had the field position.
And eventually something had to give.
🦈 Wessels Breaks Wellington Hearts
The decisive moment came in the second half.
Wessels crossed for the only try of the entire match, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted.
Suddenly it was:
Wellington 3 – 7 Durban.
And that was enough.
There would be no late escape for the Dolphins.
Durban's defence closed the door, and when the final whistle sounded, one of WFR's foundation giants had been knocked out of the Championship race.
The final statistics show exactly how brutal the contest became.
Durban finished with 53% possession and an enormous 64% territory, while generating eight line breaks compared with Wellington's six.
But Wellington made Durban earn every centimetre.
The Dolphins completed 84 tackles, while Durban were forced to make 74.
Only four points separated them.
In a playoff, four points might as well be forty.
⭐ WFR TV Match Summary
FULL TIME: Wellington Dolphins 3–7 Durban Sports Club
HALF TIME: Wellington 3–0 Durban
Tries:
Wellington — None
Durban — Wessels
Conversions:
Durban — Feinberg-Mngomezulu 1/1
Penalty Goals: None
Drop Goals:
Wellington — Evans 1
Possession: Wellington 47% – 53% Durban
Territory: Wellington 36% – 64% Durban
Line Breaks: Wellington 6 – 8 Durban
Tackles: Wellington 84 – 74 Durban
Penalties Conceded: Wellington 1 – 2 Durban
🔥 DURBAN SPORTS CLUB ADVANCE TO THE SEMI FINALS.
❌ WELLINGTON DOLPHINS ELIMINATED.
🏆 AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR...
Round One has claimed New Mexico Diablos and Wellington Dolphins.
Galway entered as the higher-ranked surviving Round One winner, while Durban were the lower-ranked winner. Under the WFR Finals pathway — #1 plays the lowest-ranked Round One winner and #2 plays the highest-ranked winner — the Semi Finals are therefore locked in.
🔥 WFR XXX PREMIERSHIP SEMI FINALS
LEEDS TIGERS 🆚 DURBAN SPORTS CLUB
Minor Premiers Leeds finally enter the Finals — and standing between them and the Grand Final are the battle-hardened Durban Sports Club.
SOUTHERN SWASHBUCKLERS 🆚 GALWAY GREYHOUNDS
Southern's reward for finishing second is anything but comfortable: a Galway side arriving after a four-try knockout performance.
Two games.
Four clubs.
Two places in the WFR XXX GRAND FINAL.
And from here on...
⚡ LOSE — AND THE SEASON IS OVER.