Future games between the top women’s teams at Auckland United and Eastern Suburbs will have silverware at stake.
They will play for the Rennell Cup, a trophy donated by Paul and Lindsay Rennell, and it will go on the line whenever the holder plays at home to their cross-town rivals.
Former New Zealand international defender Paul Rennell has connections with both clubs.
In the 1960s, he played for Eastern Suburbs, making 173 appearances, scoring 35 goals and winning three Chatham Cups with the club.
He now has three granddaughters who play at Auckland United and he can be seen supporting them most weekends around the football parks of Auckland.
With both Eastern Suburbs and Auckland United in the same Lotto NRFL Women’s Premier League, the Rennell Cup will be contested for the first time on Saturday May 27 when Keith Hay Park will host four games between the two clubs.
These include the Women’s Premier League match, which will produce the first holder of the Rennell Cup, and the men’s Northern League clash between the clubs.
The other games are between the respective men’s and women’s reserves teams.
The Northern League game will be followed by the Rennell Cup match on the newly-laid number 1 pitch at Keith Hay Park, designed, prepared and maintained for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Football Ferns will use Keith Hay Park as their training base for the tournament.
Main photo: Game on! Left to right, Rachel Head (Eastern Suburbs), Stephen Hoyle (Eastern Suburbs coach), Paul Rennell, Ben Bate (United coach), Jess Philpott (Auckland United), Leif Rennell (Auckland United).
Rennell Cup match day programme
Games to be played on Saturday May 27, 2023
Auckland United men’s U-23 v Eastern Suburbs men’s U-23
#2 Pitch, 1pm
Auckland United women’s reserves v Eastern Suburbs women’s reserves
#2 Pitch, 3pm
Northern League
Auckland United v Eastern Suburbs
#1 Pitch, 3pm
Lotto NRFL Women’s Premier League
Auckland United v Eastern Suburbs
#1 Pitch, 5.30pm
Trophy presentation
The Rennell Cup will be presented to the winning team at the conclusion of the match.
More football stories
