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Written by Magpie Rugby Administrator
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Thursday, 06 July 2006 |
Rugby in Hawke's Bay started in 1875 when the then Napier Football (Poofball) Club changed to adopting rugby rules. By 1878 Napier, calling itself Hawke's Bay arranged matches with Gisborne on a regular basis.
Included in these teams were the two sons of Major Gustav von Tempskey of the Free Foresters fame, Roland and Louis
The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union was formed in 1884 at a meeting of delegates from four clubs Napier, Union, Hastings, and Petane. Hawke's Bay administrators, Ernest Hoben and Francis Logan, were instrumental in the formation of the New Zealand Rugby Union in 1891 with Hoben, a Napier journalist who moved to Wellington, becoming the first secretary and Logan, a Napier lawyer, became a member of the inaugural three-man appeal committee who also served as the first New Zealand selectors.
Hawke's Bay was instrumental in the revival of interest in Ranfurly Shield creating what's become known as "shield fever" in the 1922-27 reign under coach Norman McKenzie. It later had another long period with the shield from 1967-69 under Colin Le Quesne. Hawke's Bay during these times, and throughout its 118-year history, produced some of the nation's most influential players.
In 1926, led by legendary All Black forward Maurice Brownlie with his brother Cyril and fellow All Blacks Alex Kirkpatrick, and "Bull" Irvine in the pack, Hawke's Bay boasted a backline of All Blacks from halfback Jimmy Mill through first five Lance Johnston, second five Bert Cooke, centre Jackie Blake, wings Bert Grenside and either utilities Lui Paewai or Tommy Corkill and fullback George Nepia, that beat Wairarapa 77- 14, Wellington 58-8, and Auckland 41-11.
Another All Black legend, flanker Kel Tremain, led Hawke's Bay in the 1960s era with fellow All Blacks Ian MacRae, Billy Davis, Blair Furlong and Neil Thimbleby in support. In all Hawke's Bay have produced 45 All Blacks,the first being Hiroa Tiopira in 1893 and the last being Norm Hewitt in 1993. But in the modern era, All Blacks such as Matthew and Greg Cooper, John Timu, Stu Forster, Taine Randell, Roger Randle, Josh Kronfeld, Greg Sommerville, and Piri Weepu have all gained their development in Hawke's Bay age-group rugby.
Hawke's Bay won the Air New Zealand NPC second division championship in 2001, 2002 and 2003 and were beaten finalists in 2004. Hawke's Bay possess the oldest rugby trophy in New Zealand rugby, the 1884 Sheehan Challenge Cup, and the oldest rugby jerseys in the country, John Jamieson's 1885 Scottish international and West of Scotland club jerseys, both on display at Hawke's Bay rugby headquarters at McLean Park in Napier.
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