OUR HISTORY

HISTORY OF RUGBY IN THE KAIPARA BEFORE THE FORMATION OF THE HDRFC

FIRST GAMES

Rugby has always been important to the people of Helensville and its surrounding districts.  A rugby club had existed in some shape or form for many years before the Helensville Districts’s Rugby Football Club was formed in 1970.

Rugby was first played in Helensville in the late eighteen hundreds.  The first organised game was played in 1890 when North played South Helensville at the old Showgrounds, opposite the site of Kaipara Dairy Company factory.

In 1900 the Auckland Rugby Union recorded that the Kaipara Union was affiliated with three clubs – they were Helensville, Kaukapakapa and Te Pua..  They had little success as a union and although they tried again in 1905 there were continual difficulties until the union became firmly established in 1912.

Active clubs at this time were Waimauku, Helensville and Kaukapakapa.  Parakai affiliated in 1913.

In the 1920’s the competition developed between teams from Parakai, Waimauku, Glorit, Kaukapakapa, Riverhead, and three teams – Pirates, Power Board and Helensville – from the township of Helensville.

The star player of those days was Peter Olsen who played for the Maori All Blacks on their 1926-27 tour of Australia, Ceylon, France, Britain and Canada.  Other players of note in the early 1900’s were Burt Fletcher, Ross Sellers, Harold Pengelly and Charlie Keane.

Kaipara linked up with North Auckland in 1921 and was affiliated directly with that union until 1926 and was to be associated with it for a further seven years after that.  Games were played for the Harding Shield, with the team traveling from Auckland to Whangarei on coastal boats.  Later when the railway was put through to the North they were able to travel directly by train through to Whangarei.

Kaipara players to represent North Auckland in this period were:

Fletcher C.J.        Waimauku        1921-22-23-24-26  Played  7

Fletcher H          Waimauku        1921-22-25-26-30              18

Kerr-Taylor L      Waimauku        1922                                  3

Pengelly H          Helensville        1922-25-26                        3

Wightman G        Waimauku        1922-23-24                        6

Rhodes L            Waimauku          1924                                  1

Olsen O.S          Helensville          1925                                  1

Sellars R            Helensville          1930                                  4

In 1927 Kaipara won the Brake Shield which was awarded to the top junior team in North Auckland.

During 1927 the Kaipara Sub Union was granted permission to play in the Auckland Rugby Union competition.  Permanent transfer was allowed in 1933.  Teams that played in the sub union from the 1930’s on were Helensville, Parakai, Woodhill, South Head, Kumeu, Kaukapakapa, Silverdale, East Coast Bays and Albany.

Play continued in this competition until 1961 when the sub union was disbanded.  The Helensville area then came under the jurisdiction of the Western United Club and played in the Auckland Competition.

While maintaining their Helensville Identity and organisation the teams of that decade played in Western United’s colours.  Initially only boys’ teams were catered for, but in 1969 a senior team was established, coached by Jock McLeod.  This team quickly established a reputation in the Auckland 2nd Grade Competition.  In 1970 it won the Peter Mackie Trophy, presented by the Referee’s Association, for adherence to the rules and spirit of the game.

CLUB HISTORY 1970 – ONWARDS

In 1970 Helensville had a Sub Committee on the Western United Committee.

This Committee with Rob Bowman (Chairman) Tony Taylor (Secretary) Paddy Howlett (Treasurer) plus, Barry Coles, Pat Robertson and Jock McLeod.  They were approached by Western United who explained that they could not afford to supply the jerseys and footballs anymore and suggested that Helensville form their own Club.

From the Public meeting held at the Helensville primary School, a motion was put to form a new Club to be called The Helensville District Rugby Football Club  (H.D.R.F.C.)

A Steering Committee was formed chaired by Ray Lovell,  Secretary Greg Blair, Treasurer Barry Coles – Committee was Bill Evans, Alan Hargreaves, Allan Pengelly, Noel Bodle, Pat Robertson, and Sheree Lupton.  Patron was Jack Farrell.

Greg Blair designed the Logo of a Phoenix Bird rising from the ashes – signifying its rebirth and John Pyatt wrote the Club’s Constitution.

The first General Committee Meeting was held in the old Boiler room in 1971 and other Members were, Margo Robertson, Bill Evans, Ron Hall, J Haines, Philip Hill, Cliff Lane, Howard May, Malcolm Pickering, Ron Robinson and Lyall Strong.

Coaches were also Committee Members. Being Brian Dunphy, P. Downer, Alan Hargreaves, R. Hobson, M King, P McDonald, Jock McLeod, Kelvin Paton, Allan Pengelly, Tom Raha and L. Tibbits.

The next meetings moved to the comfort of Hinemoa House

With it’s affiliation to the A.R.U. Helensville had it own rugby club again.  The Committee applied to register it’s colour as red, (the jersey of Helensville Old Boys of the past) but it was rejected by the A.R.U. as being too similar to that of the Barbarian Club.  The Union, however, accepted our new established colour of red, gold and black which are based on the Western United pattern.

TEAMS

Following the inaugural meeting, it was noted in the HELENSVILLE RECORDER that “Grade games are to start on 17 April.  A game has been arranged against a Whangarei Club at 12.30 at Rugby Park, on Saturday, March 20 and other friendly games before the season starts.  A weigh-in will be held at schools – over 80 boys have already been weighed.

These results were recorded for games played on 24th April 1971 at Rugby Park

Seniors      20                        Eden              18

4th Grade      6                        Takapuna      6

7th Grade    36                        BayLynn      6

10th Grade    3                        Western Utd  6

13th Grade  28                        Northcote      0

Even then Helensville players were having to contend with not only strong opponents from Auckland but also factors beyond their control.

“Ground conditions after heavy rain were really bad, we were told.

The H.D.R.F.C with only a limited number of players spread over a wide area to draw on, has consistently fielded teams from Junior Boys to Seniors.

As the Rugby Park had been sold to the Helensville Borough Council for 90 Pounds on the demise of the Kaipara Sub Union a lease was arranged for its use.

The ground was leveled and drained and over the years further improvements have been made so that it now provides a playing surface for games when many other grounds are closed.

The Senior teams have enjoyed some Notable successes in the early years, including:

·        Winning the ARU Cup (1972) -  winners of Senior C

·        Portola Trophy (1975, 1976)  -  winners of the Senior 3rd Division First Round

·        Jordan Rosebowl (1974)      -  awarded to the Senior team that shows the best  adherence to the rules and spirit of the game.

As a result it was promoted to higher division each time going from Second Grade to Senior C and then to Division B

Club teams to win their grades in the ARU competition have been the

·        Sixth Grade – 1972

·        Seventh Grade – 1971

·        Eight Grade – 1974

·        Ninth Grade - 1970

The 1971 Team, coached by Jock McLeod and Managed by Bob Pera, had many still familiar faces, of Greg Blair, Joe Panui, John Smith, Elu Elisia, Neville Rust, Barry Coles, Ian Bristow, Murray Narbey, Phillip Nehemia, Grant Chisholm, Jim Fletcher, Colin Hissey, Malcolm Pickering, Lawrence Stokes, Lyall Strong, John Glasson, Kevin Bayliss and Fred Peters and were Runners-up in the 2nd Grade and in 1972 Won the Senior ‘C’ competition and were promoted into Senior ‘B’ competition.

In 1975 the Senior Team won the Portola Trophy in a Home Game against Hillsborough 26-6. The day the Champagne really flowed!!!

The First Clubrooms were built in 1948.  They were in a state of disrepair and the players and committee had to endure a leaking roof and drafty interior.  Work on the new facility was started in 1972 and it was officially opened in 1974.  The new clubhouse was extended in 1976 and again in 1980 with the addition of extra changing rooms.  The final stage, that of the extensive lounge area was completed in 1985.

In 1982 two 84ft lighting towers were erected to provide for night games. The NHRU withdrew its support from these games and they are now used to light only the training area.  Other high rise developments have been the raising of goal posts equal in height to Eden Park’s.

On 28th July 1984, North Harbour Rugby Union was given N.Z.R.F.U. approval for Form and in 1985 Helensville joined the Big Boys of Takapuna, North Shore, Northcote, Western United, East Coast Bays, Silverdale, Glenfield, Navy and Massey Clubs to play its first year in the North Harbour Union.

Since the formation of the North Harbour Rugby Union in 1985 the H.D.R.F.C.  has seen two members of the HDRFC elected to the executive.

• Allan Pengelly          Vice President and President
• Alan Hargreaves      Deputy Chairman