Northland Rugby Union

Northland Rugby Football Union

Nickname(s)	Taniwha, Cambridge Blues
Founded	1920
Region	Northland
Ground(s)	Okara Park, Whangarei (Capacity: 25,000)
Coach(es)	Adriaan Ferris
Captain(s)	Jared Payne
League(s)	ITM Cup
2011 ITM Cup	12th
Team kit

The Northland Rugby Football Union (NRFU) is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.

History

Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union.^[1] The Northland union was founded in 1920, as North Auckland Rugby Union. It formed when the Whangarei Rugby Union applied to the New Zealand Union to have the areas controlled by the Whangarei, Northern Wairoa, Bay of Islands, Otamatea and Hokianga sub-unions combined as a major union.^[2] This application was granted in 1921.^[3] In 1994, North Auckland changed its name to the Northland Rugby Football Union^[1]

First Matches

North Auckland played their first ever match as union on August 3, 1920, in a 11-0 victory over South Island Country. However, they didn't play their first 'inter-union' match until July 27, 1922 - an 8-6 loss at the hands of Auckland in Whangarei. Their first 'inter-union' win came on August 30, 1923, when they beat King Country 20-8^[2]

Ranfurly Shield

Northland, as North Auckland, have held the Shield on only four occasions - 1950, 1960, 1971 and 1978. However, they have been a part of a couple of the most memorable moments in Shield History.^[4]

Northland's first ever challenge came on July 3, 1935. The 126th Ranfurly Shield match. Northland lost this challenge comprehensively, 29-8, to Auckland.^[4]

Northland first won the Shield in 1950, with a 20-9 win over South Canterbury. However, their reign lasted only three games, as Waikato took it off them with a 6-3 win. Almost 10 years passed before Northland won the Shield again, beating Auckland 24-11 in 1960. Their defense of the Shield this time around was not any better, losing it back to Auckland only 11 days later.^[5]

More than 10 years passed before Northland would win the Shield for a third time. On this occasion, they beat Auckland 17-12, in 1971. This Shield-winning side fared much better than their predecessors. They managed six successful defenses before losing the Shield back to Auckland in 1972, in what is commonly regarded as the most famous rugby match in Northland history.^[4] "Ranfurly Shield Fever" hit the city of Whangarei hard before this encounter. One memorable sign was erected on Whangarei's main street on the morning of the match, reading: "Northland vs South Northland". While another sign, erected just south of Whangarei, read: "You are now entering Ranfurly Shield Country".^[4] When game-time arrived, a staggering 40,000 people crammed into Whangarei's Okara Park. An amazing number considering, at the time, Whangarei was a city of only 34,000 people, and Okara Park's capacity seating was not near 40,000.^[4] Despite Northland losing the match 16-15, it is seen as a monumental, and proud moment in Northland rugby history.

Incensing a Nation

Northland's fourth, and final, Shield victory came in 1978, with a 12-10 win over Manawatu.^[5] Northland only managed to win this game by scoring a penalty goal a few minutes after what should have been full-time. Although the Manawatu supporters were livid with what they had just witnessed, what was to follow severely dented the reputation of Northland rugby for years to come.^[4] Northland, after regaining the Shield, were to finish their season with two home fixtures against Southland and Otago. Being home matches, everyone assumed they would be Shield defenses, but to the astonishment of the Southland and Otago unions, Northland refused to put the Shield on the line for these matches.^[4] Both Southland and Otago took the case to the New Zealand union's appeal committee, but to no avail.^[4] Rage towards the Northland union spread throughout the country, even within its own province. Ted Griffin, who coached Northland to its previous Shield wins, boycotted Northlands home matches, but visited the Southland and Otago teams to offer his condolences.^[4]

Northland proceeded to defend the Shield successfully five times in the 1979 season.^[5] However, very few cared.^[4] Many people - players, officials, fans etc - had lost a lot of respect for the Northland union due to the way they ended the 1978 season.^[4] Although they lost the Shield on their 6th defense, to who else but Auckland, Northland had left a bad taste in peoples mouths for the next few years to come.^[4]

Representative Rugby

Current squad for the 2011 ITM Cup

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under IRB eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-IRB nationality.

Player Position Union Justin Davies Prop New Zealand Aterea Davis Prop New Zealand Tevita Vaipulu Prop New Zealand Scott Vessey Prop New Zealand Matthew Wallis Prop New Zealand Ross Wright Prop New Zealand Jamie Corsi Prop Wales Kalem Chan Boon Hooker Samoa Tim Dow Hooker New Zealand Mark Burman Lock New Zealand Cole Campbell Lock New Zealand Daniel Faleafa Lock New Zealand Solomon Palu Lock New Zealand Marty Veale Lock New Zealand Bryce Williams Lock New Zealand Daniel Mason Flanker New Zealand Joe McKenty Flanker New Zealand Daniel Pryor Flanker New Zealand Levi Whittaker Number 8 New Zealand Cameron Goodhue Number 8 New Zealand

Player Position Union Rhyan Caine Scrum-half New Zealand Wayne Ngaluafe Scrum-half New Zealand Sonatane Takulua Scrum-half New Zealand Ash Moeke Fly-half New Zealand Aaron Bancroft Centre New Zealand Derek Carpenter Centre New Zealand Warren Dunn Centre New Zealand Rene Ranger Centre New Zealand Bryce Heem Wing New Zealand Ben Munro Wing New Zealand Max Davis Wing New Zealand Lachie Munro Wing New Zealand Brad Linklater Wing New Zealand Jack McPhee Fullback New Zealand Jared Payne (c) Fullback New Zealand

Current staff

• Bryce Woodward (Head Coach)
• Blair Larsen (Assistant Coach)
• Johnny Claxton (Head Fitness Trainer)
• Brian Papesch (Team Manager)
• Ashley Draper (Physio)

Super Rugby

Because the Northland union is linked with the Blues Super Rugby team, Taniwha players are eligible for selection to the Blues without a drafting system or negotiations with other franchises.

Waikato Chiefs 1995-1998

When NZRU were initially deciding the team compositions for the Super 12 in 1995 it was decided that to have the Blues franchise encompass the North Harbour, Counties-Manukau, Northland and Auckland provincial rugby unions would be unfair. This was due to the preponderance of All Blacks (players representing New Zealand) who came from North Harbour, Counties-Manukau and Auckland at the time. Hence if the Blues were to consist of these unions, they would field an All Blacks team in all but name.

This led to North Harbour and Northland being represented by the nearest other team, the Chiefs (at the time named the Waikato Chiefs).

Blues 1999-present

By the end of the 1990s the number of All Blacks from these unions had decreased. This led the Blues and the Chiefs to arrange a swap, where the Chiefs would represent Thames Valley and Counties Manukau in exchange for the Blues representing Northland and North Harbour.

Sub-Unions

Due to the large size of the Northland province, the Northland rugby union is divided into 7 sub-unions. Each sub-union represents a number of rugby clubs.

Bay of Islands Hokianga

Mangonui Northern Wairoa

Otamatea Rodney

Whangarei City

Clubs

Bay of Islands Sub-Union

Kaeo RFC Kaikohe RFC Kerikeri RFC Moerewa RF Sports Club

Motatau (Defunct) Ohaeawai RF and Sports Club Okaihau RUF and Sports Club

Otiria RUF and Sports Club United Kawakawa RFC Waitangi RFC

Hokianga Sub-Union

Horeke RFC Mangamuka RFC Motukohu RFC

Opononi RFC Panguru RFC Whirinaki RFC Rawene RFC

Mangonui Sub-Union

Aupouri RF and Sports Club Awanui RFC Eastern United RFC

Kaitaia City RFC Kaitaia Pirates RFC Mangonui Women's Rugby Club

Rarawa RFC Takahue RFC Waipapakauri RFC

Western United RFC

Northern Wairoa Sub-Union

Dargaville Old Boys Football and Softball Club Dargaville Rugby and Sports Club Kaihu Valley RFC

Ruawai RFC Southern RFC Western Sharks

Otamatea/Rodney Sub-Union

Otamatea Hawks RFC Paparoa RFC Port Albert RFC

Tomarata RFC Wellsford RFC Ruawai RFC

Omaha RFC (defunct, amalgamated into Mahurangi RFC) Warkworth RFC (defunct, amalgamated into Mahurangi RFC) Kaipara Flats RFC (defunct, amalgamated into Mahurangi RFC)

Whangarei City Sub-Union

City RFC Hikurangi RFC Hora Hora RFC Kamo Rugby and Squash Club

Manaia RFC Mangakahia RFC Marist Rugby Club Mid Northern RFC

Mid Western Rugby and Squash Club Old Boys Rugby and Sports Club Onerahi RFC Pipiwai RFC

Tikipunga RFC Waimarie Rugby Club Waipu Rugby and Squash Club Whangaruru RFC

Players and coaches of note

Former coaches

• Wayne Pivac
• Sid Going
• Donny Stevenson
• Bryce Woodward

Notable former players

Rupeni Caucaunibuca AB Ian 'Kamo' Jones AB Joe Morgan AB Glenn Taylor Alan Tubbs Brent Wakaa AB Norman Berryman Tony Monaghan AB Norman Maxwell AB 'Super' Sid Going AB Peter Sloane Mike Storey Jason Shoemark James Arlidge

Errol Brain AB Fred Woodman AB Kawhena Woodman AB Ian Dunn AB Derren Witcombe AB Con Barrell AB Richie Guy AB Bill Heke AB Bunny Finlayson AB Eddie Dunn AB Victor Yates AB Johnny Smith AB Murray Jones

AB Ian Irvine AB Blair Larsen AB Ken Going Chippie Semenoff AB Hamish Macdonald AB Alf Waterman AB Michael Speight AB Des Webb AB Mike Burgoyne Robbie Johnson Jared Going Brian Going Geoff Crawford

Milton Going "Big" Joe Veitayaki AB Peter 'Tiger' Jones AB Bevan Holmes AB Lindsay Townsend AB Wayne Neville AB Nau Paora 'Brownie' Cherrington Julian Huxley Sam Payne Sam Pinder AB Mose Tuiali'i Mark "Zggy" Seymour Nick White Fero Lasagavaibau Lee Peina Jason Barrell Doug Te Puni

External links

• Official site
• Fan site
• Northland rugby (NZHistory.net.nz)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Sports and Leisure in Northland
2. ^ ^{a b} Arthur C. Swan, History of New Zealand Rugby Football 1870-1945, 1948
3. ^ Rugby Beginnings in New Zealand
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l} Lindsay Knight, Shield Fever, 1980
5. ^ ^{a b c} Ron Palenski, Rod Chester, Neville McMillan, The Encyclopedia of New Zealand Rugby, 4th Edition, 2005