Central Vikings Rugby Union

Infobox_esl_club | clubname = Central Vikings


fullname = "Central Vikings Rugby Union"
emblem = Viking
colours = Orange, Blue, White
founded = 1997
sport = Rugby union
league = NPC
ground = McLean Park and Arena Manawatu
web =

Central Vikings Rugby Union was a New Zealand rugby union team that played from 1997-1998.

Central Vikings was founded in 1997 with the merger of the Hawke's Bay and Manawatu unions. It was founded with the hope as a team that could get out of the 2nd division and be competitive in the 1st division. The Central Vikings had 2 All Blacks in the team which included Bull Allen and Christian Cullen as well as featuring various super 14 players such as Chiefs star Mark Ranby who later became an all black himself. The Central Vikings finished 2nd in 1997 when they were beaten 63-10 by Northland but even if they had won, they weren't allowed to progress into the 1st division. They finished 1st in 1998 when they beat the then Nelson Bays team, now part of Tasman Makos. They were subsequently allowed to progress to the 1st division. The Vikings however got into financial trouble and they split back to Hawke's Bay and Manawatu for the 1999 season.

The Vikings were largely hindered in their second season after not only losing All Black legend Christian Cullen but also losing the then All Blacks Coach John Hart after Hart was advised he could not coach NPC, Super Rugby and All Black teams at the same time. Despite of these disadvantages the Vikings went on to win the second division and were picked to be a major force in the first division before financial problems prevented them from advancing and ultimately caused the end of the Vikings.

Fixtures/Results

1997 Season(not in order)

*Away game Vs King Country 41-35
*Away game Vs Wanganui 42-6
*Home game Vs Thames Valley 72-0
*Home game Vs Bay of Plenty 10-31
*Home game Vs Wairarapa Bush 95-12
*Home game Vs Nelson Bays 90-21
*Away game Vs South Canterbury 87-7
*Away game Vs Northland 13-42
*Semi Final
*Final Vs Northland 10-63
*Overall Season standing: 2nd

1998 Season(in order)

*Home game Vs Wairarapa Bush 79-12
*Home game Vs Marlborough 43-11
*Away game Vs Thames Valley 52-5
*Away game Vs Nelson Bays 34-18
*Home game Vs Wanganui 25-12
*Away game Vs Wairarapa Bush 55-3
*Away game Vs Bay of Plenty 27-19
*Home game Vs King Country 29-8
*Semi Final
*Final
*Overall Season standing: 1st

Players

*Mark "Bull" Allen
*Stephen Bachop
*Orcades Crawford
*Christian Cullen
*Jarrod Cunningham
*Danny Lee
*Mutu Ngarimu
*Brent Oliver
*Murdoch Paewai
*Mark Ranby
*Roger Randle
*Dion Waller

In Depth

Bull Allen was one of the few players who had come from outside the Hawkes Bay and Manawatu unions, but his nine seasons with Taranaki was more than enough experience to see him picked as the Vikings captain. Although Bull Allen only played one season for the union he brought a lot of experience into (in ways) a youthful side, and belief that they could make the top grade of provincial rugby.

ponsers

*Lowe Walker
*Lion Red

References

*Photos by [http://www.photosport.co.nz/ Photosport]