First Trophies for Old Boys Marist RFC
Newly merged club Old Boys Marist has it's first trophies in the cabinet following success in the Senior 2 and Senior Reserve competitions.
In the Senior 2 grade, Old Boys Marist and Varsity Rams completed their competiton round both on 41 competition points, with each team recording 10 wins and just the one loss. The fixture between the two teams on FMG Stadium on Anzac Day resulted in a close fought victory to old Boys Marist 34-27. They win the John Clifford Cup, held by Varsity Rams in 2008.
In the Senior Reserve grade, Old Boys Marist and COB completed their competition round both on 39 competition points, with each team recording 9 wins, one draw and one loss. The fixture between the two teams on Arena Field 3 on 11th April resulted in a 13 all draw. Points differential was required to separate the teams, with Old Boys Marist's +201 coming out on top over COBs's +119. They win the Old Gibbons Cup.
Both trophies were presented to the teams at our clubrooms Saturday 13th June 2009.
Welcome to Old Boys Marist's new website administered by Bruce and Debra Buckley first time web site administrators!
Below is a brief summary of our website to help you navigate your way round. We have decided to launch our website now thou clearly you can see we are still in the development stage.
Home - our most up-to-date news with a little history of our merged club.
About PN OBM - our club history and key contact details.
Teams and players - results from our Senior 1, Senior 2, Senior Reserve and 19's. Brief history of our All Blacks, with details of our life members to come.
Events - Lists 2009 upcoming events.
Fixtures - this section is a work in progress. Historic fixtures includes results year to date 2009 and players of the day for Senior 1, Senior 2 and 19's
News - General articles about Willie Ioane, Reece Robinson, Peni Power and our first trophies for the new club.June 2009 Newsletter is available to view. This section will also include photos in the near future.
Committee members area - this area will be password protected and only available to be viewed by committee members once
Palmerston North Marist High School Old Boys Rugby Club
HISTORY OF BOTH CLUBS PRIOR TO MERGER IN 2009
PALMERSTON NORTH HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS RFC (History)
Although records show that in 1904 a listing amongst clubs affiliated to the Manawatu Union a certain "High School Old Boys Football Club" played in a third grade competition, it was not until much later in the century that the PN HSOB club as we know it was established.
The club started its official history in 1921 when the 'Old Boys FC' came into existence. Prior to 1921 most 'Old Boys' of Palmerston North Boys High School played under the banner of the "Pirates' Football Club". However on March 17, 1921 several Old Boys of the school held a meeting to discuss the possibilities of forming a new club. Mr Milton Eglington chaired the meeting and a new club was formed calling itself the "Old Boys Football Club". The membership consisted in the majority of Old Boys from Palmerston North Boys High School.
The Pirates RFC Skull and Crossbones insignia which had taken keenly to the playing fields ended and the 'Old Boys' monogram took its place. The new club entered into the Senior, Junior and Third grade competitions in that year but when the union added a fourth grade 'Old Boys' also entered a team.
In 1922 local players flocked to the newly formed club and 'Old Boys' became firmly established. Although in their first season they were not expected to perform with distinction they far from disgraced themselves. The Club's first annual report in 1921 stated "Although not successful in winning any competition, we put up a good fight and one thing can be said: We played football".
When Milton Eglinton formed the new club he sought a motion to also take over the liabilities of "The Pirates FC" which amounted to a total seven pounds. A strong and resourceful inaugural committee was set up and led the way forward into 1922. Some things, however, never change. A comment was noted in the 1922 Annual report stating "some of our members were very lax in their training. The younger members of the lower grades were the keenest and always rolled up to practices. Members must train and train consistently if they want their club to come through with flying colours." The 2007 Annual report made similar comments.
In 1922 Old Boys did well and were honoured when two of its players were selected to play for Wellington against New South Wales. In 1924 Old Boys won the Abraham Cup for the club gaining the most points in all grades. In 1925 they were runners up in the senior competition and won the junior Championship. In 1926, Old Boys carved itself into the history books of Manawatu rugby when it won the Senior Championship. They repeated this again in 1929.
Four Years later in 1933, the junior team shattered all its previous records and won all the championships in its grade, a feat unequalled in local football history. This achievement was followed next in 1934 when the senior's beat Feilding Old Boys to win the Senor championship. The juniors continued with their amazing winning streak annexing the Junior Championship right through from 1935 to 1938.
During the World War II years Old Boys like all other clubs lost the majority of its members to the services. A total of fifteen Old Boys members were killed during those years. Typical of the mettle of those early players was Rangi Akuira, an outstanding school boy representative and club player, he was also a Maori all Black and was a champion goal kicker. Unfortunately Rangi died in 1942 whilst held as a prisoner of war.
By 1944 it was impossible to field a senior team and Old Boys entered its first 'temporary' amalgamation and joined with The Kia Toa Football Club. In 1945 Old Boys were again strong enough to field their own senior team and the alliance with Kia Toa came to an end. In 1946 Old Boys completed its first 25 years and the Silver Jubilee was celebrated by winning the Senior Championship for the first time since 1940. They repeated this effort in 1947, 1948 and 1949.
Old Boys had a lean year in 1950 but were joint champions with Feilding in 1951; the senior team was boosted that year by Hugh Harkness and one Ian Colquhoun. The club suffered lean pickings between 1951 and 1954, however, in 1955 the seniors won the championship and the juniors and thirds made the quarter finals. Between 1955 and 1960 the club went through one of those phases every club suffers from and although they performed well, no championships were won.
In 1960 the Old Boys committee purchased a site beside Ongley Park with the intention of having its own clubrooms. After much fund raising, grants, donations and sausage sizzles the "Parkview" clubrooms were opened in 1963. Additional land was purchased in 1964 to add to the clubrooms. At this time the club uniform was changed to black jerseys with monogram, white shorts and black socks with a white top. Also in 1964 "Old Boys Football Club" became "Palmerston North High School Old Boys RFC".
In 1966 the club introduced its new monogram and fielded a full five competitive teams in the local competition. Over the next few years the club teams were either there or there about in competitions and only conceded the senior championship to Freyberg Old Boys in 1968.
The past thirty years of the club have produced mixed fortunes. The seniors won the championship and Hankin Shield in 1989 but struggled to remain competitive until 2003 when a young and spirited senior side overcame the odds beating College Old Boys in the final at the arena to again lift the shield.
Over the years the club has produced a string of top class footballers many of whom have gone on to play representative rugby at high levels including the All Blacks. The earliest All Black which the club tributes in its history stemmed from the original Pirates club (which became Old Boys in 1921). Phonse Carroll pulled on the Black Jersey in 1920. The only reason he didn't continue with Old Boys that year was that a club "Jackeytown" also fielded a team during the 1921-1922 season and this was closer to home for Phonse. However, he returned to captain Old Boys 1923 -1924. He then switched to Rugby League. Phonse was a legend in Manawatu and represented his country in both codes (he was banned from both codes for a period but was reinstated in 1967). Ironically Phonse coached the Marist club (unofficially of course) during the 1930's.
Other club All Blacks included Arthur Law 1925, John Callesen 1974, Gary Knight 1977, Mark Donaldson 1977, John Loveday 1978, Geoff Old 1980 and Mark Finlay 1984. The club has also been represented in the Manawatu Rugby Union at various levels climaxing perhaps with club stalwart and Life Member Mike Cross being elected as Junior Vice President of the New Zealand Rugby Union Council in 1995, Senior Vice President of the NZRFU Board in 1996 and President in 1997.
A very strong Junior HSOB Club has also been formed and comprises between 11 and 15 junior teams. Juniors start playing at the age of five and stay with junior rugby until they enter secondary school where invariably they play for the school teams until ages between 16 and 18 years. The Junior club is totally separate from the Senior club although many senior players are involved in coaching and training of junior teams.
In recent times the club had struggled to maintain its place in the new professional era. With the drop off in player depth, competition amongst local clubs especially for the coveted Boys High School first and second fifteen players, coupled with the unavailability of administrators and the ever increasing costs associated with running a club in today's world, led reluctantly to the sale of the "Parkview" club rooms at the turn of this millennium. This resulted in the club finding temporary accommodation at a number of venues around the city none of which were totally successful and indeed the club found itself at the whim of hotel and bar owners.
A short but pleasant period was spent at the Palmerston North Squash Club in Linton Street. After the Squash Club amalgamated with the Bowling Club and the Cosmopolitan Club it was quickly realised that the older generation which is the mainstay of the new organisation, were not keen on the high spirits of young footballers from HSOB.
In 2008 after serious talks with the Marist Rugby Club the "Old Boys Marist RFC" was born and so after 87 years the High School Old Boys RFC era came to an end. We look back on some excellent times, some lean times, and some extremely sad times especially at the loss of the cream of our talent during the second world war. But now we turn with enthusiasm towards the future. If we can emulate the acts of our forbearers the combination of Marist and Old Boys will be a total success.
From most humble beginnings in 1926, when St Pats first fielded a junior rugby team, to the year 2000 and consolidated our position as the premier sporting club of the Manawatu.
Over the eight decades since, a handful of enthusiasts decided there should a club to accommodate the old boys of St Pats and associate schools. St Pats and Marist have retained and built on the original ideals to emerge as a leader with an innovativeness which has been Marist in recent years establish The Marist Club (Palmerston North) Incorporated to create an umbrella for a wider range of sporting and recreational activities.
The rugby club has provided the nucleus and inspiration for these developments and although our prowess on the field has not always overcome the obstacles, no one can doubt our resilience and resolution as a club in overcoming many problems which threatened our viability over the years. We will not document our success and failures, suffice to say we have gained from both. Our history is one if what rugby and team sport is all about.
Our first senior team was fielded in 1936 and one year later as St Pats we won the coveted Spillane Cup at the annual Easter tournament. Our fortunes at subsequent Spillane tournaments have fluctuated but each Easter we participate vigorously with other North Island Marist Club sides in rugby which has gained national recognition. 1939 saw the opening of a new Marist school in Palmerston North, and subsequently a name change from the original St Pats to the name we now proudly bear - Marist.
More importantly it saw the creation of a nursery for young rugby players, which has ensured our survival right from those difficult World War II years, when like ourselves, so many clubs were forced into recess.
After the war, the club was reformed and very quickly made an impact on the Manawatu club scene, quite often to our disadvantage, for a high percentage of club players gained representative honours, thereby weakening our club sides in crucial matches determining championship honours. We never resented this for the Irish influence was strong and of a generous nature.
Marist popularity and expertise has also been recognised in rugby administration for over the years key management positions in Manawatu rugby have been held by outstanding Marist personnel.
This clearly epitomised by our life member and past president Owen Gleeson's election to president of the Manawatu Rugby Football Union for its centenary year. Like Owen, we have earned that honour.
In addition Owen represents another area in which Marist has made an enormous contribution for he is one of a number of club members who have been appointed to top coaching and selection positions of Manawatu representative sides.
The period 1945 - 1965 was one during which our club sides met with considerable success on playing fields culminating with our Marist senior team coming so close to Manawatu rugby supremacy in 1965, only to be edged out in a closely contested final.
1966 - 1976
A decade of change in New Zealand during which we were introduced to real inflation and the realisation that Marist had to invest in real estate if we were to protect our proud heritage in future organisation.
We played host to Spillane tournament teams in 1966 and again only missed on that coveted trophy after extra time had been played and a forced touchdown saw us concede victory.
We invested wisely and our 50th Golden Jubilee celebrations were enriched by the plans to build our headquarters on property adjacent to the sporting and recreational centre of the Manawatu.
In 1976 we once again hosted the Spillane tournament, and a New Zealand Marist team which played a Manawatu Invitation team. We looked back on a decade of solid growth through sound planning on and off the field while eager to build on those foundations.
1977 - 1986
A decade of both consolidation and achievement which has seen Marist develop a clubrooms complex unique in the Manawatu, and embraced a constitution which now fosters a number of sporting activities.
Rugby has led the way with an emphasis on the younger players by strong promotion at the junior levels following most successful colts tours to Australia in 1982 and 1984. That attention paid off with championship honours being won by the under-21 sides in 1983, 1984, and 1985.
In 1983 our senior A side shared the championship honours for club supremacy in the Manawatu, and in 1985 were runners-up.
Perhaps it was the opening of our clubroom facilities in 1980 which has provided the impetus for club members to become real achievers.
Today there is real pride in ourselves, in our club and in our future. Individually we readily accept responsibility for ourselves and our club and there is no doubt our club is nationally recognised as a progressive, innovative, and community-minded, where a warm welcome is always assured to all visitors.
An era of maturity and consolidation. Strong co-operative team spirit was fostered. Sports personnel were encouraged to enhance their skills in coaching and sports management courses.
Individual performances have been rewarded by selections at provincial and national levels. In turn the strength and leadership these demonstrate, enthuses the up and coming players.
1987 - 1996
The late 1980s saw further change in the club's administration with the club establishing a mission statement with a five-goal plan. The senior side went on a World Tour while the colts toured Australia. Our under-19½ side and the senior IV players won their respective competitions in 1988. Following the Moran Cup win in 1989 at the North Island Marist tournament, the senior side produced a strong performance to win the Brennan Cup. The early 1990s were also a profitable period for Marist as the senior team won its section at the 1991 Spillane tournament, and the Centennial Shield that same year. The senior IV travelled to the World Invitation Tournament in Hawaii in 1991.
Victories saw the club win the Ham Cumming Cup and the Sports Cup at the North Island Marist tournament, while the senior players won the Hankins Shield - an outright win for the first time in 66 years.
The senior side won the 1992 Spillane Cup at the annual tournament, Karl Williams was selected in the New Zealand Division team, the club's under-19½ side again took out the local championship, and St Peter's College formed a special link with Marist. The visiting Springbok players were the quests of a highly successful evening at the Marist clubrooms in 1994.
A formidable senior team brushed aside all before them in the Manawatu competition in 1995, and the Hankins Shield was ours yet again. Scholarship schemes were introduced at the club in the area of coaching and sports management. The following year the senior side just missed out on repeating its 1996 success as it was beaten in the semifinals. The senior III went one better than the senior players as it won its own competition.
1997 - 2000
The senior players tasted Hankins Shield success again in 1998 but were knocked out in the semifinal the following year. The Marist Dogs, a 1998 Massey side that came across to Marist in search of a better club atmosphere, won the colts A competition.
The beginning of a new millennium saw the senior side being desperately unlucky not to win the Manawatu senior competition and the players outscored their Te Kawau rivals by three tries to one but finished up on the wrong side of the ledger.
2002
The Senior I were beaten finalists in the premier competition, losing to Te Kawau 16-11 in the Hankins Shield final. The Senior II dipped out by one competition point on reaching the playoffs, while the Premier Colts suffered a similar the same fate as the Senior I players, losing to HSOB in the final.
Marist's Presence in Palmerston North
One of the main true strengths of Palmerston North Marist is its excellent facility located in Pascal Street.
The clubrooms are the heart of the Marist family. They offer a place for people of all codes to join and talk over a pint (or more), about the day's proceedings. Between these walls many a tale has been told (some more accurate than others), with subjects ranging from the All Blacks' last performances to less pressing matters such as the road works on Princess Street, Broadway Avenue.
Although the Marist movement was on its way in 1926, under the then name of St Patrick's Old Boys, the club did not have its own home until 1979. The club had a long period skipping from pub to pub until enough was enough and a home was found in Pascal Street, David Healy (at the time the convenor of the property and development sub committee) wrote in the 1978 November issues of the Green and Gold Times: "The sceptics have said they will never see them! One or two of our more loyal supporters have doubted that they would be built in their lifetime! Even some of the players had become a little cynical".
Such "attitudes" are well at rest now. From the efforts of Dave Healy and others, funds were raised (through honourable means and by, let's say "just methods"). Arguably the result is the best clubrooms, both architecturally and in atmosphere hospitality, in the Manawatu.
It is ironic however that Marist being one of the "powers" in Manawatu rugby took over 50 years to establish a base. Certainly when trying to attract players to the club, good conditions are paramount. Peter Gillespie reflects: "In the early days people would ask 'What sort of facilities have you?' and we would have to answer 'We are still planning'. The decision was made that if the club was going to progress, we would need clubrooms of some sort". Social contact was also a catalyst, Gillespie goes onto say: "It was nice for a guy to bring his wife and kids, Well you couldn't go and take them to the bloody pub".
Robin O'Neill, Manawatu and Waikato representative and All Black trialist, but most of all a Marist player remembers that: "The pub used to close at six o'clock. It was the days of the six o'clock swill...we couldn't get there till about 4.30pm after the game. We couldn't just waltz into the club like you do now. We would rush to the pub, sink a few, and then try to fill a few flagons, and bugger off to a party, invited or not! All by 6pm! It was bloody crazy".
The social influence of the clubrooms has impressed even the "more ature" members of the Marist family in Palmerston North. Patrick Kelliher, ex-duty Palmerston North mayor, reflects on the 1930s: "No one got to know the other players...it was the depression you see. A lot of us went to play and worked before and after the game."
What the Marist Rugby Club's Crest Means
At the top of the monogram is the official Marist emblem which signifies our affiliation and loyalty to the Marist Brothers. The Marist Brothers began teaching in Palmerston North in 1939. This emblem is surrounded by 12 stars representing the 12 apostles.
The three red Maltese crosses at the top of the monogram represent the cardinal virtues of FAITH, HOPE, and CHARITY.
The colours of our rugby club - green and white - shown at the top left and lower right of the monogram.
At the top right and lower left is a golden crown over a book and tools (pick, axe, and shovel) on a blue background showing that all work is crowned by glory. The book represents the professional man and the tools the tradesman.
The white cross in the centre, on the green background represents Christ - in the centre of all things, as He should be.
The Marist Rugby Club had its foundation in 1926 when it was called "St Pats" but in 1940 with the arrival of the Marist Brothers it was appropriate to change the name of the club to "Marist" club.