Regional rugby

Page 19 – Wairarapa Bush rugby

Wairarapa Bush Football Union logo

While now a rugby backwater, in its heyday Wairarapa was a provincial powerhouse. Between 1927 and 1929 Wairarapa defended the coveted Ranfurly Shield 12 times during two tenures. The Wairarapa Rugby Union, based in Masterton, was formed in 1886. A separate Pahiatua-based Bush Union was established in 1890. In 1971 the two unions amalgamated to form the Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union. 

When a National Provincial Championship (NPC) was established in 1976 Wairarapa Bush was placed in the second division. The province was promoted to the first division in 1981 but relegated in 1987 before eventually falling into the third division. When the provincial competition was restructured in 2006 Wairarapa Bush was placed in the semi-professional Heartland Championship. It won this competition (and the Meads Cup) that year, while in 2010 it took out the Lochore Cup contested by the fifth- to eighth-ranked Heartland teams. Along with East Coast, Poverty Bay, Hawke’s Bay, Wanganui, Manawatu, Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wellington, Wairarapa Bush is part of the Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise.

Highlights of Wairarapa rugby

Bush was one of the smallest rugby unions in the country. It challenged – unsuccessfully – for the Ranfurly Shield on six occasions between 1927 and 1968. Its closest effort was a 22–9 defeat by Wellington in 1957. Bush had a taste of international rugby in 1964 when they played Australia at Pahiatua, losing 19–13. Athol (‘Tonk’) Mahoney was Bush’s only All Black. He played for his country in 1929 and between 1934 and 1936. Another Bush player of note was the Second World War hero Keith Elliott. He played 11 first-class games for Bush during the 1930s but is best remembered for his exploits during the Second World War. Elliott was awarded a Victoria Cross for his bravery at El Ruweisat Ridge in North Africa in 1942.

The Wairarapa union enjoyed greater Ranfurly Shield success. A 15–11 victory over Hawke’s Bay on 3 June 1927 ended Hawke’s Bay’s record-breaking  tenure which had begun in 1922. Wairarapa had been thrashed 77–14 by Hawke’s Bay the season before. In 1927 the side was considerably strengthened by the arrival of Bert Cooke and ‘Bull’ Irvine – from the Bay. Near neighbours Bush were seen off 53–3 in Wairarapa’s first defence, and then Hawke’s Bay arrived in Masterton for a much anticipated re-match. Though Hawke’s Bay won the ‘Battle of Solway’, Wairarapa retained the shield. Wairarapa challenged the eligibility of Hawke's Bay's Wattie Barclay to play in the match as he did not meet the necessary residential qualification of having resided in the Bay for the minimum three week period. He had been back for only two so the NZRFU ruled him ineligible and awarded the match to Wairarapa. The reprieve was short-lived. In its next defence Wairarapa was defeated 18–16 by Manawhenua (a combined Manawatu-Horowhenua team).

The following season Wairarapa reclaimed the shield with an 8–7 victory over Canterbury in a mid-week fixture that attracted 20,000 fans. The main drawcard was undoubtedly the brilliant midfield back Bert Cooke, but the Wairarapa side included two other members of the 1924 All Black ‘Invincibles’, ‘Bull’ Irvine and Quentin Donald. Wairarapa made eight successful defences before losing 19–16 to Southland in the last challenge of the 1929 season. This result was unexpected. Southland’s form had been poor and Wairarapa had been further strengthened by two more defectors from Hawke’s Bay, All Blacks Tommy Corkill and Jimmy Mill. In 1950 Wairarapa tasted fleeting Ranfurly Shield success, defeating Canterbury 3–0 at Lancaster Park but losing 17–14 to South Canterbury in their first defence a fortnight later. 

Following the amalgamation Wairarapa-Bush had made eight unsuccessful challenges for the Ranfurly Shield by 2009. The increasing gulf between the larger unions and the minnows has been all too evident. A 96–10 mauling at the hands of Canterbury in 2006 was followed by an almost equally emphatic 90–19 loss to Wellington in 2009.

Gary McGlashan, a member of Wairarapa-Bush's foundation squad, holds the record for the most appearances, playing 132 games between 1971 and 1983. P. Harding-Rimene scored a record 561 points between 1999 and 2008.

Brian Lochore

Wairarapa’s strength in the late 1920s was reflected by the fact that nine players of that era pulled on the black jersey. But of the 29 All Blacks from Wairarapa, Bush or Wairarapa-Bush, one name stands out above all others: Brian Lochore.

Wairarapa born and bred, Lochore won distinction as a player and administrator at school, club, provincial and national level. Colin Meads believed that at the peak of his career between 1966 and 1969 Lochore was 'everything I would want in a number 8'. Furthermore Meads believed that the self-effacing Lochore was as effective in his captaincy as the highly acclaimed Wilson Whineray. He became an All Black selector in 1983 and coached the national team from 1985 to 1987, culminating with home success in the 1987 World Cup final. Lochore was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1999 and knighted the same year.

Lochore’s iconic status within New Zealand rugby has been acknowledged by the naming of one of the two cups contested in the Heartland Championship in his honour.

Tell us your Wairarapa rugby stories

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How to cite this page

'Wairarapa Bush rugby', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/regional-rugby/wairarapa, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 27-Oct-2015

Community contributions

3 comments have been posted about Wairarapa Bush rugby

What do you know?

Anonymous

Posted: 13 Apr 2023

In the book 'Not Just Ordinary Blokes' it details the story of Ian Holms. He was the brother of Bush rugby representative Grant Holms, He was one of the first New Zealand soldiers to be killed in action serving in England, 1940. As the book details Holms was killed by an aerial bombardment while on duty in a barn in Maidstone. Another member of the NZ 22nd Battalion, The Rev.Keith Elliott VC (Bush rep 1937-53) and his platoon had only just vacated the barn the previous night. In his book "From Cowshed To Dog-Collar" he shows a photograph of the bombing incident involving Pte Ian Holms. All Black Athol Mahoney, later a POW, also served in the same Battalion.

Anon

Posted: 18 Sep 2020

One of the oldest rugby players to don his boots at 87 years of age playing social rugby was former 1932 Bush representative Grant Holms. He is featured in a book 'Not Just Ordinary Blokes'which covers his family's exploits from early European settlement to the ongoing development in post-Second World War New Zealand.

Mariana Mutu

Posted: 13 Sep 2011

I have a story about a work colleague who now in his 60th year is a testament to rugby players of the past. One, who worked hard, played hard and was able to indulge in his other passion 'hunting the elusive stagg and boar'.
Quenten (Joe) Hansen grew up in Manawatu, then Greytown with 3 other brothers Garry, Blue, and the late Brent. They spent their lives growing up on a rural property in the Manawatu before shifting to Wairarapa where he eventually met his wife Carol and settled down with their two boys, Jamie and Andrew.
He started his work career at Woodman’s School in Golden Downs Nelson, which led to a career in NZ Forest Service. In 1987 NZFS combined with Wildlife and Lands & Survey to become Department of Conservation, were he is a current employee, valued for his wealth of experience and local knowledge of anything.
He’s got so many stories of his 'Rugby' past as many as his hunting stories, I’m sure he could write a book. Playing for rural club Tuhirangi as 'prop' and then being selected to play for Wairarapa Bush in the 1970’s 80’s with many other greats Andy Earl, Jack McGlashan, the late Roy Couch, Chris Kapene (Moose) and Bill Rowland, to name a few. Team comradeship was vital for on and off the field success where it is a must that each had your team mates back. Playing in mud up to your calves, leather ball cleaned, polished with dubbin every week, stripe scrubbed clean, lace up square black leather boots polished with black nugget, and for days after the games you would still be washing mud out of our ears. Those were the days, where you had the freedom to express yourself in the only manner that was acceptable on the field, through muscle, grit and hard rucks, with the odd flashy run from the backs.
This Wairarapa Hard Man was able to combine 'all things important' in his life during his rugby playing years with family, work, rugby and hunting only wishing he had extended himself further to reach the next goal. Players today feel there is not enough time to do it 'all'. Yet here is an example of a hard working man able to achieve all those things. Give yourself the time and space to work it all in. 'I have no regrets I have met some great people through playing rugby and still keep in touch with them today'.