Union | Auckland Rugby Football Union |
---|---|
Founded | 1874 |
Location | Ponsonby, Auckland |
Ground(s) | Western Springs Stadium |
Chairman | Chris Clews |
President | John Tetini |
Director of Rugby | Peter Leulusoo |
League(s) | Auckland Premier |
Official website | |
www |
Ponsonby District Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Auckland, New Zealand. The club was established in 1874 and is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union. Ponsonby is the oldest extant member of the Auckland union, and the second oldest club in the Auckland region, after North Shore, who are now affiliated with the North Harbour Rugby Union.
The men's premier team have won the Auckland Premier competition a record 45 times, including 33 times since the introduction of the Gallaher Shield, itself named after Ponsonby stalwart Dave Gallaher. Ponsonby have dominated the Auckland competition in recent years, having been champions on eight consecutive occasions between 2004 and 2011. The club has produced numerous All Blacks, [1] the most recent being Rieko Ioane. [2]
Auckland Championship/Gallaher Shield (46): 1883, 1884, 1885, 1887, 1890, 1891†, 1897, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1913, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1933‡, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1948, 1954, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2019 [3]
David Gallaher was an Irish-born New Zealand rugby union footballer best remembered as the captain of the "Original All Blacks"—the 1905–06 New Zealand national team, the first representative New Zealand side to tour the British Isles. Under Gallaher's leadership the Originals won 34 out of 35 matches over the course of tour, including legs in France and North America; the New Zealanders scored 976 points and conceded only 59. Before returning home he co-wrote the classic rugby text The Complete Rugby Footballer with his vice-captain Billy Stead. Gallaher retired as a player after the 1905–06 tour and took up coaching and selecting; he was a selector for both Auckland and New Zealand for most of the following decade.
The Auckland Rugby Union is a New Zealand provincial rugby union. The union was established in 1883 and was originally responsible for the administration of the sport in most of the former Auckland Province, although its boundaries have since shrunk to include only a portion of the Auckland urban area. The union governs the Auckland representative team, which has won New Zealand's first-tier domestic provincial competition 17 times, more than any other team. Their most recent title was the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup Premiership. The union administers all club rugby within its boundaries, including the Gallaher Shield and other senior club rugby, as well as school rugby. Auckland also acts as a primary feeder to the Blues, who play in the Super Rugby competition.
The Wellington Rugby Football Union are a New Zealand governing body of rugby union in the New Zealand province of Wellington Region. The main stadium is Sky Stadium which is located in Wellington. The union also represents the Wellington Lions, which is professional rugby union team who compete in the Mitre 10 Cup competition and contest for the Ranfurly Shield. Before 2006 the Lions competed in the National Provincial Championship.
Takapuna Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Takapuna, New Zealand. The club was established in 1934 and is a member of the North Harbour Rugby Union. Until 1985, Takapuna was a member of the Auckland Rugby Football Union. The club is based at Onewa Domain, which was also home to North Harbour until 1997.
The Auckland Rugby League (ARL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. Founded in 1909, the ARL has played a central role in the development and promotion of rugby league in Auckland, contributing to the sport's rich history in the region.
The North Shore Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Devonport, New Zealand. The club is a member of the North Harbour Rugby Union. Until 1985, with the creation of the North Harbour union, North Shore was a member of the Auckland Rugby Football Union.
The Massey Rugby Club is a New Zealand rugby union club located in Massey, West Auckland. They are part of the North Harbour Rugby Union and compete in their competitions.
The Gallaher Shield is awarded to the winner of the Auckland Rugby Football Union senior premier competition, and was first awarded in 1922. The shield is named in honour of Dave Gallaher, an early stalwart of Ponsonby, Auckland and New Zealand rugby. Ponsonby are by far the most successful club in Auckland history, with 35 shield wins and 47 championships in total.
Waitemata Rugby Football and Sports Club is a rugby union club based in Waitakere City, Auckland. The club is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union. Waitemata was founded in 1927 after an amalgamation of the Hobsonville, Waimauku and Swanson clubs. The club was based at Smythe Park until 1951, when the club moved to the present day grounds at Waitemata Park in Henderson. Waitemata has won the Gallaher Shield on four occasions, with the most recent success coming in 2003.
Arthur Reginald Howe Francis, also known by the nickname of "Bolla", was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1900s, 1910s and 1920s, and rugby union coach of the 1930s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for New Zealand, Auckland, and at club level for Ponsonby RFC. He also played representative level rugby league (RL) for New Zealand and Australasia, as well as at club level for Wigan, as a forward, and coached club level rugby union (RU) for Grammar RFC.
Glenfield Rugby Union and Sports Club Inc. is a sports club based in Glenfield, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand.
College Rifles Rugby Union Football & Sports Club are a rugby union club based in Auckland, New Zealand. The club was established in 1897 by members of the Volunteer Corps, and today accepts male and female players at senior and junior levels. The club is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union.
East Tamaki Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Auckland, New Zealand. The club was established in 1962 and is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union.
Eden Rugby Club is a rugby union club based in Auckland, New Zealand. The club was established in 1922 and is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union.
Manukau Rovers Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Auckland, New Zealand. The club was established in 1885 and is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union. In 1912, the club seceded to rugby league, although after a few years returned to rugby union. Since 1972, the club have been based at Williams Park in Māngere, fielding numerous senior and junior teams, catering to both men and women.
Marist Brothers Old Boys Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Auckland, New Zealand. The club was established in 1908 and is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union and New Zealand Marist Rugby Federation. Along with clubs like Grammar and University, Sacred Heart Old Boys, the predecessor of Marist, participated in an "Old Boys" competition until 1908, when the Auckland RFU scrapped the "district" scheme which had been in place from 1891. Consequently, Marist was formed, first fielding a premier team in 1910. The club have gone on to become one of the most successful clubs in Auckland, winning the Auckland competition on 11 occasions. Marist have produced numerous Auckland and New Zealand representatives, the latter including Sir John Kirwan, Robin Brooke, Zinzan Brooke, and more recently Isaia Toeava and Francis Saili.
Ōtāhuhu Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Auckland, New Zealand. The club was established in 1926 and is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union. The club have historically been one of the most successful in Auckland history, having won the Gallaher Shield on nine occasions, most recently in 2000. Ōtāhuhu have also produced numerous Auckland and international representatives, including 13 All Blacks.
Pakuranga United Rugby Club is a rugby union club based in Auckland, New Zealand. The club is affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union. It is owned by Oriental Rongotai Football Club. Commonly known as “Ories.”
William Cunningham was a New Zealand rugby union player who represented New Zealand—known as the All Blacks—between 1901 and 1908. Most notably he toured with the Original All Blacks on their 1905–06 tour of the British Isles, France and North America. They were the first New Zealand representative team to visit the British Isles, and of their 32 matches there Cunningham played in 23. He played mainly at lock, and was added to the touring party due to his strong scrummaging ability. He played in three Test matches during the trip: against Scotland, Ireland and France, but did not play in the loss to Wales due to injury, the All Blacks' only defeat on tour.
The North Harbour Rugby Union club rugby title has been contested since the formation of the North Harbour Rugby Union in New Zealand in 1985. The current trophy awarded to the winner is the ASB Bank Cup. The Premier Grade championship cup has also been named the New Zealand Couriers Cup The current champions are North Shore RFC. The Reserve Grade Championship Cup is named the "Stuart Cup" after North Shore Rugby Club stalwart Jim Stuart who donated the Cup to the North Harbour Rugby Union in 1985. From 1985 to 1996 Harbour club finals were contested at Onewa Domain. Since 1997 all Club finals have been held at North Harbour Stadium. Club finals are usually held in July.