TDIH: March 27th 1886 – Wairarapa RFU founded
March 27 1886 ( more year by Year history click here )
Wairarapa RFU founded.
The Wairarapa RFU was founded in 1886, the same year as the Buller and Manawatu Unions. Wairarapa chose to play in green, and though no reason is given it may have been because none of the previously founded unions (Canterbury, Wellington, Otago, Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Nelson and Taranaki) played in that colour.
“The year 1886 was a most important one for Wairarapa Rugby, for it was at a meeting held at the Marquis of Normanby Hotel, Carterton, on March 27, that delegates from Carterton, Greytown and Masterton Clubs decided to secede from Wellington Union and form a Union of their own. The now familiar Dark Green was chosen as the Union’s colours, and arrangements were made for the holding of both Senior and Junior competitions. However, only friendly matches were played by the Senior teams, but the Junior competition was conducted with five teams: Masterton No. 1 (winner), Masterton No. 2, Te Ore Ore, Carterton and Greytown; the youthful Red Star Club did not compete, although the Club featured three sides in friendly matches against teams of their own age-group. The Senior activity was given over to three representative games, these being:—
v. Wellington At Wellington Lost 0 to 6
v. Wellington At Greytown Won 4 to 2
v. New South Wales At Masterton Lost 5 to 6
The side played nine forwards, three halves, two wing-threequarters and a full-back (the scoring those days being two points for a try and three points for goals), fielding the following in the first match:—
Edwin Udy (Greytown), A. V. Udy (Greytown), C. W. Perry (Masterton), J W Perry (Masterton), Wm Perry (Masterton, R C Kemble (Masterton), J H Beard (Greytown), C J Beard (Greytown), A L Webster (Greytown), H Hounslow (Masterton), G Humphries (Greytown), T A Ewen (Carterton), Chas. Fairbrother (Carterton) W E Welch (Masterton), Chas Udy (Greytown.
For the second match, J. Roydhouse (Masterton), Jacob Baumber (Carterton), E. M. D. Whatnian (Masterton), J. Bannister (Masterton) and F. Tully (Greytown) played in place of R. G. Kemble, J. W. Perry, J. H. Beard, G. Humphries and T. A. Ewen. For Wairarapa’s fixture against New South Wales, that side then touring New Zealand, the Union was represented by
J. Roydhouse, Wm. Perry, A. L. Webster, Jacob Baumber, J. W. Perry, A. V. Udy; F. Tully, J. Bannister, E. M. D. Whatman, Chas. Udy, W. E. Welch, Edwin Udy, H. Hounslow, J. H. Beard and C. J. Beard. During the match J. W. Perry broke a leg, and was replaced by A. Cliff (Masterton).”
From:”Rugby in Wairarapa 1876 – 1960” by A C Swan. Published 1961 for the Union’s 75th Jubilee. P 18.
Source: http://rugbymuseum.co.nz/
