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Wairarapa Rugby Union
(Founded , 1886 ; Original Member NZRU )
Headquarters : Masterton
Colours:	Green

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THE THURSDAY RUGBY UNION.

In the early days of football in the Wairarapa, all games were played on a Saturday, but with the advent of the statutory half-holiday in 1894 Rugby teams started up in various parts of the Valley, and in the year 1895 the Thursday Rugby Union was formed.

The first championship that year was won by a team called “White Stars” from Masterton. The Thursday Union was a Sub-Union to the Wairarapa Rugby Union, and had more teams under it’s control than the parent body.

Some of Wairarapa’s leading players in later years learnt their football under the Thursday Rugby Union, and in later years represented Wairarapa on many occasions. The Thursday Rugby Union went out of existence when the Saturday half-holiday became general in 1908. The Featherston Liberal Football Club was the last to win a championship under the Thursday Rugby Union.