Counties Rugby Club

Club History

The Counties Rugby Club is a prominent, community-focused country club competing within the Whanganui Rugby Football Union (WRFU) in New Zealand.

Key Historical & Club Details

Founding & Roots: While historical legal entities associated with the club’s administration date back to 1912, the modern club as it is celebrated today officially traces its lineage back to 1969. The club celebrated its major 50th Jubilee season in 2019.

Home Ground: The club is based at Horrocks Park / Macnab Domain, located out in the rural settlement of Kaiwhaiki along the Whanganui River Road. It functions as a classic, tight-knit country club where games and post-match social functions serve as a major hub for the local rural and Māori community.

Competitions: Counties competes across the WRFU senior club grades (including the Senior and Premier grades). They famously compete for prestigious local silverware like the Whanganui Challenge Shield.

Notable Figures: The club has a rich history of nurturing local talent and drawing back legendary provincial figures. For instance, iconic Steelform Whanganui representative halfback Lindsay Horrocks (the 2015 NZ Heartland Player of the Year who earned over 100 caps for the province) originally came from Counties before returning to his family club later in his career.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Pavillion Opening April 5 1983

Club:

Year published:

Author:

Page count:

Notes:

Counties Rugby Club

1983

Not stated

4 pages

Contained in a match programme Wanganui XV v International XV

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Pavillion Opening April 5 1983

Club:

Counties Rugby Club

Year:

1983

Author:

Not stated

Pages:

4 pages

Notes:

Contained in a match programme Wanganui XV v International XV

Club History