The Feilding Rugby Club, widely known as the Feilding Yellows, is one of the oldest and most historically significant rugby clubs in New Zealand. Their story is deeply intertwined with the very birth of the sport in the Manawatū province.
Here is a look at the rich history of “The Yellows.”
The Birth of Manawatū Rugby (1878)
The club was officially formed in 1878, making it a true pioneer of New Zealand rugby.
On July 13, 1878, the newly minted Feilding side played a match against a “Rangitikei Combined Clubs XV” in Feilding. This match is widely recognized by historians as the first ever recorded game of rugby played in the Manawatū region.
When the Manawatū Rugby Union was formally established eight years later in 1886, Feilding was right there as one of its foundational anchor clubs. In that same inaugural 1886 season, Feilding won the very first Manawatū senior championship.
The Story Behind the “Yellows” Jersey
The club’s famous amber and black hooped jersey actually has a direct connection to the All Blacks:
• In 1889, Feilding adopted an all-black playing strip featuring a silver fern “shield” on the breast.
• In 1893, the newly formed New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU) officially adopted a very similar all-black uniform with a silver fern for the national team.
• Because their look had essentially been taken by the national side, Feilding changed their colors, adopting the vibrant amber and black hoops they still wear today, earning them the timeless nickname The Yellows.
The Oldest Trophy in New Zealand Club Rugby
In 1896, following a bitter dispute over a judicial ruling, Feilding threatened to leave the Manawatū Union entirely to join the neighboring Rangitikei Union.
Cooler heads eventually prevailed, and Feilding stayed. They went on to win the 1896 Manawatū senior championship, becoming the inaugural winners of the J.H. Hankins Shield. Today, the Hankins Shield holds the distinction of being the oldest senior club rugby trophy still actively contested anywhere in New Zealand.
Home Ground: Johnston Park
For the first 50 years of its existence, Feilding played its matches at the local racecourse grounds. However, in 1928, the club moved to its permanent home at Johnston Park (which had previously served as a local camping ground).
In 1936, the iconic Collins Gym was opened on the site, and by 1962, the modern clubrooms were officially opened overlooking the number one field. Johnston Park remains one of the most atmospheric and traditional club rugby grounds in the country, sitting directly across the park from their cross-town rivals, Feilding Old Boys Oroua.
Legendary Figures & All Blacks
Feilding RFC has produced an array of legendary players, administrators, and coaches who shaped the national game:
• Andrew Thomson & “On the Ball”: Thomson was the captain of the Feilding club in the 1880s. He was such an inspiring leader that Edward Secker (the captain of rival club Palmerston North) wrote the legendary Kiwi rugby anthem “On the Ball” in direct admiration of Thomson’s play.
• Jack Gleeson: One of the most brilliant minds in New Zealand rugby history. Gleeson went from playing for Feilding to coaching the All Blacks from 1976 to 1978, masterminding New Zealand’s historic, first-ever “Grand Slam” tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland in 1978.
• Stewie Freebairn (All Black #544): A tough, uncompromising loose forward who became Feilding’s very first All Black representative when he debuted against Australia in 1953.
• Kevin “Hayburner” Eveleigh (All Black #735): A legendary, lightning-fast flanker who earned 30 caps (4 Tests) for the All Blacks between 1974 and 1977. Eveleigh was a cult hero of the golden era of Manawatū rugby.
• Aaron Smith (All Black #1114): Though he played his senior provincial rugby for Manawatū and the Highlanders, the legendary All Black halfback grew up in the area and played his junior rugby under the Feilding umbrella.
