The High School Old Boys Rugby Club Waipukurau holds a significant place in the sporting history of Central Hawke’s Bay. Though it no longer operates under its original name, its legacy is preserved as a foundational pillar of modern rugby in the region.
🏉 Foundations (1927)
The club was established in 1927 in the rural town of Waipukurau. Much like other “Old Boys” clubs across New Zealand, it was formed to give young men finishing their local schooling a structured pathway to continue playing rugby together.
• The Early Setup: Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the town fielded two prominent teams: Waipukurau and High School Old Boys. They played their early matches at Russell Park before a community “Queen Carnival” raised enough funds to purchase Central Park for local sport.
• The Silver Jubilee: The club marked a major milestone in 1977, celebrating its 50th Jubilee with a commemorative official souvenir programme that solidified its half-century of contributions to Hawke’s Bay rugby.
🤝 The 1994 Amalgamation
By the early 1990s, changing demographics and economic shifts in rural New Zealand prompted local clubs to pool their resources.
In 1994, after 67 years of independent operation, Waipukurau HSOB joined forces with the neighboring Waipawa United Clubs. This merger formed the Central Hawke’s Bay Rugby & Sports Club (CHB).
The Modern Era: Today, the legacy of Waipukurau HSOB lives on through the CHB Rugby & Sports Club. Based out of Waipukurau, the combined club has grown significantly, supporting Premier and Reserve rugby teams, Central Hawke’s Bay Sevens, and a thriving netball division.
🦅 Notable Representation
During its active years, Waipukurau HSOB regularly contributed talent to the Hawke’s Bay Magpies provincial side.
One of the club’s most notable representatives during the golden era of the 1960s was Pat Cooper, a formidable hooker who locked into a highly respected Hawke’s Bay front row alongside legendary provincial props Neil Thimbleby and Derek Tombs.
