The history of the Huimai Rugby Club (Omanawa) is a brief but incredibly fond chapter of grassroots sports in the Bay of Plenty. Unlike many clubs that endured for a century, Huimai burned brightly for just two seasons, leaving behind an unforgettable local underdog story.
Its history is immortalized in local records and regional pioneer accounts:
1. The Gathering (1954)
The club was founded in 1954 by a local man named Eddie Heke. Recognizing that rugby-playing men in the rural, developing areas south-west of Tauranga had to travel far to join teams, Heke called a public community meeting at the Tauriko Hall.
He wanted to gauge if there was enough collective interest across the wider rural districts of Omanawa, Tauriko, and Pyes Pa to sustain an independent team.
• The local turnout was overwhelmingly positive, and the community voted to establish the club right then and there.
• They chose the name Huimai, which translates from Māori to mean “a gathering of people coming together”—perfectly embodying the unity of the three rural districts.
2. The Great Match vs. Matakana Island (1954–1955)
Huimai only competed for two full seasons—1954 and 1955—before a shift in local demographics, farm sales, and players moving away for work forced the team to disband. However, they managed to capture a legendary piece of local rugby folklore during their short run.
The absolute pinnacle of Huimai’s history came in a scheduled match against Matakana Island on the Tauranga Domain (Number 1 field).
The Matakana David vs. Goliath Match
Matakana Island boasted an immensely strong, heavy, and highly favored team that was widely expected to completely dominate the newly formed Huimai country boys.
Because the island ferry arrived in Tauranga four full hours before kick-off, the Matakana players headed straight to the local pub to pass the time, completely confident of an easy victory. The fit, determined men of Huimai caught them entirely off guard, playing an incredible game to pull off a massive upset win. The Matakana side was left completely stunned on the turf.
3. Preserving the Memory
Because the club disbanded so quickly in the mid-1950s, its records easily could have been lost to time.
However, local historians Trish Heke and Margaret Bennett compiled a 58-page regional history book titled Omanawa Settlers 1910 to 1960. Published in 2002, the book dedicated page 54 entirely to the short-lived Huimai Rugby Club, ensuring that the team of the Omanawa, Tauriko, and Pyes Pa settlers is preserved in New Zealand’s rugby history.
