The Katikati Rugby Club (now the Katikati Rugby and Sports Club) holds an incredibly prestigious place in New Zealand grassroots rugby. Established in 1880, it is one of the oldest surviving sports clubs in the country, forming just five years after the first European settlers arrived in Katikati.
Pioneer of the Bay
• Making History (1880): On July 31, 1880, Katikati played its second-ever senior men’s match against Tauranga Rugby Club at the Tauranga Domain. This match goes down in the record books as the first interclub rugby game ever recorded in the Bay of Plenty.
• Dual-Union Foundations: Because of its unique geographic position, Katikati holds the rare distinction of being a founding member of both the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union and the Thames Valley Rugby Union.
• The Jersey Identity: To this day, Katikati remains the only rugby club in New Zealand that proudly incorporates the traditional colors of both provincial unions onto a single playing shirt.
Global Legacies and Records
Despite its small-town roots, Katikati’s historical footprint stretches right to the pinnacle of international rugby:
• The Dave Gallaher Connection: Dave Gallaher, the legendary captain of the 1905 “Originals” All Blacks (the man who essentially defined the All Black legacy), immigrated to New Zealand from Ireland as a child. He grew up in the district and learned to play his first games of rugby right there in Katikati.
• The Try-Scoring King: Former Katikati player Graeme Moore carved his own massive piece of history into the region by becoming the highest individual try-scorer in the entire history of the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.
Milestones & The Modern Era
• Home Ground: The heart of the club is Moore Park in Katikati. If you visit, you can’t miss the town’s famous giant rugby ball structure, which sits proudly at the home grounds.
• Preserving 140 Years: The club was set to celebrate its major 140th anniversary in 2020, which was eventually marked in 2021 due to pandemic delays. To honor the milestone, a 109-page historical book was published titled Seven Thousand Two Hundred & Eighty Saturdays: The 140 Year History of the Katikati Rugby Football Club.
• A Massive Community Mural: To permanently cement its legacy, the club collaborated with Katikati Open Air Art to paint a massive nine-panel historical mural on Middlebrook Drive. Overlooking the rugby fields, the mural stands as a striking visual reminder of the generations of local families who have worn the club colors since 1880.
