The Invercargill Marist Rugby Football Club (originally founded as the Marist Brothers Old Boys Rugby Club Invercargill) is one of the most prominent, enduring pillars of Southland rugby. Operating out of the deep south of New Zealand, the club has uniquely managed to preserve its standalone identity for over a century while building a fiercely loyal, working-class community around its Miller Street grounds.
1. Improvised Uniforms and the Early Years (1920)
The club was officially established on March 23, 1920, at a special general meeting in Invercargill. It was formed by former students and supporters of the local Marist Brothers education system to ensure Catholic youth had a dedicated pathway into Southland’s rugby structure.
The early days required pure Kiwi resourcefulness:
• The Bleeding Jerseys: The club committee declared the official colors would be “green and black hooped jerseys with white shorts.” However, post-WWI supply shortages made buying proper jerseys nearly impossible. The club had to purchase khaki army surplus gear and dye them green. On the first rainy match day, the green dye famously ran out of the jerseys, staining everyone’s crisp white shorts.
• Navigating Union Rules: To comply with Southland Rugby Football Union (SRFU) rules in 1921, Marist temporarily amalgamated with the Athletic Club to ensure players could successfully register across the split Wednesday/Saturday working-week competitions.
By 1924, practices stabilized when the club won a ballot to use the training lights at Rugby Park on Monday and Friday nights.
2. The Battle for a Home Ground (1940s–1961)
For its first four decades, the club lacked a true home base. Because Invercargill was a “dry” district (alcohol sales banned under local trust laws) for a massive chunk of the mid-20th century, post-match social gatherings were famously hosted in players’ draughty backyard garages.
This changed in 1960 when the Invercargill City Council allocated land on Miller Street in the Georgetown suburb to the club. Through intense community fundraising, the members raised £6,000 and completed their official, permanent clubrooms in September 1961.
The Great Flood of 1986: The Miller Street grounds faced a massive existential threat when catastrophic flooding hit Invercargill in 1986. The damage forced a massive local protection realigning project. The neighboring Archery Club was relocated, allowing Marist to realign its second field and expand its footprint.
3. On-Field Dominance: The Galbraith Shield
Competing in the premier Southland-wide competition, Invercargill Marist has consistently punched above its weight, capturing the ultimate prize in Southland club rugby—the Galbraith Shield—seven times, across multiple eras:
• Early Glory: 1940, 1948, 1957
• The Revival: 1979, 2001
• Modern Dominance: 2017, 2018
The club also established a formidable women’s rugby program, which famously dominated the region by winning five consecutive Southland premier titles between 2001 and 2005.
4. The All Black Assembly Line
Despite being located in a smaller provincial union, Invercargill Marist has produced an incredible roster of international rugby talent:
Player Marist & International Legacy
Jack McRae All Black midfielder (1946)
Leo Connolly All Black loose forward (1947)
Bill McCaw Legendary All Black flanker/No. 8 (1951–1954)
Frank Oliver Hard-nosed All Black lock and captain (1976–1977); father of late All Black Anton Oliver
Paul Henderson Dynamic All Black flanker (1989–1993)
Pasilio Tosi The club’s modern success story; powerhouse prop who debuted for the All Blacks in 2024
Additionally, the club has fueled the Māori All Blacks (via standout Hoani MacDonald) and consistently feeds talent into the Southland Stags Heartland/Bunnings NPC pathways.
Having celebrated its grand centenary, Invercargill Marist remains entirely independent, family-focused, and proudly wrapped in its traditional green-and-black colors at Miller Street.
