The Massey University Rugby Club (frequently known as Massey Varsity or University) has been a foundational pillar of the Manawatū Rugby Union for nearly a century. Rooted in the rich academic, agricultural, and sports-science history of the Palmerston North campus, the club operates out of one of New Zealand’s premier athletic training hubs.
1. The 1929 Genesis and The Early “Saxe” Blue
The club was officially formed on May 18, 1929, just a year after the establishment of the Massey Agricultural College.
• The Original Kit: The initial uniform consisted of a light blue jersey with matching stockings topped in maroon. Over time, this was refined to the distinctive “Saxe Blue” jersey with a white collar, accented by red-topped socks.
• The War Recess (1942): World War II heavily impacted the agricultural college. By 1942, enlistments and wartime call-ups caused student numbers to plummet so drastically that only 22 students remained on the entire campus. Lacking the numbers to field a viable squad, the club was forced into a temporary recess, successfully reforming in 1943 as student numbers stabilized.
2. The J.J. Stewart Era & Tactical Innovation
In 1943, the team captain was a young student named J.J. Stewart. He would go on to become one of the most innovative, revered, and sharpest tactical thinkers in New Zealand rugby history. Stewart coached the All Blacks from 1973 to 1976 and left a lasting imprint on the Massey club’s philosophy, prioritizing expansive, highly intelligent, and structured play.
During the mid-1930s, future university Vice-Chancellor Alan Stewart successfully championed a campaign to register the club under the broader name of “University” within the Manawatū Rugby Union. This masterfully anticipated the college’s eventual transformation into a full-scale, multi-faculty university in 1964.
3. The Sport and Rugby Institute (SRI) Era
For decades, Massey University played its home games on the campus fields alongside the Manawatū River. A massive modernization occurred with the development of the Sport and Rugby Institute (SRI) on the Massey campus.
The SRI is a world-class, multi-million dollar high-performance training facility. It features international-standard training pitches, a specialized indoor training shed, advanced sports-science labs, and high-performance gyms. This shifted Massey University RFC from a standard grass-roots university club into a premier high-performance academy environment. The facilities have regularly hosted training camps for the All Blacks, the Black Ferns, the Hurricanes, and visiting international test teams.
4. Championship Dominance and The Elite Pipeline
Competing in the fiercely physical Manawatū Senior A competition, Massey University has consistently been a championship frontrunner, locking horns in legendary academic and local derbies against rivals like Varsity (when the club split/evolved alongside other faculties), College Old Boys, and Kia Toa.
The club has been an indispensable nursery for the Manawatū Turbos provincial team and the Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise, consistently producing international talent:
Early Era Keith Gudsell (All Black midfielder/winger), Bob Burgess (All Black First 5/8)
Professional Era Mark “Cowboy” Shaw (Hard-nosed All Black loose forward), Aaron Cruden (World Cup-winning All Black flyhalf)
Modern & Sevens Kurt Baker (All Blacks Sevens legend and double Commonwealth Games Gold medalist)
Today, Massey University Rugby Club continues to successfully balance high-performance sports science with the traditional, vibrant camaraderie of university student rugby, keeping the Saxe Blue tradition firmly alive in Palmerston North.
