Mid Northern Rugby Club - The Published Histories of New Zealand Rugby Football

Club History

Mid Northern Rugby Club

The Mid Northern Rugby Club is a cornerstone of Northland rugby, famously deeply tied to the rural heartland of the province. Located at the Hukerenui Domain—roughly halfway between Whangārei and Paihia—the club has generated an astonishing amount of top-tier rugby talent relative to its small country community.

Foundations and the “Scarlet Runners” (1962)

The club was established in 1962 following the strategic amalgamation of the Towai-Maromaku and Hukerenui rugby clubs. These individual clubs dated back to the early 1900s.

When Towai and Maromaku initially combined in 1957 (triggered by a shifting boundary between the Bay of Islands and Whangārei rugby unions), they wore bright scarlet jerseys and socks. Because of their lightning-fast pace and bright kit, the team earned the iconic, enduring nickname: The Scarlet Runners. Five years later, the full merger with Hukerenui created the modern Mid Northern club.

The Golden Era and “Going, Going, Gone”

Mid Northern instantly became a powerhouse in the Northland (then North Auckland) club competition during the 1960s and 1970s. They captured undefeated premier championship titles in 1965 and 1970, alongside another championship in 1968.

This era of sheer dominance was heavily driven by one of the most famous families in New Zealand rugby history: the Going brothers (Ken, Brian, and Sid). Playing together out of Mid Northern, the brothers perfected the legendary “blindside triple-scissors movement” on their family lawn, translating it into a lethal weapon on the pitch. Alongside fellow Mid Northern All Black Joe Morgan, they formed the backbone of a formidable era for both club and province.

An Elite Breeding Ground

For a rural, community-run club, Mid Northern’s track record of producing elite rugby talent is exceptionally rare. The club’s honor roll boasts:

• 5 All Blacks: Highlighted by the legendary halfback Sid Going, Ken Going, and Joe Morgan.

• 10 Māori All Blacks * 4 Super Rugby Players

• Over 50 Northland Provincial Representatives

The Modern Club

Today, Mid Northern remains a proud, vibrant community hub at the Hukerenui Domain. The club continues to field robust Premier and Premier Reserve men’s teams in the Northland club premiership, anchored by a highly active junior program that keeps the “Scarlet Runner” legacy thriving for a new generation of country kids.

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Mid Northern Rugby Club Project Fund Match 1971

Club:

Year published:

Author:

Page count:

Notes:

Mid Northern Rugby Club

1971

Rugbyite

16 pages

The Mid Northern rugby club arranged a benefit game on 3rd April 1971 to raise funds toward the clubs ground and building project at Hukerenui Domain. K T Going’s XV played W F McCormick’s XV at Okara Park. The Northland Rugby Union Rugbyite match programme contained much history of the Mid Northern club and its history. Special thanks to Murray Dunn who kindly gifted the programme to enable its inclusion on the site.

mid-northern-rugby-club-1971

mid-northern-rugby-club-1971-2

mid-northern-rugby-club-1971-3

mid-northern-rugby-club-1971-4

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Mid Northern Rugby Club Project Fund Match 1971

Club:

Mid Northern Rugby Club

Year:

1971

Author:

Rugbyite

Pages:

16 pages

Notes:

The Mid Northern rugby club arranged a benefit game on 3rd April 1971 to raise funds toward the clubs ground and building project at Hukerenui Domain. K T Going’s XV played W F McCormick’s XV at Okara Park. The Northland Rugby Union Rugbyite match programme contained much history of the Mid Northern club and its history. Special thanks to Murray Dunn who kindly gifted the programme to enable its inclusion on the site.