The New Plymouth High School Old Boys Rugby Club (most commonly known today as NPOB or Old Boys) is one of the pillars of the robust Taranaki club rugby scene. Based in New Plymouth, the club has over a century of history deeply intertwined with local schoolboy roots and elite provincial success.
Foundation and Schoolboy Roots (1919)
The club was officially founded in 1919. Its establishment was directly tied to New Plymouth High School (which had just recently become the all-boys New Plymouth Boys’ High School in 1914).
The club was formed to give the flood of rugby-playing school leavers and returning servicemen from World War I a highly organized, competitive environment to continue playing senior rugby together. Right from its inception, the club drew heavily on the fierce discipline and hard-nosed forward play traditionally taught at the high school.
Establishing Vogeltown Park
While many historical clubs across New Zealand shifted locations or succumbed to modern mergers, NPOB established a permanent, sprawling home that allowed it to remain entirely independent.
The club set up its official headquarters at Vogeltown Park on Carrington Street. Over the decades, the venue grew into a premium local rugby facility featuring three floodlit playing fields, dedicated changing blocks, and a vibrant community social clubrooms. Vogeltown Park remains an intimidating fortress for visiting Taranaki club sides.
Taranaki Dominance and Rivalries
Throughout the mid-to-late 20th century, Old Boys cemented themselves as a premier powerhouse in the Taranaki premier club competition. They developed a fierce, legendary cross-town rivalry with Tukapa Rugby Club (based at Sanders Park). The annual local derbies between NPOB and Tukapa remain some of the most hotly anticipated, physical grassroots fixtures in the province, drawing massive local crowds.
The Modern Multi-Sport Era
As amateur sports evolved, NPOB adapted by transitioning from a pure rugby entity into a comprehensive “Rugby Football and Sports Club.” While rugby remains the crown jewel, the Vogeltown Park hub has successfully expanded into junior sports networks, community event hosting, and multi-sport alignments.
Entering its second century of operation, the club remains a thriving independent force. It fields thriving Premier, Division 1, and Colts teams, alongside a massive junior rugby program consisting of hundreds of local kids wearing the white jersey every Saturday morning.
