Old Boys Marist Rugby Club (Whangarei)

Club History

The Old Boys Marist Rugby Club (Whangarei) (commonly referred to as OBM Whangārei) is a prominent community cornerstone of Northland club rugby. Based in the heart of Whangārei, the club has a rich legacy operating under the Northland Rugby Football Union (NRFU).

The Merger and Centennial

The modern OBM club is the product of an amalgamation between two local rugby entities:

• Whangārei Old Boys RFC: Founded in 1922 by former local high school students.

• Marist RFC (Whangārei): A much younger club, founded in 1988.

Because the core identity traces directly back to the founding of Whangārei Old Boys, the club officially celebrated its 100-Year Centenary over Matariki Weekend in June 2022, honoring a century of local rugby heritage.

Home Ground and Community Hub

• Location: 136 Riverside Drive, Pohe Island, Whangārei.

• The Precinct: OBM’s clubrooms and fields are centrally located at Pohe Island, an area that has developed into a major sporting precinct for the city.

The club serves as a vital community hub, facilitating highly active Senior Men’s and Women’s teams (including partnerships like the Moerewa-OBM premier women’s side), alongside a robust Junior Management Board (JMB) program that introduces hundreds of local Whangārei children to the sport each season.

Provincial Connection

Competing in the Northland Premiership, OBM has long been a key development pipeline for the Northland Taniwha provincial team. The club is well-known across the region for its gritty, community-focused club culture, routinely fostering local talent that moves up into the National Provincial Championship (NPC) and Super Rugby pathways.

Old-Boys-Marist-Rugby-club-whangarei-1922-2022

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Old Boys Marist Rugby Football & Sports Club 1922 to 2022. Celebrating 100 Years

Club:

Year published:

Author:

Page count:

Notes:

Old Boys Marist Rugby Club (Whangarei)

2022

Doug Smith

24 pages

Nice 24-page booklet celebrating the centennial of the Old Boys Marist Rugby Club. As Old Boys were formed in 1922, it is really their centenary. Marist were formed in 1988.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Old Boys Marist Rugby Football & Sports Club 1922 to 2022. Celebrating 100 Years

Club:

Old Boys Marist Rugby Club (Whangarei)

Year:

2022

Author:

Doug Smith

Pages:

24 pages

Notes:

Nice 24-page booklet celebrating the centennial of the Old Boys Marist Rugby Club. As Old Boys were formed in 1922, it is really their centenary. Marist were formed in 1988.

Club History