Puni Rugby Football & Sports Club

Club History

Puni Rugby Football & Sports Club: Although rugby was played in the area from the late 19th century (often as part of the wider Franklin Rugby Union formed in 1893), the modern Puni club has deep roots in the post-WWII era of community rebuilding. Known affectionately as the “Puni Panthers,” the club is famous for its grassroots spirit and “never-say-die” attitude. The club typically competes in black and gold (or variations of yellow/black). Puni is a member of the Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union (CMRFU). They have historically navigated the challenges of being a smaller rural club, sometimes facing periods without junior teams before seeing recent resurgences in their “nursery” and youth grades. Matches against neighbors like Pukekohe and Waiuku are staples of the local calendar. In 2016, a match against the Pukekohe Reserves marked the first time the two clubs had faced off in over 20 years, highlighting the fluctuating nature of small-club senior divisions. The name “Te Puni” (often associated with the club’s history) honors the Te Āti Awa chief Hōniana Te Puni-kokopu, a significant figure in early New Zealand history who was a signatory to the Treaty of Waitangi.

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Puni Panthers Rugby Club Tour of America 1984

Club:

Year published:

Author:

Page count:

Notes:

Puni Rugby Football & Sports Club

1984

Dusky McCort

16 pages

A small booklet published for the Puni Rugby Clubs tour of America in 1984. No history of the club is included in the booklet

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Puni Panthers Rugby Club Tour of America 1984

Club:

Puni Rugby Football & Sports Club

Year:

1984

Author:

Dusky McCort

Pages:

16 pages

Notes:

A small booklet published for the Puni Rugby Clubs tour of America in 1984. No history of the club is included in the booklet

Club History