Rakaunui Rugby Club

Club History

Rakaunui Rugby Club is a historical New Zealand rugby club with a short but rich history tied to early 20th-century grassroots rugby in the lower North Island.

Key Details & History

• Formation: The club was established in the early 1900s in the Rakaunui/Tiraumea area, playing in the Puketoi Rugby Sub-Union (which was part of the broader Bush Rugby Football Union territory in the Wairarapa/Manawatu/Tararua region).

• Colors: Rakaunui originally played in black jerseys before adopting their signature dark green jerseys featuring a diagonal gold slash.

• Notable Players: The club’s most prominent player was Maurice Connor, who represented the Bush Union in provincial rugby and was selected as an All Black trialist.

• Dissolution & Legacy: During the 1920s, the club became defunct. Its players joined the newly formed Tiraumea Rugby Club, which later evolved into what is known today as the Puketoi Rugby Club.

Published History
The history of the club and the surrounding district is documented in detail in the book Tiraumea – The History of Tiraumea and Districts (2006) by Ngaire Burns. The book includes dedicated sections covering the origin, matches, and players of the early Rakaunui Rugby Football Club.

Rakaunui-club-the-history-of-tiraumea-and-districts

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Tiraumea – The History of Tiraumea and Districts

Club:

Year published:

Author:

Page count:

Notes:

Rakaunui Rugby Club

2006

Ngaire Burns

444 pages

A wonderful book on the history of the Tiraumea region, situated in the old Bush rugby union territory. There are 3 pages on the Rakaunui rugby club, formed in the early 1900’s but who became defunct in the 1920’s, with the players moving to the newly formed Tiraumea rugby club (now Puketoi rugby club).

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Tiraumea – The History of Tiraumea and Districts

Club:

Rakaunui Rugby Club

Year:

2006

Author:

Ngaire Burns

Pages:

444 pages

Notes:

Club History