Riwaka Rugby Club

Club History

The Riwaka Rugby Club, based at Cooks Reserve in Riwaka (near Motueka at the top of the South Island), is one of the oldest grassroots rugby clubs in the Tasman region.

Key Historical Milestones

1. Early Foundations (1884)

• Origins: Founded in 1884, early fixtures were played against local Golden Bay sides.

• Tough Travel: Before proper roads existed, trips to Golden Bay involved traveling over rough tracks on Friday afternoons and returning on Sunday.

• Nelson Competition: Riwaka joined the Nelson Rugby Union in 1899, eventually winning the Nelson Junior Cup in 1908 after years of competitive travel to Nelson.

2. Mergers and Re-Establishment (1909–1936)

• Kia Ora & Motueka Sub-Union: In 1909, Riwaka temporarily amalgamated with the Huia Club to form Kia Ora. Riwaka reformed independently in 1910, won the Junior competition, and stepped up to Senior level in 1911.

• Sub-Union Split: With the creation of the Motueka Sub-Union in 1912, the club was split into local area sides—Wanderers (Brooklyn/Umukuri area) and Tikaokao (Riwaka area).

• Re-Reformation (1936): In 1936, Wanderers and Tikaokao merged back together to officially reform the Riwaka Rugby Club, which has operated continuously under that name ever since.

a-history-of-the-riwaka-rugby-club-from-1884-1911

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

A History of Riwaka Rugby Football Club from 1884 – 1911

Club:

Year published:

Author:

Page count:

Notes:

Riwaka Rugby Club

1957

Not stated

9 pages

To view a pdf of the pages click here.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

A History of Riwaka Rugby Football Club from 1884 – 1911

Club:

Riwaka Rugby Club

Year:

1957

Author:

Not stated

Pages:

9 pages

Notes:

To view a pdf of the pages click here.

Club History