The real beginnings of the Waitemata Rugby Club go back more than 100 years to 1888 or thereabouts, when the first known Henderson Rugby team took the field against a team from a visiting ship. Interdistrict competition began shortly after this and thrived on seeing new clubs established at Oratia, Hobsonville, Waimauku and Swanson until 1926, when the need to participate within the Auckland Rugby Union competition was recognised. In March 1927, a meeting of the Western clubs, except for Oratia, decided to amalgamate and form a new club called Waitemata. Colours adopted were those of Henderson – a black jersey with two hoops of red and green and black shorts. In 1955 Waitemata won promotion to Senior A for the first time and three years later made history by winning the Gallaher Shield. 1958 also saw the selection of the club’s first All Black, Adrian Clarke. In 1962 and 1975, the club again won the Gallaher Shield along with the Alan McEvoy Trophy, and the team enjoyed an unbeaten record in 1962.