The toe kickers are back
A rugby tournament that salutes the generosity of All Black legend Bob Scott and his barefoot prowess will benefit younger players
The spirit of generosity from a Whangamata late All Black legend is alive and kicking — in bare feet. The Bob Scott toe kickers on Saturday, October 17 will celebrate former All Black Bob and bring teams from afar to the Whangamata Rugby Club.
The festival celebrates old boys rugby and the legend of Bob, who played rugby with bare feet.
Whangamata’s Kevin Brookes, aka Brookesy, remembers the reaction from Bob when he mooted the idea of a toe kickers annual tournament in Bob’s honour.
“I sat down and had a cup of tea with Bob and said ‘what do you reckon?’
“He was so over the moon that he had his own rugby team and he was so generous. He gave all of his memorabilia away.
“He was all about helping and giving back. That legacy is the most important thing. You’ve got to do something to help yourself and he would help you along the way any way he could. Whether it was with a smile, a story or some memorabilia that you could auction off. That was him.”
Helping young rep players play red rugby is the focus of the event, with fundraisers like the ‘fish in the barrow’, selling tickets to a win of fresh snapper, kahawai and crayfish which can raise up to $3000. Most of the win is consumed on site.
“People who come along open their wallets and give us some money, they know what it’s about, and that’s in honour of Bob who was just so generous.
“With the fundraising, we helped the secondary school team and all the rep players with vouchers. It’s for all the players that go out and play red rugby,” says Brookesy.
Brookesy’s own dad, World War II veteran Roy Brookes, is among legends who played the game into old age.
Roy was still playing old boys rugby at age 92.
“I’ve got great memories seeing the old boys playing together. It’s definitely about camaraderie, that’s the beauty of it, it’s why we keep doing it. The real winner is rugby. We’ve been able to financially help players.”
Among beneficiaries of the fundraising from the event this year will be Bob Scott’s great-grandson Callum Whatley, who captained the Whangamata Area School First XV to victory in the Thames Valley Secondary Schools championship this year.
Bob was all about team support, and anyone who wanted to play rugby had to pay a sub and join the club to support other players.
A WWII veteran, Bob’s 90th birthday at the Whangamata RSA had many All Black legends in attendance.
“They all revered Bob and what he stood for. He’s like the Damian Mckenzie of the modern area, he was a very small stature of a man, same style of rugby when it was a game for all sizes.
“In the modern era, you see the big and burly guys, but old boys rugby allows other people to play the game as well.”
The Tairua Pipi Pickers were regular competitors in the game, and this weekend will feature 11 teams playing from all over New Zealand, including Mt Maunganui which is bringing 50 supporters and players.