Old Boys sports club readies for centenary
Rugby in the Timaru Old Boys Sports Club is set to celebrate its centennial in style at Queen’s Birthday Weekend.
Originally formed as Timaru High School Old Boys, it is now known as the Timaru Old Boys Sports Club, which also includes netball and squash.
Club chairman Michael ‘‘Lizzard’’ Lang is hoping to get up to 300 former and current rugby players to the centennial.
‘‘The response so far has been great and we have a really hardworking centennial committee trying to get the message out that it is on.
‘‘It’s also an opportunity to get your old mates together no matter what grade you played and have a catch-up and some fun.’’
The celebrations include a gettogether on May 31 and a dinner at the Southern Trust Events Centre on June 1.
Lang said a highlight will be the two rugby clashes at School Park with the club’s senior and senior B sides lining up against its historic foe, Temuka.
‘‘Both clubs have a long history and during the 100 years have fought many a great battle,’’ he said.
Playing in royal blue, Old Boys have been senior rugby champions on 15 occasions and can claim seven All Blacks during their history.
The club’s biggest successes were in the 1920s and 1970s when they were champions on five occasions each during those decades.
From 1974 to 1986, the senior championship only had two victors – Old Boys and Temuka – so it is appropriate Old Boys have chosen the Magpies for the centennial game.
Old Boys last held the Skinner Cup (now the Hamersley Cup) aloft in 1983.
The club’s committee has been working hard during the past few years to get the senior side back in contention, without luck. This year the side has been boosted with the arrival of some new blood from throughout New Zealand and beyond.
With new coach Aaron Coles (who played 99 senior games) and assistant Matt Powell, pre-season training began in January.
The Senior B squad will be coached by Mike Hogan, Allister Henderson and Robbie Rankin – three passionate club members who hope to transfer that to the team.
Henderson holds the club record with more than 300 senior games – a record that seems unlikely to ever be beaten.
Other famous club names include All Blacks Lyn Jaffray (7 tests), Tom Lister (8), Allan Stewart (8), Charlie Saxton (3), William ‘‘Archie’’ Strang (5), Gordon ‘‘GP’’ Lawson and Ron Stewart (5).
Saxton, a halfback, would have likely played more if World War Two had not intervened.
Two others who played for Old Boys and then moved away and became All Blacks were Sydney Cabot in the 1920s and Alister Hopkinson in the 1960s.
Outside rugby, the Old Boys premier netball side has been one of the best performed teams in the South Canterbury competition.
The club also operates the region’s premier touch module during the summer months, boosting funds.
❚ For more information on the ‘‘100 Years of Old Boys’’ and the centennial celebrations go to www.timaruoldboys.com or contact Dave Johnson on 027 4347198.