Taranaki rugby loses two club stalwarts
Two stalwarts of Taranaki rugby have died within days of each other.
Former Taranaki lock John Mackie and first class referee Murray Dombroski both made significant impacts on the Inglewood United Rugby Club through decades of voluntary service.
Andrew John Mackie was a player, coach, administrator, and life member of the club from 1952 until his death, from a short illness, aged 88, on May 19.
Murray Dombroski, who died on May 22, played club rugby for Inglewood but later made his mark as a respected referee officiating 33 first class games, and one international, between 1975 and 1990.
Both men had a passion for the game of rugby, which they passed on to future generations at the club.
Mackie’s sons, Peter and Chris, and grandson Chris Bayens, all played for Inglewood.
Dombroski’s son, Wayne, a former Taranaki representative, is the current club captain.
Nicknamed ‘Watch’ or Watchdog’, Mackie was known for his quiet manner, club chairman Gavin Midgley said.
‘‘He was a great guy in the club, it was hard to get a harsh word from him," Midgley said.
‘‘He never had to yell to get the best from players when he was a coach, and he always had a smile on his face, even if the team had a loss.’’
Mackie was active and playing bowls up to the time of his death, Midgley said.
Former All Black hooker John Major, who played all his club rugby with Mackie, also remembered his quiet manner ‘‘until he got to know you’’.
Mackie was often seen with wife Helen sitting on fold-out chairs on the sideline supporting Inglewood.
‘‘I don’t think he missed a senior game in all his years of involvement as a player, coach, or spectator,’’ Major said.
Brought up in Tarata, Mackie didn’t play rugby until he went to Wanganui Technical College.
He went on to play 85 games at lock for Taranaki from 1953-64, including 19 Ranfurly Shield games in two Shield eras – 1957-59 and 1963-65.
He played for the North Island, and had an All Black trial in 1963 but faced stiff competition for higher honours during his career from the Meads brothers, Tiny Hill, Alan Stewart and Nev MacEwan.
After finishing playing Mackie coached Inglewood to five senior club championships in 1970 — 10 years after winning the title as a player — and 1978-79, 1981 and 1983.
He was also manager, president, chairman and club captain, and served on the Taranaki Rugby Football Union management committee from 1973-79, and as a Taranaki selector from 1972-77.
In 1982, he was made a life member of the Inglewood United Rugby Club.
Mackie was recently named in an Inglewood XV, which featured former All Black captain Dave Loveridge, and John Major.
Mackie said at the time he was honoured to make the team but it may be the one team he may not be able to make the pitch on.