Katikati rugby's 145-year roots traced to Ulster settlers

As Katikati prepares to mark 150 years since its Ulster Irish settlers arrived, the town's rugby club is celebrating its own remarkable milestone — 145 years of the game being played in the community. Author and former local player Steve Graveson, who wrote the 140-year history of the Katikati Rugby Football Club, explains how rugby took hold almost from the moment those first Irish families stepped ashore in 1875.

With money tight and infrastructure scarce, the settlers needed something to bring them together and lift their spirits. Rugby filled that role, drawing together not only the Irish newcomers but also local tangata whenua men, who took to the game with great enthusiasm. From the 1920s through to the 1950s, the club was among the leading sides in the Thames Valley Union before shifting to the Bay of Plenty Union in 1965. Its proudest on-field achievement came in 1986 when it claimed the Bay-wide Championship.

The club has weathered economic hardship, two world wars, the Great Depression, and a global pandemic, all while giving the community players and heroes to rally behind each Saturday. Today, the Polynesian community adds its own vibrant energy and passion to the club's story, continuing a tradition of different cultures finding common ground through the game.

The 150th anniversary celebrations kick off on Friday, 12 September, with a 'Rugby Remembers – Lest We Forget' event running from 2pm to 4.30pm at the Katikati War Memorial Hall. The public is welcome, and more information is available at katikati150celebration.co.nz.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).