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Red Machine

The Red Machine
No 2. May, 2005

Great line-up for British and Irish Lions visit
A great line-up of speakers at club dinners in June includes Welsh rugby writer Stephen Jones, All Black legend Colin Meads, former All Black fullback John Gallagher, and commentator Keith Quinn - just part of the entertainment organised by MSP for the Lions games. For full details, see below.

PACIFIC ISLAND NIGHT: Brothers Ene (left) and Lome Fa’atau (centre), along with Fa’atonu Fili (right) pictured at a recent clubrooms social with a Pacific Island theme. Fa’atonu played his last premier game for MSP on 30 April before his move to Taranaki where he will attempt to make the Taranaki NPC team. A St Pat’s Town old boy, Fa’atonu played professionally in Japan last year and has also played for the Hurricanes Development team. Ene is a loosie in the premiers, while Lome is often at club trainings and helping out when not with the Hurricanes. The 30 April game, a 29-7 win over Avalon, saw MSP regain the Joe Aspell Cup. Hurricane Kristian Ormsby turned out for MSP and scored a try.

There but for the grace of God...
by John Spillane
MSP chairman

Let’s just for a minute imagine a club struggling for players, represented in only a few grades in the competition and facing a grim ­future in this amateur environment. Let’s imagine a clubrooms where 20–30 people is a crowd, a junior rugby club with five or so teams, a club living in its ‘once great past’ and dreaming of another day in the sun.

This is a story becoming all too common in amateur rugby and one that will no doubt be repeated in the future. By contrast, MSP is in ‘good nick’, but we should not take what we have for granted.

We have good player numbers, we are represented throughout the grades and we are enjoying great attendance at a clubrooms that is bouncing to the sounds of Kalolo’s unique music mixes. We are enjoying success now (as in the past), and we are in a very strong position compared to many other clubs because of each of you!

Players, supporters, parents, friends – each of you is an integral part of the success of MSP.
Winning competitions is great (don’t for one minute think any of the coaches or players do not want the silverware), but we also measure success in a crowded clubrooms and in a fully attended training run on a wet Thursday.

We believe MSP is successful if we can provide a place people are happy to bring their partners and families, and we see success when we hear kids tell their parents they aren’t ready to go home yet!

The clubroom walls are covered with the pictures and names of many people who have worn the jersey, but the walls could not begin to host the names of all those who have contributed to our unique make-up.

Five weeks into the new ­season and a very big thank you to ­everyone who has paid their subs, attended a game, pulled on a jersey, logged onto the website or had a drink at the bar.
Thanks to everyone who opens Monday’s Dominion Post at the club rugby report and reads the review of Saturday’s game first.

Thanks to everyone for contributing in any way, and please keep up your support. We only need to look at the opening few paragraphs to see what this club could be without it.

A voice for amateur rugby on WRFU board

TONY DUFFIN

Restoring amateur rugby to full health is the top priority for MSP life member Tony Duffin who was recently elected chairman of the Wellington Rugby Board. The board is charged with looking after all aspects of the amateur game in Wellington and Tony was elected to the position at the ­union’s AGM on 31 March.

Along with newly elected vice-chairman Bryan Yeoman from Petone, he will also sit on the ­WRFU’s board of directors. “Our main concern is the health of amateur rugby in Wellington which has fallen away in the past 10 years,” says Tony. “We have to stop fooling ourselves that more players are playing the game.”

The amateur game has not fared well under the change to professional rugby, he says, and next year’s expansion of the Super 12 and Tri-Nations will do nothing to enhance it. “Too many top decision makers don’t see that rugby is still a game, not just a business. We have to work hand in glove with the professional game to grow serious rugby at the grassroots.”

The key issue is that not enough people are playing serious rugby in enough clubs, he says.
The total number of teams playing in Wellington last year was 134, down from 176 in 1996. Some previously big clubs are now fielding as few as seven teams.

Tony believes his election reflected a ‘mood for change’ in Wellington clubs, particularly after they were left out of the allocation of test tickets for this year’s Lions tour. Traditionally, the NZRFU has ­allocated tickets which clubs use to reward volunteers or as fundraisers, but this year they were cut out of the loop.

Tony says despite some good initiatives, such as the return of an under-19 grade and the dividend paid to clubs, a lot remains to be done. In June the board will vote on a new format for premier club rugby, but Tony says the problems run far deeper than just revamping the top competition.

Tony was made an MSP life ­member in 2001. In his playing days a prop in the club’s highly successful 1978-80 premier sides, he has also been club captain, treasurer, MC and Shamrock Club committee member.

Under-19s sample country rugby
Playing out of town took on a new meaning for MSP’s under-19 side on 30 April when they travelled two-and-a-half hours by bus to play Wairarapa team East Coast.

Two of the nine teams in the under-19 grade are from the Wairarapa, with East Coast based in the tiny settlement of Whareama half-way between Riversdale and Castlepoint – miss the turn off, and you’ll end up at the beach.

MSP won a physical encounter 26-8 with the country boys playing some willing rugby against the city slickers. A full meal was put on after the game at the club’s excellent facilities.

MSP’s other away game will be at Eketahuna and again they will travel in a bus paid for by the WRFU. Bouyed by some big wins in their early games, the under-19s are playing good rugby and have had just one loss, 5-8 against HOB Marist.

OBITUARIES
The club extends its sympathy to the families and friends of two recently deceased life members.

Frank Buchanan
A lifelong and enthusiastic supporter of Marist rugby, Frank Buchanan was already a life member of the Marist club when it merged with St Pats to form MSP in 1971. From the mid-1950s he spent a decade in administration at Marist, including several years as president.

Frank served in the 3rd New Zealand Division in the Pacific in the Second World War. He spent much of his working life in the Post Office and was a senior executive when he retired.

His wife Rawinia also built up a wonderful record in rugby administration. From the 1930s she served for 50 years as the Wellington Rugby Union’s ticketing officer.

Their son Dr Leo Buchanan ­remains a keen MSP supporter, and grandson Joe has played for the St Pats Town 1st XV and the MSP under-21s.

F.K. (Pat) McInerney OBE
Pat McInerney played a crucial role in ensuring a successful merger of the St Pats and Marist rugby clubs to form Marist St Pats. Originally involved in the Marist club, he became the newly amalgamated club’s first secretary from 1970-71 after playing a major part in negotiating and drafting the new club’s rules.

In his job at the Post Office, Pat rose to the position of Director General. After moving away from Wellington, he ran a hotel in Hawke’s Bay where Marist club members were always very welcome.

Modest, hard working and a very capable administrator, Pat was 71 when he passed away in Greytown in January 2005.

AROUND THE TRAPS
Colts going well
MSP’s under-21 side is recording some good wins, with the latest a 47-19 win over Norths on 30 April. Centre Numi Mika scored three tries and first-five Dustin Archer put on a flawless kicking performance with five conversions and four penalties.

Their sole loss was to an Upper Hutt team coached by former NPC coach Dave Rennie. The colts are captained by Tau Moemai and coached by former MSP premiers Richard Higgs, Chad Smith, and Dave McGuinness. Seasoned administrator Geraldine Woods has come on board as manager to keep everyone in line.

Senior 1s unbeaten
The club’s second team, the senior 1s, are also enjoying a successful start to the season with five wins from five games. Captained by Kene Lafoga and coached by Liam Halpin, the young side has already recorded a 30-3 win over Ories, last year’s winners of the grade.

Website popular
This website chalked up 6346 hits during April, with 1407 in the last week. The weekly draw, table of results, and the newsletter were the most popular pages.

Coming up at MSP...
For the social calendar, see Events.

JUNIORS UNDERWAY FROM 7 MAY: Junior rugby kicks off on Saturday 7 May when upwards of 28 teams of budding MSP All Blacks take to the playing fields. Pictured above are members of last year’s under-8 Hurricanes. For any queries about the Junior Club, contact convenor Dan Tait-Jamieson. Ph 475 9909. Email: dan@t-j.co.nz.

Full social calendar for British and Irish Lions visit
The Shamrock Club has arranged a full social calendar around the Lions games in Wellington, including dinners, social events, and topline speakers.

Welsh rugby writer Stephen Jones will speak at the dinner on Friday 1 July, the night before the test, along with former All Black John Gallagher. As chief rugby writer for the Sunday Times, Jones’ views on the Super 12 and the All Blacks have attracted a lot of comment in New Zealand.

On Thursday 30 June another ­dinner will be hosted at the clubrooms, this time mainly for visiting Lions’ supporters. All Black legend Colin Meads and commentator Keith Quinn are sure to provide a great night’s entertainment.

Much of the social activity will take place at the popular Boatshed and Rowers’ function rooms on the waterfront. The Shamrock Club is a fundraising group within MSP who aim to bring together individuals and businesses who support Marist rugby, and their activities have greatly benefited the club in recent years. Tickets to the functions below will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

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