Boys' game to celebrate RFU's 125th jubilee year

There will be a historic rugby match played at Collegiate School tomorrow morning as part of the Wanganui RFU's 125th jubilee.

The game will be between under-14 teams from Wanganui Old Boys and Collegiate School, two of the foundation members of the WRFU when it was formed in 1888.

The Wanganui club was formed in 1872 after the first game of rugby was played in the city and Collegiate became involved in the sport in 1886.

Wanganui and Collegiate played a game during the WRFU's centenary in 1987 and tomorrow's 11am match is part of the longevity between the club and school. In 1915, for example, there is an entry in the Wanganui club's minute books when members resolved to accept an invitation to join forces with Collegiate School Old Boys for the duration of the war hostilities. Between the two clubs, around 84 members were called up into the armed forces for World War I.

Collegiate has been a nursery for thousands of players over the years, including numerous All Blacks, and the Wanganui club has provided five of Wanganui's 17 All Blacks.

For tomorrow's game, which will be refereed by Liam Wilsher, the Wanganui and Old Boys team has been selected from boys who played for the club, boys whose fathers played for the club and boys nominated by Cullinane, City College and High School.

The team, to assemble at the Izard Centre at 10am, is - Joe Healey, Jeffery Marshall, Joe Hazelhurst, Michael Dowman, Stanley Godnit-Parr, Braydan Maua, Chris Breuer, Connor Benge, Ayzak Bennett, Ryan van den Broek, Liam Cox (WOB), David Marriner, Wiremu Hiri (WHS), Caleb Gosney (Cullinane), Joshua Larkin and Sheldon Pakinga-Manhire (WCC).

Any enquiries to John Thurlow (06 343 5852).

The after-match is in the Collegiate dining hall at 12.30pm with parents invited to attend.