King Country Rugby Football Union

King Country Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)Rams
Founded1922
RegionKing Country
Ground(s)Rugby Park, Te Kūiti
Owen Delany Park, Taupō
Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
ChairmanRon Thomassen
Coach(es)Aarin Dunster
Captain(s)Liam Rowlands
League(s)Heartland Championship
20245th (Lochore Cup champions)
Team kit
Official website
www.kingcountryrugby.co.nz

The King Country Rugby Football Union is a constituent union in the New Zealand Rugby Union. It is located in the central North Island of New Zealand in an area known as the King Country. It was formed in 1922 when the South Auckland Rugby Union was split into three (the other two Unions formed were Waikato and Thames Valley).

The King Country team play home matches at Owen Delany Park, Taupō, Rugby Park, Te Kūiti and Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui. King Country, like many other heartland unions, have struggled since the start of professional era. In 1996, King Country were in the first division of the NPC and in just 6 years were in the third division.

History

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The original King Country Rugby Union was formed in 1905 by the Manunui, Matapuna, Oio and Kakahi rugby clubs. In 1907, the newly formed Taumarunui rugby club replaced Oio.

The current King Country Rugby Football Union was formed in 1922, by the amalgamation of the first King Country Rugby Union (which was renamed as the Taumarunui Sub-union in 1922) along with the Ruapehu Sub-union in Ohakune (founded 1908), Maniapoto Sub-union in Te Kūiti (1907) and Ōhura Valley Sub-union (1920). These were joined by Ōtorohanga Sub-union in 1927, Kawhia in 1926 (founded 1920) and Kaitieke in 1933 with the Taupō Sub-union transferring from the Hawkes Bay Rugby Union in 1987. The Ruapehu Sub-union returned to its original parent union the Wanganui Rugby Union in 1970.

This was the second attempt to establish a Rugby Union in the middle of the North Island, as in 1920 the Rangatiki, Taihape, Ruapehu sub-unions (all affiliated to the Wanganui Rugby Union), and the King Country Union (affiliated to South Auckland) had applied for affiliation as the Main Trunk Union. However, this was declined after the Wanganui Rugby Union objected to the loss of their country players.

In those early years King Country representative games were held in Te Kūiti, Taumarunui and Raetihi or Ohakune. Ōtorohanga was first used for a representative game in 1939 with representative games also being hosted in Tokaanu (1966) and Tūrangi (1967).

King Country played in light blue and green until 1949 when it switched to maroon and gold hoops. In 1980, a maroon jersey with gold collar and cuffs was adopted. The current strip has been used since 1994.

King Country has made 19 challenges for the Ranfurly Shield over the years without success but having come close at times, going down to Taranaki in a hard fought game 11–15 in 1958. In 1969 they came even closer when good mates Colin Meads and Kel Tremain were the respective captains, King Country storming back from 6–19 at half time in a torrid second half before going down 16–19.

A well known and amusing challenge in 1988 against Auckland at Rugby Park in Te Kūiti when “Boris the Boar” mysteriously got onto the field and camped in the Auckland 25 for much of the second half.

With the 2020 Heartland Championship cancelled due to Covid-19, the Rams played three First-Class Fixtures against some of their traditional Heartland Rivals. King Country lost their first match against Wairarapa-Bush in the inaugural Mead-Lochore Scroll Fixture (18–22). The won their second fixture versus East Coast (34–22) and in their final game they became holders of the Sir Colin Meads Memorial log beating Whanganui 16–11 in Taumarunui. This game was also Carl Carmichaels 100th first-class game.

Championships

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Heartland Championship placings

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Heartland Championship Results[1][2][3][4]
Year Pld W D L PF PA PD BP Pts Place Playoffs
Qual SF F
2006 5 0 2 3 77 92 −15 2 6 6th Lochore Cup Won 17–15 against Thames Valley Lost 34–46 to Poverty Bay
2007 5 3 0 2 88 66 +22 2 14 3rd No —
2008 5 3 0 2 119 96 +23 2 14 3rd No —
2009 5 2 0 3 100 111 −11 2 9 5th Lochore Cup Lost 27–31 to North Otago —
2010 5 1 0 4 76 119 −43 2 6 5th No —
2011 8 1 0 7 150 281 −131 1 5 11th No —
2012 8 1 0 7 178 230 −52 5 9 11th No —
2013 8 3 0 5 163 211 −48 3 15 9th No —
2014 8 5 0 3 196 176 +20 5 25 5th Lochore Cup Lost 6–37 to Wanganui —
2015 8 4 1 3 245 192 +53 3 21 7th Lochore Cup Won 20–6 against Buller Won 47–34 against North Otago


Ranfurly Shield

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King Country have never held the Ranfurly Shield.

Year Home Score Away Venue
1922 Hawke's Bay 42–8 King Country Napier
1933 Canterbury 36–0 King Country Christchurch
1952 Waikato 18–8 King Country Hamilton
1958 Taranaki 15–11 King Country New Plymouth
1961 Auckland 17–3 King Country Auckland
1964 Taranaki 21–0 King Country New Plymouth
1966 Auckland 14–6 King Country Auckland
1969 Hawke's Bay 19–16 King Country Napier
1971 North Auckland 16–6 King Country Whangārei
1979 North Auckland 21–6 King Country Whangārei
1980 Auckland 29–3 King Country Auckland
1981 Waikato 22–9 King Country Hamilton
1985 Canterbury 33–0 King Country Christchurch
1988 Auckland 28–0 King Country Te Kūiti
1992 Auckland 42–15 King Country Taupō
1994 Waikato 45–10 King Country Hamilton
1998 Waikato 76–0 King Country Hamilton
2012 Taranaki 67–16 King Country Inglewood
2016 Waikato 55–0 King Country Matamata

King Country in Super Rugby

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King Country along with Waikato, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Thames Valley and Taranaki make up the Chiefs region.

All Blacks

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There have been eight players selected for the New Zealand national team (the All Blacks) while playing for King Country. The most famous King Country All Black is All Black of the Century Colin Meads.

Additionally, former England captain and coach Martin Johnson played for King Country, during his early career. Former Wales hooker Garin Jenkins also spent a spell playing for the province in his younger years.

Player records

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Statistic Value Player Year(s)
Most appearances 146 Paul Mitchell 1988–2001
Most points 925 Hutana Coffin 1983–1995
Most tries 46 Murray Kidd 1974–1984
Most conversions 148 Hutana Coffin 1983–1995
Most penalty goals 178 Hutana Coffin 1983–1995
Most dropped goals 27 Ian Ingham 1959–1970
Most points in a season 230 Hutana Coffin 1992
Most tries in a season 11 Simon Bradley 1992
Most conversions in a season 40 Hutana Coffin 1992
Most penalty goals in a season 45 Hutana Coffin 1992
Most dropped goals in a season 8 Ian Ingham 1966
Most points in a match 33 Hutana Coffin 1992
Most tries in a match 4 Jason Wells 1992
Most conversions in a match 10 Hutana Coffin 1992
Most penalty goals in a match 7 Lee Peina 2000

Visiting international teams to play King Country Rugby Union

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King Country Rugby Union has a long history of playing against visiting international teams and playing them competitively. For a number of these games, King Country paired up with neighbouring unions.

Year Date Home Team Opposition Score (King Country first) Venue
1925 16 September 1925 Waikato/King Country New South Wales 16–19 Taumarunui
1930 2 August 1930 Waikato/Thames Valley/King Country British Isles 16–40 Hamilton
1931 23 September 1931 Waikato/King Country Australia 10–30 Hamilton
1937 28 August 1937 Waikato/Thames Valley/King Country South Africa 3–6 Rugby Park, Hamilton
1939 30 August 1939 King Country Fiji 9–14 Taumarunui
1946 24 August 1946 Taranaki/King Country Australia 8–9 Pukekura Park,New Plymouth
1949 17 August 1949 King Country Australia 6–24 Taumarunui
1950 15 July 1950 Waikato/Thames Valley/King Country British Isles 0–30 Rugby Park, Hamilton
1952 20 August 1952 King Country Australia 6–16 Island Reserve, Ōtorohanga
1954 17 July 1954 King Country NSW Country 9–9 Island Reserve, Ōtorohanga
1955 14 September 1955 Wanganui/King Country Australia 8–38 Cooks Gardens, Whanganui
1956 8 August 1956 Wanganui/King Country South Africa 16–36 Spriggens Park, Whanganui
1957 31 July 1957 King Country Fiji 26–14 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1959 19 August 1959 King Country/Counties British Lions 5–25 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1963 27 April 1963 King Country Queensland Rugby Union 24–6 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1965 4 August 1965 Wanganui/King Country South Africa 19–24 Cooks Gardens, Whanganui
1966 10 August 1966 Wanganui/King Country British Lions 12–6 Cooks Gardens, Whanganui
1968 31 July 1968 King Country France 9–23 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1970 24 June 1970 King Country New South Wales 13–15 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1971 26 May 1971 Wanganui/King Country British Lions 9–22 Spriggens Park, Whanganui
1972 23 August 1972 King Country Australia 6–13 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1974 14 August 1974 King Country Fiji 3–38 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1975 23 July 1975 King Country Tonga 13–18 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1977 1 June 1977 Wanganui/King Country British Lions 9–60 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1979 14 April 1979 King Country Victoria Rugby Union 12–18 Island Reserve, Ōtorohanga
1981 27 May 1981 King Country Scotland 13–39 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1983 20 August 1983 King Country Australia U21 – Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1985 1 May 1985 King Country Queensland Rugby Union 7–18 Rugby Park, Te Kūiti
1989 5 July 1989 King Country Argentina 4–9 Owen Delany Park, Taupō
1991 1 May 1991 King Country Western Samoa 12–21 Rugby Park, Te Kūiti
1991 29 May 1991 King Country Romania 6–28 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1991 18 June 1991 King Country Soviet Union 15–22 Rugby Park, Te Kūiti
1992 13 May 1992 King Country Australian Capital Territories 18–12 Island Reserve, Ōtorohanga
1992 1 July 1992 King Country Tonga 30–8 Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui
1993 24 July 1993 King Country Manu Samoa 21–57 Rugby Park, Te Kūiti
1994 23 June 1994 King Country South Africa 10–46 Owen Delany Park, Taupō
1996 11 June 1996 King Country Manu Samoa 20–27 Rugby Park, Te Kūiti
1997 6 June 1997 King Country Ireland A 32–26 Owen Delany Park, Taupō
1997 13 June 1997 King Country Cook Islands – Owen Delany Park, Taupō

Clubs

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King Country Rugby Football Union is made up of 11 clubs.

Defunct clubs / clubs in recess of King Country

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List of all previously affiliated clubs in King Country Union
by Subunion
Kawhia Otorohanga (Northern King Country) Maniapoto Ohura Valley Taumarunui Kaitieke Tongariro Taupō
Kawhia Otewa Hangatiki Ohura Valley Hikurangi Kaitieke Turangi Wairakei Marist
Oparau Honikiwi Oparure Matiere Ongarue Owhango Pihanga Mangakino
Makomako Otorohanga Huia Te Kūiti Tokirima Taumarunui Athletic Raurimu Rotoaira Tihoi
Taharoa Olympians Te Kuiti Railways Niho Niho Manunui Returuke Rangipo Taupo Athletic
Awaroa Tigers Huia Ohura Kia-Toa Southern United Huimai Waikune Tauhara
Kinohaku Waitomo Valley Aria-Mokauiti Ohura Athletic Tuhua United Downers Mokai
Marokopa Otorohanga Power Board Mangaotaki Ohura Okahukura Example Mountaineers Oruanui
Coast Otorohanga Old Boys Nehenehenui North Ohura Oio (Kakihi) Tokaanu College Old Boys
Karioi Rangitoto Mahoenui Matapuna Rotokawa
Moerangi Waitanguru Ngati Haua Waitahanui
Te Rauamoa Mangapehi Waituhi
Te Waitere Hauaroa
Hauturu Forresters

Secondary schools

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King Country is geographically a large union covering a wide area, however the population is very small, as a result there are only a few secondary schools within the region. As a result King Country Rugby Union doesn't have a consolidated Secondary Schools competition, rather the schools play their rugby in other provinces that can also offer better opportunity such as Waikato and Bay of Plenty Rugby Unions. These schools are still eligible for the King Country Secondary Schools and U19 Rugby Representative teams however.

Together these schools are able to challenge for the Sam Te Kaha Shield, which is a challenge shield between all King Country Secondary Schools.

References

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  1. ^ "Standings (2006–present)". Heartland Championship. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Fixtures and Results (2006–present)". Heartland Championship. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Finalists found in Lochore and Meads Cups". Newshub. 23 October 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  4. ^ "2010 Lochore and Mead Cups finals wrap". Heartland Championship. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
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