Tokanui club marks centenary in style

The good old days when Tokanui was Southland’s top rugby team was one of the conversation topics at the club’s centennial at the weekend.

A formal dinner was held on Friday night, and rugby games for the club’s different age groups were played against Wyndham on Saturday.

Wyndham won the division one game 25-17.

Former player Lex Chisholm said his most memorable experience was in 1978, when the team won the Galbraith Shield in the Rugby Southland premier grade.

It was a team stacked with talented players, Mr Chisholm said.

"We had eight Southland reps, present or past."

In those days the team only had three home games because it was deemed too far for the rest of the teams to travel.

"We begged to be in the competition so we had to play under their rules."

Tokanui Rugby Club oldest life member Peter Lyders (left) and Ken Sangster, the oldest former...
Tokanui Rugby Club oldest life member Peter Lyders (left) and Ken Sangster, the oldest former player who attended Friday night’s dinner, cut the club’s 100th anniversary birthday cake. PHOTO: CALA PAENGA
Most of the games were played at Rugby Park.

"They were great days."

After winning the competition, the team took part in a world club tournament.

"There [were] 54 teams in Hawaii and we were fortunate enough to win it which was very, very special times with a very, very special bunch of people."

Centennial organising committee chairman Phil Golden said the celebration had gone well, with about 240 people attending the dinner.

Black Fern Amy du Plessis and television host Matt Chisholm were the speakers.

"It went off brilliantly."

Former players from Australia and the North Island attended the events.

Tokanui midfield back Keiran Short has his run up the field stopped by his opposite number Joe...
Tokanui midfield back Keiran Short has his run up the field stopped by his opposite number Joe McRae of Wyndham during a Rugby Southland division1 game played in Tokanui on Saturday. A good-sized crowd watched the game, which was part of the club’s centennial celebrations. PHOTO: SANDY EGGLESTON
"[It was] great to catch up with a lot of people we hadn’t seen for a long time."

Club member Cala Paenga and other members of the book committee had talked to many of the older club members and written their memories down.

A 270-page book had been published and would be launched at club day.

"It’s brilliant," Mr Golden said.

The strength of the club was the people, he said.

"We’ve had our ups and downs; two or three times we’ve looked at amalgamating with another team, but we’ve stuck at it."

In the past players had travelled from Invercargill to play for the club, but the team now mostly comprised men who lived and worked in the district.

"They all get on well, and come and speak to us old guys here."

sandy.eggleston@odt.co.nz

 

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