Tauranga Sports 30-year reunion a time for reflection

Tauranga Sports stalwarts Graeme Moore (left) and Allan Connal both played an integral role in the club's establishment 30 years ago. Photo / Andrew Warner

In the late 1980s, the Ōtūmoetai Cadets and Tauranga Old Boys, like many sports clubs, were struggling for survival. The writing was on the wall and rather than continue battling each other for players, resources and supporters, they saw amalgamation as the best path forward. They worked tirelessly throughout 1988 and in 1989 the Tauranga Sports Club was born. The decision has been an overwhelming success as the club's premier rugby team has been one of the dominant forces in the Baywide competition and the netball programme has thrived. On Saturday, the club's stalwarts got together to celebrate its 30-year reunion.During the last 30 years, Tauranga Sports life member Graeme Moore's fierce passion for the club has never wavered. He is known to affectionately refer to the current crop of players as "his boys" and will only talk to them post-match if they have won.

Moore knows a thing or two about playing the game himself. Between 1967-1980 he scored 62 tries for Bay of Plenty, which is still the all-time record.

He was the president of the Ōtūmoetai Cadets in 1987 and said many clubs at the time were either amalgamating or disappearing. He went to Tauranga Old Boys and floated the idea of combining resources as the Tauranga Sports Club.

A group of Tauranga Sports old boys took the chance to reminisce during the club's 30-year reunion. Photo / Andrew Warner

The new club was established in 1989 and on Saturday the joint venture celebrated its 30th anniversary.

"It was a good occasion, it was low-key. People came from out of town and appeared to be enjoying themselves no end. [Tauranga Sports' premier team] won on the field as well which was good.

"In 1987, both clubs had a long history of intense rivalry but they were competing for the same people and resources. In 1988, myself and the Old Boys president set up a steering committee and we sorted all the intricacies of amalgamation throughout a year and in 1999 we became one club, Tauranga Sports."

It's not a matter of we must win and we are the best, it's a matter of doing the best for your community.

Tauranga Sports life member Graeme Moore

Moore said the joint pool of players had allowed Tauranga Sports to enjoy success during the last three decades.

"We have been the most successful club in Bay of Plenty's history. It's absolutely pleasing. It's not a matter of we must win and we are the best, it's a matter of doing the best for your community.

"Other clubs like Te Puna and Rangataua and Greerton, they have a specific community that identifies with the club. Perhaps we don't have that so much but we have a winning name and a winning culture - we're very fortunate that players who come to town want to play for us and bring their experience and ability."

Also at the reunion was Allan Connal, who was one of the Ōtūmoetai Cadets players who became a Tauranga Sports player in 1989. He said that inaugural year was an exciting time for the club.

"That first year, we had quite a good team having combined the two clubs together, the cream of the crop. Unfortunately, some had to go elsewhere but it was a good team. Back in those days sub-union rugby was pretty strong and our whole team made the Tauranga sub-union team.

"We played an Auckland team that had a couple of future All Blacks in it, the likes of Robin Brooke and Eric Rush. That was pretty special and we had great camaraderie back then.

"There were always going to be some teething problems early on but as players we just got on with it, there was no drama there. We were just there to play and play we did, everything went along nicely."

He has been a staunch supporter of the club since, in fact he and his wife, who played netball for Tauranga Sports, got married at the clubrooms in 1992.

"It was the first marriage in the new club which was really special. We had a good input into the club and everybody from admin through to the players knew us pretty well so it was just fitting. It was a great way to go about it."

Connal said these days, Tauranga Sports was revered by rivals.

"It's a feared club, it's always had quality players in sports across the board, the netball's always involved. They incorporated that well into the whole club scene, the girls didn't feel left out, they were part of the club themselves."