High School Old Boys’ Phantoms honour rugby club’s roots with 1925 rules revival

Players in the HSOB Phantoms v Poverty Legends played at Rugby Park on Saturday under the rules of 1925 were: (standing, from left) Stu Pearse, Coll Campbell, Wayne Ensor, Glenn Hamblyn, Peter Cleaver, Kolo Fonohema, Eric Ludwig, Riki Donnelly, Matt Cook, Taine Poole, Kohe Poole, Jonathan Poole, Mark Atkins, Thea Poole, Rama Te Are, Eben Boyder, Hayden Stuart, Tim Barbarich, Willis Tamatea, Tim Lister, Matt Mead, Phill Claffey, Ron Tamatea, James Warren, Duke Taute, Lenny Lloyd, Matt O’Sullivan, Carl Riini, Bruce Amai, Trevor Stuart, Mike Morrissey, Guy Middleton. (Kneeling, from left) Russell Burns, Barney Devery, Koncrete Takarua, Iraia Buchanan, Daniel Waide, Tim Beattie, Hayden Green, Sonny, Hohipa, Scott Leighton, Sione Tamale, John Brown, Te Maire, Lloyd, Blake Pearse, Jared Pearse, Joel Pearse, and (in front) Tom Warren. Photo / Joe Aukuso

Poverty Bay’s victory over South Canterbury may have brought back memories for rugby fans on Saturday, but that didn’t compare to the curtain-raiser between the High School Old Boys’ Phantoms and a Poverty Bay Legends side – played under the rules of 1925.

The Phantoms were paying homage to those players who founded their club in 1925, which led to the HSOB centenary earlier this year.

HSOB stalwart James Warren said the HSOB Phantoms originally were “stars of the Golden Oldies scene back in the 1980s, with Graeme Torrie being a founding member”.

“They have always prized camaraderie over cardio, and the 2025 squad proudly kept that tradition alive.”

The 2025 Phantoms may be getting on in age, but even they were not familiar with 1925 rules such as three-point tries (raised to four points in 1971) and (only in New Zealand) a two-three-two scrum with the eighth man playing as a “wing forward”, which was outlawed after the Great Britain tour of New Zealand in 1930.

The youngest man on the field in the Phantoms-Legends encounter – by several decades – was 17-year-old referee Joel Pearse.

The ref capably “ignored a steady stream of ‘helpful’ advice from everyone in sight“, said Warren.

Tries were plentiful, spirits high, and rugby was the winner.

“Most impressively, nobody limped off early,” said Warren.

“Honorary team doctor Coll Campbell even abandoned his medical bag and joined the game in the second half, presumably confident he wouldn’t need to treat himself.”

After their match, the Phantoms soaked up the afternoon sun on Rugby Park’s embankment, recovered with a barbecue and other refreshments and cheered Poverty Bay on to victory.

The players agreed that playing one game a year was enough, said Warren.

He thanked Poverty Bay manager Carl Riini, along with Mark Atkins (plucked from the grandstand), Ron and Willis Tamatea, Bruce Amai, Rama Te Are and Duke Taute for beefing up the Legends’ ranks and “proving that enthusiasm beats training every time”.