History: Becoming Aotea Sports Club

75th jubilee players.

The 1970s began promisingly for the club when the senior team won four consecutive matches at the beginning of the season. The team had a core of experienced players which included Waikare Ratima, who was an outstanding player and servant of the club. An annual rugby derby between Aotea and Patea’s Manawapou Club for the Beb Kahu Memorial Cup was also vigorously contested during this time.

1973 saw the establishment of two identical trophies by the family of the late Lui Paewai, one of the club’s favourite sons. The Dannevirke Rugby Sub-union awards the Lui Paewai Trophy to the team scoring the most tries in a season. The first winner of the trophy in 1973 was Dannevirke High School 1st XV. The second Lui Paewai Trophy, presented to the Dannevirke Golf Club, is still played for today.

(From left): George Nepia, Wattie Barclay, Jim McNicol Sr (1924 team), Reihana Rautahi (1938 team) and Dr Nitama Paewai. Taken at Makirikiri Marae for the 75th jubilee on June 3, 1978.

1978 was a big year for the club when in June, it celebrated its 75th anniversary. Many former players attended, including Walter “Wattie” Barclay, George Nepia and Nitama Paewai, who all achieved national honours - Wattie as a captain and selector of the Māori All Blacks; George played for both the All Blacks and Māori All Blacks as well as the NZ Kiwis; and Nitama (”Doc”) played for the Māori All Blacks, and was a reserve on four occasions for the All Blacks but never played a match.

Aotea began the 1980s with a flurry of victories and built on this to win the Hunter Sheild, the Lui Paewai Trophy, the Central Hawkes Bay Rugby Sub-Union Cup and the Stubbs & Miller Challenge Knockout in 1981. The club’s junior team also had a victorious season, winning a trio of trophies, including the UFS Shield (for the top junior team), adeptly coached by Jim McNicol.

To reflect the increased range of sports played at the club, including netball and basketball, the name was changed in 1984 to the Aotea Sports Club. Soccer was added in 1987 when a team was entered in the Manawatū Football Association competition.

Another major accomplishment for the club was the opening of new clubrooms by club stalwarts Aunty Mako Walker and Marge Bassett in 1989. Initially, a number of sites were considered, but the decision to locate the clubrooms across the road from the Makirikiri Marae reflected the team’s deep history and connection, including the genesis of the name Aotea. The purchase of the land and the construction of the clubrooms were considerable financial commitments by club members. Fundraising included selling hāngī until “they were all hāngī-ed out”, and when the final mortgage payment was made, it was a day of relief and celebration.

In 1990, Aotea played in Division 2 in the Hawke’s Bay Provincial competition. The departure that year of several leading players was a challenge the team overcame, winning both the Hunter Shield and the Lui Paewai Trophy. The following years were tough, with a promotion relegation match in 1993, the second in two years which they lost. However, 1994 saw a revival, with a string of remarkable victories for Aotea but it was not until the following year that they were rewarded for their efforts by winning the HB Provincial Senior Third Title. This victory was especially welcome as it followed years of debate over whether to amalgamate the club, and in 1996, the final decision was “no” to amalgamation. This allowed Aotea to go into the new millennium with the club’s centenary in sight.

Acknowledgement

The Aotea Rugby/Sports Club archives and two research documents; 1903-2003 Centennial Booklet and 1902-2007 Celebrating 105 Years of History, by Geoff Watson, a lecturer in history at the School of History, Philosophy and Politics at Massey University.