Vikings topple Northern Wairoa to kick off Northland Rugby centenary celebrations

Vikings and Far North rugby player Jackie Tango (centre) gives his Northern Wairoa opponent the big 'don't argue' at Pioneer Rugby Park on Friday night. Photo / Jason Milich - Action Images Northland

The Northland Vikings have claimed the first scalp in the Northland Rugby Union's centenary celebrations with a 31-27 win over a Northern Wairoa combined team on Friday.

Playing in front of about 300 spectators at Dargaville's Pioneer Rugby Park, the Vikings shot out to a 17-nil lead before a fightback from the home side saw the gap reduced by the break to 24-15.

In their typical free-flowing style of play, the Vikings proved too clinical for a lion-hearted Northern Wairoa side as they led 31-20 into the final stages. However, a try for the home team on the final whistle gave the Dargaville crowd something to cheer for as their side went down 31-27.

While they didn't come out on top, the Northern Wairoa boys did their sub-union proud. Photo / Jason Milich - Action Images Northland

"It was an upfront battle, it was always going to be highly-contested," Northern Wairoa openside flanker Michael Frood said.

"It was a big battle in the forwards, quite a bit of razzle in the backs, it could have gone either way I think."

The Northern Wairoa team were selected from players born in the area or those who had played for one of six Northern Wairoa sub-union clubs.

Both teams line up at Pioneer Rugby Park in Dargaville to mark the start of the Northland Rugby Union's centenary celebrations. Photo / Jason Milich - Action Images Northland

The local team also wore a custom-made jersey which featured all six clubs as well as celebrating Northland Rugby Union's (NRU) centenary year.

"The boys are pretty stoked to play in this shirt, obviously it's representing each different club that they come from and it's not very often that we get to play together," Frood said.

The Vikings team featured a number of Far North players. Vikings coach David Holwell, a Northland rugby stalwart, said he was glad to see a good contest between the two sides.

"It's a lot of tradition with the Vikings, they've been around for a long time and I think these guys knew it, they were really humbled to put on the jersey."

Primarily made up of players from the Far North, the Vikings emerged as victors on Friday with their traditional free-flowing style of rugby. Photo / Jason Milich - Action Images Northland

Holwell, a former Mid Northern club player, was pleased to see his players from the Far North put their best foot forward in front of the Northland coaches.

"The great thing about it was they took the opportunity, it just shows you how much talent is in the north," he said.

"Geographically it's hard to bring them all together sometimes, but they can play some good rugby."

All Blacks legend Sir Michael Jones was also in attendance on Friday night as a guest speaker. Jones said he had fond memories of Rugby Park where he played as an Auckland under-18 player in 1983 in what he described as his first big representative game for Auckland.

"We got billeted locally and just got spoilt rotten by the local Dargaville people, I'll never forget that actually," Jones said.

Vikings player Cory Evers streaks away as Northern Wairoa's Peniasi Malimali chases him down. Photo / Jason Milich - Action Images Northland

Jones, a staunch Auckland man, said he had been inspired greatly by the cult figures of Northland rugby as he grew up.

"Of course being an Auckland boy, I loved Auckland but Northland were always my other team, particularly when you're inspired by the Going brothers.

"Not only was I inspired as a young man, I really appreciated the passion, quality and the richness of Northland rugby."

The event represented the start of Northland Rugby Union's recognition of its 100th year.

Similar projects have been organised to commemorate the milestone, including a display at the Whangārei Art Museum and book on the union's history compiled by Murray Dean.

NZ Vikings first five Warren Dunn looks to spin the ball wide. Photo / Jason Milich - Action Images Northland

The celebrations will centre around Queen's Birthday weekend (May 29-30) with an evening function on the Friday and a game-day at Semenoff Stadium on the Saturday.

The annual Johnny Isaac's Māori age group game will be played between a women's and men's north zone v south zone game, to be played between the northern sub-unions (Mangonui, Bay of Islands, Hokianga) and the southern sub-unions (Whangārei, Rodney Northern Wairoa).

The 23 shirts used by the Northern Wairoa team were also sold by auction on Friday.

Northern Wairoa Rugby Sub Union president Chris Fife said the money raised would be invested back in the union with the hope of maintaining Pioneer Park's field, building a digital scoreboard, getting new lights and installing a new grandstand.