Eketahuna Rugby Club turns 125

Eketahuna Rugby Club marked 125 years of rugby with jubilee celebrations over Queen's Birthday weekend.

Almost 300 people took part, young and old, as spectators and players, at the games and jubilee dinner.

Ex All Black captain Ruben Thorne, Rugby Sevens legend, Eric Rush and The Mad Butcher, Sir Peter Leitch were special guests and spoke at the dinner held at the Eketahuna Community Centre on Saturday night.

About 290 people attended, said club president Dennis Dougherty, who said it was great to celebrate the 125-year milestone.

"To still be fielding four teams is pretty special these days."

The club held a series of games for the jubilee.

On Saturday, Eketahuna colts and women's teams played and plenty of people turned out to cheer on kids at the JAB matches on Sunday morning.

Thorne, who is from Eketahuna, played on home soil again in the Golden Oldies match on Sunday afternoon.

Sandra Harriman, who had been watching her nephew play for the under-11s Eketahuna team against Pahiatua, said Thorne probably wouldn't remember her but she used to babysit him when he was about 5 and she was 16.

She said Eketahuna had "good grass-roots rugby" and she had enjoyed the celebration dinner and guest speakers at the event.