Rugby
Former All Black Marty Berry will be one of many past players soaking up the atmosphere at Greytown Rugby Club's old timers' day on Saturday.
With over two decades of elite rugby behind him and more than a decade or so of service to the East Street club, it is hard not to celebrate the contribution this unassuming man has made to New Zealand's beloved game.
Berry originally swapped the blue and black of Featherston senior As for the red, yellow and black of Greytown when he turned 18. He went on to play four seasons at the club, as well as representing Wairarapa-Bush and becoming a New Zealand Colt. He then ventured to South Africa, picking up an additional representative cap for the Transvaal along the way.
That in itself would be a worthy list of achievements and it takes a bit of pressing to extract the full list from this humble South Wairarapa property agent.
But you can add four seasons of provincial rugby with Wellington and a season with Manawatu, and he is also remembered for his influence over the region's inaugural Super Rugby backline, wearing the Hurricanes colours seven times during their first campaign back in 1996.
And, of course, there's that well-earned test cap as a late substitute for the All Blacks against Australia in 1986 and two European tours with his country's premier side in 1986 and 1993.
Berry also spent two seasons playing in Italy, returning from there to the Greytown club where he coached the senior As before retiring to play for the thirds. He has coached at JAB level for 14 years, starting in 2000 when his eldest son, Liam, was just 5. Liam now plays first five-eighth and fullback for Upper Hutt and his younger brother, Rocco, plays for Greytown under-13s.
Berry believes it is difficult these days to play rugby in Wairarapa and be picked up by a professional side.
"For an aspiring professional player, you've got to be playing where professional rugby is being played. You could be playing really well for Wairarapa-Bush and an ITM Cup union might pick you up, but it's pretty hard.
"I was picked up from Wairarapa-Bush back when we were in the first division and, when I played for the Hurricanes, we were in the second division, but rugby was a lot different then. It was all amateur so it didn't matter whether you were first or third division, you were all on a level playing field in the fact that we all trained the same.
"Now there is a definite difference. Today, players are in the gym more than say, running the roads like we did. Players are better prepared and they are more explosive, and their shapes are different," Berry said.
We often hear there has been an overall decline in players and interest in playing rugby is waning but Berry feels there has always been fluctuation in player numbers.
"You can go back years ago, there's always been struggles with club rugby. I can remember Greytown when there were lots of players, there were firsts, seconds, thirds and under-21s, and, even then, teams still had to join up with other clubs.
"I don't think there has been a drop in club standards. I've seen Greytown playing this season and I think the standard is really high. Players are a lot better now, even in Wairarapa, and a lot better than when I was playing that's for sure.
"The Greytown club is strong at the moment, there are some talented players, especially the backs. There seems to be a good club spirit, the club offers a good set-up and it has a good committee," said Berry.
Echoing the words of Sir Brian Lochore at the Wairarapa Times-Age Sports Awards, Berry says a lot of young players today are unwilling to put in the hard yards.
"A lot of it is hard work, you have to train and learn all the time. A lot of kids are pretty flash when they're young at primary school, they're pretty good at 11, 12 and 13 and then they get to college they find drink and girls. They don't keep up the hard work and the hard work has to keep carrying on. The more work you do between 13 and 18 pays benefits."
Although Berry is encouraged there are several ex-Kuranui College players turning out for Greytown, he urges rugby clubs to strengthen their relationship with the colleges.
"The biggest future problem for the clubs is when JAB players go to college. JAB has always been healthy at Greytown, because of the relationship with primary school, but it's when they go to college, what happens from there? It's pretty hard. College rugby is amateur and reliant on volunteers, especially the parents. Rugby clubs need to help the colleges, perhaps with coaching and refereeing," he said.
Berry enthuses over the part Greytown has played in his rugby life.
"The club is huge for the community. A lot of past players support their grandkids at JAB, then they're back on the sideline enjoying an afternoon watching the senior rugby.
"I think it's huge for Greytown. It's a good atmosphere, it's not like it was in the past when guys just got on the booze. It's different now. It's good family fun."
Greytown celebrates their players past and present (as well as supporters and sponsors) this coming Saturday during the old-timers' day. Action on the field will see Greytown senior As playing Gladstone at 2.30pm after the reserves take on Tuhirangi at 1pm.