In 7 days, Kirwee Rugby Club will host the biggest match in its near 120 year history.
Hometown team the Crusaders will take on archrivals (and reigning Super Rugby champions) the Blues in front of a sellout crowd of 3000. That may not sound like a huge crowd, but it’s 2.5 times the population of Kirwee.
Few, if any, of the players will have played there before. They’re in for a treat.
Adam Dalley is both chief groundskeeper and a second-rower for the Kirwee Div 2’s.
“But, you know, it’s like any club, we’ve got a lot of helpers and no shortage of hands up when things need doing,” says Dalley.
His hands are turned to keeping the number one field in number one condition.
“Watering hasn’t stopped since September,” says Dalley.
The grounds at Kirwee Domain are immaculate. Situated close to the Waimakariri River, it is free-draining soil – in fact, keeping the moisture in it is the biggest concern.
Crusaders coach Rob Penney is as interested in anyone about how the grass is growing.
“I’ve been told that it’s excellent by our people. I guess they’ll be draining the bore?” says Penney.
“(It) wouldn’t worry me if it was a bit softer,” says Penney.
Dalley has good news for the Crusaders boss – and the visitors from the big smoke.
“We’re putting on 30 mls a week, so draining the bore is an understatement. Wouldn’t want those Aucklanders to graze their knees!” says Dalley.
“We’re going to mow it ourselves so we can control that, and we’ve got a professional line marker guy who does our fields a couple of times a year,” says Kirwee Rugby Club president Blair Jones.
Most of the Blues squad won’t know where they’re headed next Friday – and a club legend suggests plenty of Cantabs won’t either.
If you’ve ever headed to the West Coast from Christchurch on State Highway 73, you’ve driven through Kirwee – though you may not have noticed, even as you slow to 70km/h.
The rural settlement lies about 40km west of central Christchurch and is most notable for hosting agricultural events and for a pub that burnt down on Christmas Day in 2019.
Home to about 1200 people, Kirwee was named after Karwi in India by retired British Army colonel James De Renzie Brett.
His legacy was bringing irrigation to the area through the vast water-race system that is still in use today. A Taj Mahal-inspired monument dedicated to him sits above the water-race and opposite the (now re-built) pub.
In a small community like Kirwee, the rugby club is a pillar. In that club are heroes who have achieved incredible feats – and in Kirwee’s case, that hero is Don Hayes.
Hayes’ feats may never be equalled – not because of what he achieved, but where he achieved it from. 129 matches for Canterbury (1976-86), captaining the province for seven seasons. He lifted the Ranfurly Shield at Athletic Park in 1982 and was there to hand it over to Andy Haden after the 1985 classic against Auckland.
He also played for Canterbury Country – but he only ever played for one club, starting in the under 6-stone 7-pound grade and finishing with the senior side. He was Kirwee through-and-through.
“When we started playing, there wasn’t a Div 1 side - there was only a Div 2 side,” says Hayes.
“A group of us all came home from high school actually, and we had quite a good under-19 side. Most of those went through and played Div 2 [before gaining promotion],” says Hayes.
Shortly after that, Hayes came to the attention of provincial selectors.
“He was my first Canterbury captain. Outstanding man,” says Hayes’ former teammate – Rob Penney.
“Tough, and smart and had a massive motor. So, all the things that I guess are the hallmarks of what you would refer to as a red and black rugby player,” says Penney.
Another of Hayes’ ex-teammates was former Canterbury, Wellington and Kirwee loose forward Gavin Hill.
Hill is most notable for being the first player to sign for the Auckland Warriors as they prepared to enter the NRL in 1995. But before he switched to league, Hill was a tearaway flanker who crossed paths with Hayes in a sub-union game.
“There were a lot of Kirwee boys on the team and I got to know them and then Donny Hayes said, ‘come out to Kirwee’ to further my education in rugby - which I did. He was one of my heroes,” says Hill.
Hill spent two seasons in the gold and black of Kirwee – a club that he has fond memories of.
“We had a good team. We didn’t win the comp, but we gave it a good shot - you know? It was fun, I remember the bloody friendships and everyone was just loyal. It was pretty neat,” recalls Hill.
Hayes points out that Kirwee had another famous name in its ranks – more for his spikes than his sprigs.
“John Wright, the cricketer - played one year with him, might have been 8 stone 7. So he played his rugby at Kirwee,” says Hayes.
Nobody’s quite sure when or even if the club has won the Ellesmere competition (or Malvern before it) - and that’s an insight into what makes this club tick. It isn’t trophies.
Even Don isn’t entirely certain.
“Somewhere around 1952, ‘53, ‘54, they won [the Coleman Shield] They had their best year, actually,” says Hayes.
Even Ellesmere Sub Union’s own records can’t substantiate that – nor categorically dispute it. Hayes is more certain of his own time in the gold and black of Kirwee.
“When I was there, we never won a competition. Sheffield beat us in the final - which was a really good game,” says Hayes.
It’s been almost 20 years since the club last competed in the top grade of Ellesmere rugby.
At Kirwee, success is measured by how many players return the following year.
Last year they had 3 senior teams – and that’s a win.
“We’ve probably got about 75 junior kids playing,” says Jones.
“A lot of the junior clubs are actually combining with other clubs just to keep the teams going in those grades.”
In a strange kind of synergy – next Friday’s pre-season clash at Kirwee isn’t really about winning, either. Both sides will want to win - of course, but pre-season is more about getting game time into the legs of the squad before Super Rugby Pacific kicks off on February 14.
Penney says most of his big-name players won’t feature on the field.
“The All Blacks will be out there doing some promotional stuff,” says Penney before mentioning some likely starters.
“Dallas McCleod, Tom Christie, Noah Hotham, Chay Fihaki. So, there’ll be a few household names,” says Penney.
Regardless of how many first-choice players aren’t in their boots, the fact that Super Rugby’s biggest rivalry is coming to the Kirwee Domain marks a huge day for a tiny club.
Adam Dalley however already has an eye on the start of the Ellesmere Div 2 season.
“Absolutely, it’s just a curtain raiser.”
Dalley says the team is always looking for new players, so hit him up if you’re lucky enough to have tickets to the sold-out event.
And if you look closely enough, you might see Kirwee’s finest on the way in.
“I’ll be on the gate with a bit of luck,” says Hayes.
Crusaders v Blues, Kirwee Domain – 3.30pm on January 31.
Ashlee Strawbridge guided her first winner at Cambridge on Wednesday.