Rugby: Pakuranga set for celebrations

Malakai Fekitoa in action for Auckland after coming through the club ranks with Pakuranga. Photo / Natalie Slade

One of Auckland's newer - and certainly most well organised - rugby clubs blows out 50 birthday candles this weekend.

Pakuranga United have enjoyed unprecedented success in their last seven seasons, and the crowning glory was winning the Gallaher Shield final in 2013 - in brilliant style - for the first time.

Like many clubs, it sprung from humble beginnings, in 1965, after forerunner clubs such as Howick and Bucklands Beach had laid groundwork. Now Pakuranga sports one of the largest junior bases in Auckland, with around 700 players and close to 60 teams, plus a full complements of senior sides.

President Michael Biddick says the on-field success, in particular, of the last few seasons has not come about by accident.

"When I came on board in 2007, we had a crap year. We were sick of that and thought we had to change that. We'd been pillaged by other clubs for players. We called in all our senior players, including (rep hooker) Tom McCartney. They said they needed good coaching, so Wayne Pivac came in and started that process. Now our academies and our shop window are going well, and that culminated in the Gallaher Shield win in 2013. Our vision is to be a top four club every year. We need to be a club of choice for all our juniors," says Biddick.

There was time when Pakuranga were not fashionable, with their orange jerseys and inability to forge a strong premier side, but men like Peter Corlett and Brett Meale carved a path with their loyalty to the club.

The 2015 premiers - known in the club as 'The Green Machine' - are full of those who have come through Pakuranga's junior system.

Current Auckland coach Paul Feeney carried on the work of Pivac in 2012 and now former All Black Pita Alatini is into his third year as director of rugby and premier coach.

Malakai Fekitoa and Charlie Piutau are the latest All Blacks out of Pakuranga, following on from the 1980s trio of Steven Pokere, Steve McDowall (SUBS: CRRCT) and Hika Reid. Blues players Joe Edwards and Sam Prattley are committed Pakuranga club men and will probably front this weekend as the team defends the Sir Fred Allen Memorial Challenge Cup against 2014 Gallaher Shield champions University at Pakuranga's well-established Bell Park home.

Those grounds, with improved drainage, have played host to various rep matches, the Scotland team during Rugby World Cup 2011, and will be the venue for the rugby side of the World Masters Games in 2017.

Pakuranga sees themselves as very much a community club, servicing a burgeoning population east of the Tamaki Estuary and allied with several other sporting codes. In 2013, they could proudly say they were the Auckland club champions while St Kentigern College, on their doorstep, had the best First XV in the region.

This weekend sees a gala, black tie dinner on Friday night, with Sir Graham Henry as guest speaker. Saturday features a full programme of games with the premiers kicking off at 4.30pm ahead of another big night. Sunday will be a family fun day culminating in an 'old timers' game. Interest has been high, says Biddick. Veteran rugby author Bob Howitt - a club supporter in recent seasons - has penned an anniversary booklet.

For further information about the jubilee weekend, visit www.purc.co.nz