Joe Royal celebrates with his son after Ponsonby won the 2024 Gallaher Shield final against Pakuranga at Eden Park. Photo / Photosport
While so much of New Zealand’s rugby ecosystem revolves around the pyramid leading up to the All Blacks, a Ponsonby Rugby Club stalwart’s journey to a special milestone shows the romanticism of the grassroots game is far from dead.
The Ponies – the moniker for all Ponsonby club members – hold the record for producing more All Blacks (48) than any other club, including Dave Gallaher, Andy Haden, Joe Stanley, Carlos Spencer and more recently Rieko Ioane.
Seasoned club rugby legend and ex-Māori All Black Joe Royal will be the most recent to etch his name in Ponsonby’s history, lacing up to play his 150th game as the premier men stare down the barrel of their 49th title since the club’s inception 151 years ago.
Now 40, Royal has played a significant role in the club’s recent success, winning seven Gallaher Shield finals since his debut in 2006 – including a dominant 59-24 triumph over Pakūranga last year.
The hooker has become a fixture in the side, notching up 149 games over 19 years, and is in line for his milestone match at Eden Park today when Ponsonby defend their Gallaher Shield title against Auckland Marist Rugby Club.
“I’ve thought about it for most of this season, because I knew it was coming, but I didn’t expect it to be in a final,” Royal told the Herald ahead of his milestone Gallaher Shield final on Saturday.
“After having a week off with an injury and being away for work some weekends, it’s just worked out to be on one of the biggest days of club footy, so it’ll be a pretty special moment.”
Royal moved to Auckland in 2006 as a young openside flanker from Rotorua. Arriving at Ponsonby Rugby Club, he said the loose forwards were “massive”, prompting a position change to hooker for more of a chance at making the premier side.
He was called into the side at a time when it was common for Super Rugby players to return to their clubs and play grassroots rugby.
“I still remember my first game. You talk to a lot of boys that have played for the club and a lot of them think they’ll get one game and that’s enough for them.
“It was pretty daunting. I threw terribly, couldn’t hit a barn door to save myself. But I think what helped was I just did my job around the field and got asked to come back... and then kept getting picked after that.”
Throughout his playing years at Ponsonby, Royal has rubbed shoulders with countless All Blacks – the likes of Ali Williams, Sam Tuitupou, Sonny Bill Williams, Patrick Tuipulotu, and Akira and Rieko Ioane among them.
“There’s so many players that I’ve seen at the club or played alongside who were already at the top of their game... Big players would always come back and play and you’d always take stuff from them. If I was to put a list together, it’d be quite a long one.
“But for me every player that I’ve played alongside is special. I’ve just enjoyed everyone’s company and this year’s team has got some unreal young talent coming through and I’d like to see them kick on at some stage.”
Asked how he felt still putting on the historic Ponsonby jersey after almost 20 years, Royal said he gets more excited the older he gets.
“It’s a different excitement because obviously I’m not at my young, prime age where you’re just excited to be there. The excitement is like buzzing that I’m still being able to rub shoulders with the young ones and compete.”
All Blacks great Sir Bryan “Beegee” Williams told the Herald Royal is an “absolute gem”, saying he typifies the very best of rugby.
“He’s one of those people who has got a great attitude. He’s great in a team situation, relates very well to his teammates, a real leader.
“He brings great mana with his Māori heritage and I think that speaks a lot for how Joe is regarded. He has mana and the guys listen to him and they really respect him.”
Williams, who played more than 200 games for Ponsonby himself, said Royal was “undoubtedly” regarded as one of the club’s greats.
The 74-year-old said he gets excited every time Royal laces up his rugby boots, because it “indicates a great passion and love for the game”.
“Dare I say it, I’ve got that too and people who have the same passion, I really identify with.”
For Royal, of Te Arawa and Ngāti Whātua descent, he grew up wanting to play for the Māori All Blacks, which he saw as the epitome of professional rugby.
“Growing up, that was my All Blacks. I always wanted to play for them.”
Royal earned his first contract aged 26 after leaving Ponsonby to pursue professional rugby, and went on to represent provincial sides Bay of Plenty and Counties Manukau.
He was called up to represent the Māori All Blacks in 2013 during their North America tour, and made his debut against the United States. He went on to play five more games for the Māori before 2016.
“If I think back, a club like Ponsonby gave me that foundation of hard work, dedication, resilience and perseverance to just, you know, hang in there.”
Royal didn’t think he’d ever return to Ponsonby. It was the sense of belonging at the club that brought him back.
“When everything was said and done with professional stuff, there was no other club or no other place that I wanted to come back to.
“It just felt natural to slip back into the club and into the team, having been away for all those years.
“When you go there, everyone’s inviting. It’s a real family-orientated club, our wives and partners are all included in the team culture and then our kids, they all play at Ponsonby.
“I owe a lot to the club and I’ll probably still be owing them for life.”
In 2020, Royal was recalled for professional honours, becoming the oldest debutant for the Auckland provincial side at 35.
He also played multiple seasons for Ngāti Porou East Coast in the Heartland Championship, and represented Moana Pasifika twice in Super Rugby Pacific between 2022 and 2023.
Reflecting on his seven previous Gallaher Shield victories, Royal said they’re each as special as the last – but his favourite was 2011.
Ponsonby finished fourth in the regular season, but went on to beat what was then Grammar Carlton for their eighth consecutive championship.
Looking ahead to his milestone game, Royal said he’d trade in his 150th celebrations for another Gallaher Shield.
“For me, the 150 is a bonus. I’m accepting and acknowledging the 150 and the celebration for what it is, but I [would] just love to win another championship for the club and for our community.”
And while there have been plenty of distractions surrounding the club this season, with its future at Western Springs Stadium up in the air, Royal said it was simply background noise.
“I think we all had the same mindset of ‘let’s just do well for our team and for the club’. Whatever happens from that, we just roll with it.”
Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers sport and breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.