Top of the table Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau will take on bottom-placed McCarthy Transport Ruapehu in the Grand Hotel Shield premier game at Rochfort Park on Saturday. Photo / Merrilyn George
When it comes to solid rugby forwards Ray (Rocky) Parr, one of the "Lion Tamers" at Spriggens Park in 1966, takes a power of beating.
The 89-year-old former Māori All Back, who died last week, was a front row prop in the Wanganui-King Country combined side that upset the British Isles 12-6 54 years ago Parr, born in Tokomaru in Horowhenua, was a sound boxer in his young days and hence the nickname of "Rocky" after world heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano.
But it was in rugby that Ray Parr was to make his sporting mark in and it was from his homes around Raetihi that the former forester, farmer and hotelier repped for King Country and later coached for Wanganui.
The Ruapehu sub-union had switched to King Country in 1920 and returned 50 years later in 1970 and thus Parr played his 60-odd rep matches in the maroon and gold colours between 1955 and 1966.
He made his provincial debut as a 25-year-old loose forward against South Auckland, which changed its name to Counties the same year (1955), and also in the Rams side for the first time that day was a promising teenager – Colin (Pinetree) Meads.
By coincidence the other world famous Meads brother, Stan, played his last game for King Country, against Taranaki in 1966, in the same match that was the swansong for Ray Parr's rep career.
The Meads brothers, of course, played key roles in helping the combined side upset the Lions before 17,000 delighted fans in Wanganui in what was rated as one of the biggest boil-overs in NZ rugby history.
For Parr, whose playing career was cut short when struck by a falling dead tree, a highlight was that the Northern Wanganui area provided seven players to the team that toppled the Lions – the Waiouru trio of Jim Sowter, Jim Redward and Peter Johns, Ohakune winger Rangi Paki, Raetihi second five John McIlroy, Ohakune flanker Maurice Rush and himself in the front row.
The strong front three were all Māori All Blacks – Ray Parr, Howard Paiaka and hooker Bill Wordley.
Four years after the great victory the Ruapehu clubs returned from King Country to the ranks of the Wanganui union.
It was fitting that Parr should play against the Lions because he had been a reserve for the 1956 and 1965 fixtures against the Springboks.
Parr, who converted from a loose forward to a front row prop, was also a handy goal kicker who use to travel by train from Ohakune to Te Kuiti or Taumarunui for rep trainings and matches.
Although restricted because of his injury in the bush, Parr filled in occasionally for Raetihi until the age of 45 and was also a top flight axeman, with Government House in Wellington one of his notable clients for long-burning hot native firewood.
He also operated the Raetihi Hotel between 1984-1993 before moving to Wanganui East for "retirement" in 1993 with his wife Iris.
Ray Parr, who had also been a quality cricket player in his youth, was elected a life member of the Ruapehu Rugby and Sports Club.
He enjoyed some success as a Wanganui rugby selector along with future All Black coach JJ Steward and Ron McPhun in 1970-71 and with McPhun and Brian Murphy in 1972.
The 1970 reps lifted the Bruce Steel Cup for the first time (3-0 away v Manawatu) and drew with Taranaki 8-all on Queen's Birthday and 14-all away v North Auckland.
There were also two draws in 1971 – 9-all v visiting Wellington and 11-all away v Marlborough – and a 12-3 Queen's Birthday win over Taranaki.
In 1972 there was a rare 21-19 Anzac Day victory over Taranaki, a 6-4 home win v Wellington and a 15-14 success v NZ Services.
There was a huge attendance at the funeral of Ray Parr in Raetihi on Monday. He is survived by sons Larry, Les and Bruce.
Northern sides McCarthy Transport Ruapehu premiers and Bennett's Taihape seniors will have home ground advantages in Wanganui Challenge Shield matches on Saturday.
It is a case of top (Wanganui Car Centre Kaierau) v bottom (Ruapehu) sides in the Grand Hotel Shield premier game at Rochfort Park with the visitors seeking a fourth success at the ground in the past 10 years.
After breezing past Settlers Honey Ngamatapouri 69-12 up the Waitotara Valley last weekend to take over the top rung of the ladder, Kaierau has a good chance of adding to its success in 2010 (16-10), 2015 (38-24) and 2016 (36-33) in Ohakune.
After losing 33-17 to Ngamat on the same ground a fortnight ago the "Mountain Men" will need a major improvement in form to contain the well balanced visiting team.
In contrast to an unbeaten Ruapehu record in the first round series last winter, Ruapehu is winless this year and has conceded 121 points in three games, conceding an average of 40 points a week.
Kaierau has scored 93 points including 11 tries last weekend against previously unbeaten Ngamatapouri.
Although holding a 13 to five winning advantage since 2011, Waverley Harvesting Border has failed to complete double success against Dave Hoskin Carriers Marist in the last three seasons and may struggle again in the city this weekend.
Marist did well to come back and beat Ruapehu 30-23 a week ago to help celebrate Old Timers' Day.
As well as striving to claim the overall first round championship honours it is also a key game in the Metropolitan domestic series with Marist depriving Border of that title last winter with a shock 27-25 win on Dallison Park.
Defending titleholders Byford's Readimix Taihape has an interesting home clash against 2019 Div 2 champions Ngamatapouri.
After edging home by single point margins the first two weeks Taihape suffered the same experience last weekend when conceding a late try to lose 17-18 at home to Border.
As a result Taihape and Ngamat meet on Saturday with 9pts each, although the hosts not only have home soil but also hold a plus 1pt to minus 36pt differential advantage.
In three games at the ground between the teams, Taihape has won 53-24 in 2017, 45-10 in 2018 and 87-14 last year.
Bolstered by a few talented league imports and new arrivals Harvey Round Motors Ratana will be hard to dislodge of the Stihl Shield Wanganui senior shield at Memorial Park.
Unbeaten Ratana, however, cannot take fifth placed and defending senior champions Taihape for granted.
Senior leaders Marist Celtic, a side with an impressive 137 points for and only three conceded, should have too much strength for seventh placed Border in Waverley.
Likewise second-slotted Gemini Pepper Construction Kaierau, also unbeaten, should beat sixth placed Marist Buffalos in the early game at Spriggens Park.
Struggling near neighbours Kelso Hunterville and Speirs Food Marton meet at Hunterville in what appears an even contest with a home ground likely to be a big advantage.
Two other struggling sides, Black Bull Liquor Pirates and Counties, play on Spriggens Park with both teams seeking a maiden victory although Counties had a 15-all draw with Buffalos.
Fourth placed Utiku OB has the senior bye.