Whanganui rugby: Pirates club celebrates 125th anniversary at Labour Weekend

There's a big weekend of celebrations ahead for the Pirates club. Photo / Bevan Conley

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In 1897, the Liberal Party under Richard Seddon formed the Government, New Zealand got its first registered woman doctor, and a little rugby club was started in Whanganui which embraced the skull and crossbones.

This Labour Weekend will be the much anticipated 125th celebration for the Pirates Rugby Football & Sports Club, as well as the 50th anniversary for the Pirates Netball entity of the club, which was established in 1972.

Club captain Dave Pedley said they have around 300 guests registered for the weekend, including a sold-out 200 for the Sunday night dinner at the Eulogy Lounge of the Wanganui Racecourse.

More than a dozen former club members and their families are travelling from Australia alone, something that would have been impossible in June when the celebrations were originally planned.

"Covid saw us put it out from Queen's Birthday weekend. I think it's the right call that we made," said Pedley.

On that June weekend, the Black Bull Liquor Pirates were scheduled to play McCrea Scanning Counties in the WRFU Senior competition.

Now, even though the season has been over for nearly four months, Counties will again lace up the boots for the match to happen at Spriggens Park.

"Counties, we played in their 50th [anniversary], so they did a return of that," said Pedley.

"They honoured that – they committed during the season.

"It will be more of a festival game – something for the old boys to watch."

As well as rugby, there will be two netball games played at Laird Park on Saturday afternoon – an "old timers" match and a more contemporary game.

Events started on Thursday as guests picked up their lanyards and could purchase official merchandise at the clubrooms.

Friday night is registration and "Meet & Greet", with the club open from 5pm to midnight.

On Saturday the clubrooms open at 11am before the two games on Spriggens Park – Old Timers (over 40s) at 1pm, followed by the Senior game at 2.30pm, with the aftermatch being held at 6pm.

After another midnight closing, on Sunday the clubrooms will be open from 12pm to 4pm, and then at 5pm the doors will open at the Eulogy Lounge for the 125th dinner.
Speeches will start at 6pm, from Pedley, club chairman Jeff Slight and representatives of the netball club, before dinner is served, followed by a live band before the party closes at midnight.