King Country Rugby Football Union

The King Country Rugby Football Union is a constituent union in the New Zealand Rugby Union. It is located in the central North Island of New Zealand in an area known as the King Country. It was formed in 1922 when the South Auckland Rugby Union was split into three (the other two Unions formed were Waikato and Thames Valley).

King Country Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)Rams
Founded1922
RegionWaikato
Ground(s)Taumarunui Domain, Owen Delany Park, Taupō, Rugby Park, Te Kuiti
ChairmanRon Thomassen
Captain(s)Carl Carmichael
League(s)Heartland Championship
20157th (Lochore Cup Champions)
Team kit
Official website
www.kingcountryrugby.co.nz

The King Country team play from Owen Delany Park, Taupō, Rugby Park, Te Kuiti and Taumarunui Domain, Taumarunui. King Country, like many other heartland unions, have struggled since the start of professional era. In 1996, King Country were in the first division of the NPC and in just 6 years were in the third division.

History

The original King Country Rugby Union was formed in 1905 by the Manunui, Matapuna, Oio and Kakahi rugby clubs. In 1907, the newly formed Taumarunui rugby club replaced Oio.

The current King Country Rugby Football Union was formed in 1922, by the amalgamation of the first King Country Rugby Union (which was renamed as the Taumarunui Sub-union in 1922) along with the Ruapehu Sub-union in Ohakune (founded 1908), Maniapoto Sub-union in Te Kuiti (1907) and Ōhura Valley Sub-union (1920). These were joined by Otorohanga Sub-union in 1927, Kawhia in 1926 and Kaitieke in 1933 with the Taupō Sub-union transferring from the Hawkes Bay Rugby Union in 1987. The Ruapehu Sub-union returned to its original parent union the Wanganui Rugby Union in 1970.

This was the second attempt to establish a Rugby Union in the middle of the North Island, as in 1920 the Rangatiki, Taihape, Ruapehu sub-unions (all affiliated to the Wanganui Rugby Union), and the King Country Union (affiliated to South Auckland) had applied for affiliation as the Main Trunk Union. However, this was declined after the Wanganui Rugby Union objected to the loss of their country players.

In those early years King Country representative games were held in Te Kuiti, Taumarunui and Raetihi or Ohakune. Ōtorohanga was first used for a representative game in 1939 with representative games also being hosted in Tokaanu (1966) and Tūrangi (1967).

King Country played in light blue and green until 1949 when it switched to maroon and gold hoops. In 1980, a maroon jersey with gold collar and cuffs was adopted. The current strip has been used since 1994.

King Country has made 19 challenges for the Ranfurly Shield over the years without success but having come close at times, going down to Taranaki in a hard fought game 11–15 in 1958. In 1969 they came even closer when good mates Colin Meads and Kel Tremain were the respective captains, King Country storming back from 6–19 at half time in a torrid second half before going down 16–19.

A well known and amusing challenge in 1988 against Auckland at Rugby Park in Te Kuiti when “Boris the Boar” mysteriously got onto the field and camped in the Auckland 25 for much of the second half.

With the 2020 Heartland Championship cancelled due to Covid-19 the Rams played three First-Class Fixtures against their traditional Heartland Rivals. King Country lost their first match against Wairarapa-Bush in the inaugural Mead-Lochore Scroll Fixture (18–22). The won their second fixture versus East Coast (34–22) and in their final game they became holders of the Sir Colin Meads Memorial log beating Wanganui 16–11 in Taumarunui. This game was also Carl Carmichaels 100th first-class game.

Championships

Heartland Championship placings
Heartland Championship Results[1][2][3][4]
YearPldWDLPFPAPDBPPtsPlacePlayoffs
QualSFF
2006 50237792−15266thLochore CupWon 17–15 against Thames ValleyLost 34–46 to Poverty Bay
2007 53028866+222143rdNo—
2008 530211996+232143rdNo—
2009 5203100111−11295thLochore CupLost 27–31 to North Otago—
2010 510476119−43265thNo—
2011 8107150281−1311511thNo—
2012 8107178230−525911thNo—
2013 8305163211−483159thNo—
2014 8503196176+205255thLochore CupLost 6–37 to Wanganui—
2015 8413245192+533217thLochore CupWon 20–6 against BullerWon 47–34 against North Otago

Ranfurly Shield

King Country have never held the Ranfurly Shield.

1922Hawke's Bay 42–8 King CountryNapier
1933Canterbury 36–0 King CountryChristchurch
1952Waikato 18–8 King CountryHamilton
1958Taranaki 15–11 King CountryNew Plymouth
1961Auckland 17–3 King CountryAuckland
1964Taranaki 21–0 King CountryNew Plymouth
1966Auckland 14–6 King CountryAuckland
1969Hawke's Bay 19–16 King CountryNapier
1971North Auckland 16–6 King CountryWhangārei
1979North Auckland 21–6 King CountryWhangārei
1980Auckland 29–3 King CountryAuckland
1981Waikato 22–9 King CountryHamilton
1985Canterbury 33–0 King CountryChristchurch
1988Auckland 28–0 King CountryTe Kuiti
1992Auckland 42–15 King CountryTaupō
1994Waikato 45–10 King CountryHamilton
1998Waikato 76–0 King CountryHamilton
2012Taranaki 67–16 King CountryInglewood
2016Waikato 55–0 King CountryMatamata

King Country in Super Rugby

King Country along with Waikato, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Thames Valley and Taranaki make up the Chiefs region.

All Blacks

There have had 8 players selected for the All Blacks whilst playing for King Country. The most famous King Country All Black is All Black of the century, Sir Colin Meads.

Additionally, former England captain and coach Martin Johnson played for King Country, during his early career. Further former Welsh hooker Garin Jenkins spent a spell playing for the province in his younger years.

Player records
Most Appearances147P. L. Mitchell1988–2001
Most Points917H. C. Coffin1984–1995
Most Tries46M. R. Kidd1974–1984
Most Conversions150H.C. Coffin1984–1995
Most Points In A Season230H. C. Coffin1992
Most Tries In A Season11S. J. Bradley1992
Most Conversions In A Season40H. C. Coffin1992
Most Penalty Goals In A Season45H. C. Coffin1992
Most Dropped Goals In A Season8I. N. Ingham1966
Most Points In A Match33H. C. Coffin1992
Most Tries In A Match4J. W. Wells1992
Most Conversions In A Match10H. C. Coffin1992
Most Penalty Goals In A Match7L. W. T. Peina2000

Clubs

King Country Rugby Football Union is made up of 11 clubs.

Secondary schools

King Country is geographically a large union covering a wide area, however the population is very small, as a result there are only a few secondary schools within the region. As a result King Country Rugby Union doesn't have a consolidated Secondary Schools competition, rather the schools play their rugby in other provinces that can also offer better opportunity such as Waikato and Bay of Plenty Rugby Unions. These schools are still eligible for the King Country Secondary Schools and U19 Rugby Representative teams however.

Together these schools are able to challenge for the Sam Te Kaha Shield, which is a challenge shield between all King Country Secondary Schools.

References
  1. "Standings (2006–present)". Heartland Championship. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  2. "Fixtures and Results (2006–present)". Heartland Championship. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  3. "Finalists found in Lochore and Meads Cups". Newshub. 23 October 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  4. "2010 Lochore and Mead Cups finals wrap". Heartland Championship. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
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