150 Years Strong ❤️  and what a weekend for Rakaia Rugby.

It all began on Friday night, with a fantastic Welcome & Reunion Evening, where old teammates, friends and families reconnected, shared stories and relived memories — a perfect way to kick off the celebrations.

To then see so many past and present players, families, supporters and friends come together again on Saturday night to celebrate 150 years of our club was something truly special.

There were laughs, stories, memories shared — and moments that reminded us just how much this club means to so many people.

A heartfelt thank you to our MC Lana Cochrane Searle for guiding the evening so beautifully.

A special thank you to David Kirk, former All Blacks Captain and Chairman of New Zealand Rugby, who joined us for the entire weekend and as our guest speaker on Saturday night. We were privileged to have him share his time, insights and experiences as part of our celebrations.

To our toastmakers — Bruce Perry, Neil Cornelius, Jock Ross and Jackson Donlan — thank you for capturing the spirit of our club so perfectly, from those who built it, to those who carry it today, and those who will take it forward.

A special thank you to Bill Bush, former All Black and New Zealand Rugby Māori Board member, for opening the evening with such a meaningful pōwhiri.

We would also like to acknowledge Grant Perry, who played an important role on the night — introducing our guest speaker, acknowledging Bill Bush, and helping set the tone for the evening. His long-standing connection to the club and support behind the scenes helped bring everything together.

We also acknowledge Mark Hanrahan for his leadership and closing words from the Jubilee Committee, and Madison Taylor for bringing great energy to the Jubilee Auction, which was a great success and a fantastic way to support the club.

And to top it all off, the weekend was capped off in the best possible way, with fantastic wins from our Senior, Senior B and Women’s teams.

The celebrations continued on Sunday, highlighted by a special Jubilee tree planting, bringing together our oldest attendee and youngest member of the club — a perfect reflection of our journey from past to present and into the future.

But most of all — thank you to everyone who came back, travelled near and far, and stood together to celebrate what Rakaia Rugby is all about.

This club is more than just rugby.It’s people. It’s history. It’s community.

150 Years Strong – 1876–2026     

Past • Present • Future