Welcome to The Village Viewpoint sponsored by Gavin and Cassie Murphy and the team at Gee and Hickton Ltd Funeral Directors, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, and Porirua.

The Prems were pipped with a last-play try last at Maidstone Park two weeks ago, but were able to hang on and close out a tense win today at Evans Bay Park last weekend.

We went to a match-winning 29-20 lead with about 10 minutes to play, when after a long build-up and multiple phases inside MSP’s 22, they went wide to Hurricane TJ Clarke and the first five dashed for the corner and drew in two defenders before off-loading to wing Lachie Forbes who scored.

With five minutes still to play, MSP hit back with an outstanding team try started from a lineout 40 metres out. First five Tomasi Connor broke the last line of defence and dashed in to score a converted try to cut the lead to 29-27.

But there was no fairytale finish for the home side on their Old Timers’ Day and the Prems held on in a tight finish to win the Bil Elvy Trophy.

The ponies stumbled against MSP, who looked a bit more up for the occasion. Coach Shannon Nightingale will be drilling the girls this week so there is not a repeat against Wainuiomata on Saturday.

The Prem reserves came out of the gates slow and it cost them. The reliable B's were asleep most of the first half and they could never reel in Marist St Pats in the second stanza. Discipline was their achilles heel, they were on the receiving end of a heinous penalty count. A very questionable 50-22 thrown in there too for good measure. It was however great to see some young colts help out the team and put in good performances. Laban in the midfield showed glimpses of his potential.

The Colts had the weekend off.. again. Still no word on whether the WRFU will enforce the current bylaw that to qualify for the Premier grade your club must have a colts side.

Our brotherhood were told on Friday night they didn't have a referee, so due to safety concerns the game was called off. Frustrating for all involved. The continued lack of investment and development of referees here in the capital by the WRFU is disappointing. The Wellington Rugby Referees Association need our help to bolster their numbers. If you are keen to give reffing a crack get in touch with Jamie ‘Yappa’ Ferreira.

Petone Rec is the place to be on Saturday, with all of our teams playing at home. Thankfully, no games were played last week on what was a sodden ground. The forecast looks ideal which should suit the running rugby that our teams want to play.

There’s a four-way tie atop the Women’s table after our Ponies suffered defeat at the hands of the upstart MSP team. Whilst our Ponies will certainly be disappointed to come off second-best, it is great to see four teams battling it out for supremacy; this augurs well for the grade and women’s rugby in general. The Ponies kick things off on our Old-Timer’s Day when they go up against Wainui at 11:15am on #2 who will be fancying their chances after a big win last week.

Much like our Ponies, our Prem Reserves will be looking to get back on track after their first loss of the season at the hands of MSP. Our ‘Senior 1s’ are still in the top four, but will want to ensure that they stay there when they take on a Wainuiomata side who thumped Norths by 33 points last week. Siu, Double, Geoff and Benny have established an impressive culture within this side and they will be desperate to solidify their position in the top four. This game will also kick off at 12:45pm on the hallowed turf of #1.

TC took a circuitous route to Premier Rugby, playing social soccer for the Petone Stonecutters and 85kg rugby for Eastbourne before settling in as a reliable inside back and, lately, winger. A talented sportsman, Tom has also represented Petone-Riverside in Premier cricket, adding his name to a famous list of Petone legends who have done this. He overcame a horrific eye injury last season to come back and play at an extremely high level. His bone-crunching defence and strong carries have been a fixture in the Prems for a few seasons now, and TC gets his reward this week. As we know, this will be a particularly powerful blazer ceremony as Tom and his family lost their rock, Pete, only a few weeks ago. There are a myriad reasons for you to get down to the clubrooms on Saturday night, but you won’t find a better one than supporting Tom.

Written by Simon Blandford

Victoria Cross and Hardham Cup come together for first time in over 100 years

In a first for New Zealand rugby, the military’s highest award the original Victoria Cross (VC) won by William James Hardham and Wellington club rugby’s prestigious Hardham Cup are being displayed together, offering a unique historical convergence underscoring his dual legacy.

The two historic items have come together for the first time as part of the Petone Rugby Football Club’s (RFC), 140th anniversary (1885 -2025) celebrations.

As part of the celebrations the New Zealand Remembrance Army (NZRA), in collaboration with the United Services Medals Trust and New Zealand Defence Force’s – Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles, presented a set of miniature replicas of Hardham’s military medals to Petone RFC.

The event will also feature his original VC, on loan from the Waiouru Museum and brought to the club by his family.

An announcement by the WRFU is imminent on the future of the Hardham Cup.

The Hardham Cup. First contested in 1939 as Wellington club rugby’s second tier Premier trophy.

Queens Alexandras Mounted Rifles will mount a guard at the kick off at the Petone Rec in the Swindale Shield sixth round fixture for the Bill Brien Challenge Shield and the Darren Larsen Cup between Petone and Wainuiomata at 2.45pm, and feature in the post-match presentations at 530pm. This is the unit Hardham served with.

“We are excited to bring together the worlds of rugby and military history in celebration of a figure who excelled in both arenas,” says Simon Strombom, Managing Director of NZRA.

“Hardham was a club legend in its early days and was the only New Zealander awarded a Victoria Cross during the South African War (1899-1902).

“He was also the first New Zealand born person to receive the award and only solider from the Mounted Rifles to ever receive the award.”

William James Hardham, was born in Wellington in 1876, who distinguished himself through an act of conspicuous bravery in action.

Posted to the 4th Contingent in 1900, he was on a patrol in the South African Transvaal when it was ambushed.

He rode his horse to the rescue of a wounded soldier while under heavy fire and for this he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Returning to civilian life after the war, he played representative rugby for Petone Rugby Club and Wellington Provincial Team. He also continued to serve in the militia (like today’s Territorials).

A stalwart of the Petone rugby club, Hardham played more than 50 matches for Wellington. The ‘fast dashing forward, full of go from kick-off to cease play’ played in Wellington’s successful 1904 challenge against Auckland for the then new Ranfurly Shield.

When the First World War began in 1914, Hardham served as a captain in the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt and at Gallipoli, where he was severely wounded in 1915. After recovering, he re-enlisted and returned to active service in Palestine in 1918.

At war’s end he returned once again to civilian life, where he worked for the Dominion (now the Post) newspaper and later the Public Works Department as well as being involved in veterans’ affairs helping to organise Wellington’s annual Anzac Day celebrations.

On return to the Petone RFC he became increasingly involved in rugby administration with the Wellington Rugby Football Union.

William Hardham contracted malaria while serving in Palestine, as a result he died in Wellington on 13 April 1928, aged 51. He is the only VC recipient to be laid to rest in the Karori Soldiers’ Cemetery.

The trophy that bears his name was donated to the Wellington RFU for competition in his honour in 1939. It has been fully restored for the day.

We remember W. Hardham and our other servicemen and women this Saturday at the recreation ground with a moments silence and the Last Post bugle call at around 2:30pm before the Premier fixture. Kia Kaha, Kia Maia.

A Limited Edition set of 30 jerseys featuring William Hardham VC and our other fallen servicemen will be up for auction in conjunction with Old timers day and our 140th Celebration on Friday May 30. See you on Old timers day for more information. Buy your tickets to yhe 140th Celebration here https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/344548

Old Timers day 10th May 2025

11:15am: Ponies kick off vs Wainuiomata, Rec number 1.

11:30am: Clubrooms open for drinks and nibbles.

12:00: Victoria Cross Display to arrive at Clubrooms, Photo Opportunity for Committee, life Members & old boys & girls.

12:15: Life Members Photo, wear number 1's.

13:00: Victoria Cross to arrive at Petone Rec.

12:45: Kick Off, Colts vs Poneke, Petone Rec.

12:45: Kick Off, B's vs Wainuiomata, Petone Rec.

13:15: Juniors to parade around the Rec with Victoria Cross and Hardham Cup.

14:30: Start VC Presentation, Petone Prems and Wainui Prems to walk out on to Petone Rec No1 Field and form up on halfway facing Grandstand. Followed by VC Medal, Army Guards, Hardham Cup and Bugler and Last Post played by Bugler followed by 1 min silence, then Reveille.

14:45: Kick Off, Petone vs Wainuiomata, Petone Rec number 1.

17:45: Captains Speeches, then Simon Strombom of the NZ Remembrance Army to give a brief talk on William Hardham and how the Medals came about and why they are being donated to the Club.

Paul White (Club Patron) to receive Medals from NZ Remembrance Army and the Hardham family. In return present Souvenir Framed Jersey to NZ Army Representative on behalf of PRFC.

18:00: Blazer Presentation

18:15: Meal for all members

There are still spots available for our 140th Celebration 30 May 2025. Buy your tickets here https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/344548

We desperately need a few more volunteers to help out around the club. If you would like to put your hand up or know someone who is keen to help, flick an email to Steve Tanner st@bcasolutions.co.nz we would especially love to talk to anyone with finance or bookkeeping experience.

If there is any news or information you would like added to the Village Viewpoint please email it through to Hack - haydenotoole@gmail.com

Thanks for reading. See you at the Rec and back at the Clubrooms for what's shaping up to be an Old Timers Day for the books!

Go Blue!