HISTORY OF THE MANLY TOUR

For over 45 years now, Hutt Old Boys and now Hutt Old Boys Marist junior rugby have been involved in an annual Trans Tasman clash with the Manly Junior Reps.

Back in 1974 club member Roy Hunt had the idea for an overseas tour for two teams of children being under 11 and under 12.  With a lot of hard work, blood, sweet and probably a few tears what has now become known as the Manly Tour was born. The original format of this tour still stands to this day with HOBM touring Australia every even year and Manly visiting us every odd year.

Like everything the tour itself has changed over time with the changing world in which we live. Where in the early years players were billeted with Manly players for most of the tour now days they spend only three or four nights being billeted. The same applies when Manly visits with HOBM where they use to spend their 10 days in the Hutt Valley they are now only here for 3-4 days. However one thing stand true to this day, this tour is to reward players for their service to the club and teams are selected by length of service to the club not rugby ability.

HOB & HOBM have had there fair share of victories over the years with the first home victory coming in 1979 but it wasn’t until 1982 that we were able to secure our first victory on Australian soil. It has long been a misgiving of the Manly Reps that they are playing the Hutt Valley Junior Reps and not a club side from the Hutt Valley. So as you can imagine it makes for some interesting after matches when they are beaten.

The juniors have remained strong through out this period and have been fortunate enough to see the rewards of the tour in not only the current groups of touring children but also the number of players returning to the club after their college rugby, some to play Premier rugby and few go on to higher honors but as with the tour a lot return just to play with their mates.

Whilst the cost of the tour has changed over the years one thing remains the same, there is a lot of hard work required by the boys, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to raise the money required to send the tour party. Whether it be the good old bottle drive of the seventies and eighties to sausage sizzle and Texas Holdém evenings of now the work goes on making sure the tour continues.

It is a testament to all who have been involved with HOB/HOBM Junior rugby that this great tour continues. Many other rugby clubs in the region have tried to copy our tour but none have been able to maintain it and enjoy the success that we have.