MacKENZIE RUGBY SUB- UNION 

    The game in the MacKenzie Country has its roots in the first year of organised rugby in South Canterbury. John S. Rutherford of the Opawa Station was credited with establishing the Burkes Pass Football Club soon after the formation of the South Canterbury and Temuka clubs in 1875. John's brother Robert, and the Raine brothers of Sherwood were doubtless involved, as was John's hunting and shooting friend George Hamersley. Robert and the Raine brothers played in the first 'town v country' match at Timaru in 1875. Rutherford was the Mackenzie District’s equivalent of Hamersley, patron and encourager of rugby, cricket, athletics, cycling, tennis, hunting, horse racing and rifle clubs.
  In the 1860s and 1870s the MacKenzie was inhabited by English settlers, and their sons were educated at the only boarding school available at the time, Christ's College, which was itself modelled on the English 'public school'. Football (rugby) and cricket were strongly encouraged, and in the holidays the boys would bring home their 'togs' to play in, hence the adoption of the clubs colours of black & white hoops, which just happened to be the same as Temuka, and when playing that club Burkes Pass wore the Christ's second strip of grey.
  There seems to have been little activity at the Burkes Pass village in the early years in regard to visiting teams, 'The Paddock' hosted a number of inter- station games, and played South Canterbury at least once, but the trek from Timaru via the Warratah Saddle to Burkes Pass was a long one. Once the Railway reached Albury in January 1877 the Burkes Pass Club began hosting visiting teams at what is now the Albury Domain. By 1878 the club was playing regular inter club matches at Albury, with sumptuous after match dinners hosted by the Opawa Hotel (old stone pub). In its last year of operation the club changed its name to 'MacKenzie Country F.C.'. The reason it hadn't been so named earlier was that the English settlers didn't think it appropriate that the club be named after a Scottish sheep stealer, an attitude that changed as more Scots arrived in the area.
    The arrival of the railway at Fairlie Creek caused Burkes Pass to lose its 'head town' status, and the base of rugby in the area. J. Dundas Hamilton of Clayton Station established the Fairlie Creek F.C. in 1884. It isn't known if the two clubs ever played each other, but the new club carried on by itself until a club was established at Albury in 1897, by John Rutherford and Tommy Simpson, who was a veteran of the 1894 South Canterbury tour of the North Island. The two clubs played each other two to three times a year, as well as regular games at Temuka, Geraldine, Winchester, Timaru and Pleasant Point
    A well-remembered feature of Rutherford's enthusiasm for the game was when he set off from his residence in the Opawa Valley, with his footman blowing a huntsman's horn all the way down to the Railway Hotel to call 'the Albury men to arms'. From there J.S.R. would transport the team on his wool wagon with 'six in hand' to far off destinations.
    The arrival of the Cricklewood Club in 1907 created a three team set-up, which in turn inspired the formation of the MacKenzie Rugby Sub- Union at a meeting at the Railway Hotel, Albury. Pleasant Point was invited to join the sub- union, but didn't show at the first meeting, but were for many years re- invited.
    The sub- union was a successful venture with other clubs joining; Cave (1911) and Alpine (1912). The highlight of the pre Great War era was the MacKenzie Rep side defeating South Canterbury at the Athletic Grounds at Fairlie Creek by 8- 0, in 1913.


    Rugby ceased in the MacKenzie at the end of the 1914 season, as many of its number were about to embark on the H.M.T.S Athenic at Lyttelton, for the Gallipoli campaign. Seven-a-side tournaments were hosted by the sub- union in 1915 and 1916 for raise funds for the Red Cross and the MacKenzie 'Patriotic Fund'.
    The sub- union attempted to re start competitions in 1919 and 1920 with various seven-a-side and fifteen man tournaments. Four teams entered the revived competitions in 1921; Fairlie, Albury, Cave, and Te Ngawai. Cave dropped out in 1922 and were replaced by a second club in the Fairlie Township, Aorangi. The great depression of the 1930s created the next difficulties, Albury and Te Ngawai amalgamated to form Southern ( in 1934 it was the most southern club), Sherwood Downs joined as a 'Junior' club, and Pirates was formed to make a four team competition. Cave then reentered the championship and Pirates were disbanded, in the following season.
  War again ended competition, the 1940 season being the last until 1945, when the championship resumed. Sub- Union rugby in New Zealand went through something of a golden era from the end of the war until the early 1950s. MacKenzie was boosted by the arrival of two hydro power scheme clubs; Tekapo in 1946, and Pukaki in 1948, to add to Fairlie, Aorangi, Albury (Southern) and Cave (briefly). Although petrol was still rationed and distances between the likes of Albury and Pukaki were long, the sub- union prospered. The introduction of the Laddie Heath Shield in 1946 was a huge financial boost for the MRSU. The shield was won or lost on a challenge system between the sub- union rep teams of Eastern Districts (Palmerston), Waitaki (Kurow), Waimate and MacKenzie. At this time the Mt Cook Cup also became a feature of the sub- union’s schedule, in 1947 it was played for between the Pleasant Point Club and the winner of the MRSU Knockout competition at season’s end.
  The MacKenzie RSU Reps at beaten a strong South Canterbury side 14- 9 at Fairlie in 1945, (only a few weeks after SC had beaten Canterbury 8- 0) so were a force to be reckoned with. The MacKenzie Reps won the Heath Shield in 1947 and 1948, attracting crowds of up to 2,000 to Strathconan Park.
  The 1952 season started well enough, but the death of Allan Simpson, after receiving injuries in a match between Albury and Fairlie, sent shock waves through the MacKenzie County. Most of the clubs were relying on older players to keep the teams going until the next generation caught up. These older players gave up the game in such numbers that it appeared that there would not be enough to warrant a sub- union for the 1953 season, and so it was. At a meeting held at the Aorangi Hall in Fairlie at the end of the 1952 season it was decided to disband the sub- union and establish the MacKenzie RFC, and enter teams in the SCRFU competitions for 1953.
    The only MacKenzie Sub- Union match to be reported nationally (Weekly News) took part at the Albury Domain.
  When the Pukaki rugby team from the western end of the far flung MacKenzie Sub- Union travelled 70 miles to in 1951 to meet Albury on the eastern boundary. It was the last day of play in the first round, neither team had been beaten.
  The opening minutes of the match played on firm ground, well sheltered from west and south saw the Pukaki team (in black) attacking strongly to force the Albury team (blue & gold hoops) defending their goal desperately. The Pukaki first five-eighth Mick Surridge ducked towards the right wing. In an overwhelming rush a Pukaki forward scored.
  In the next ten minutes the Albury hooker, Mick Casey, made a couple of breaks which gave confidence to his team mates to alter the trend of play. Albury was awarded a penalty. Several spectators nipped into the field of play to show the referee the exact spot where the infringement occurred. Within a few minutes of goaling Casey beat the Pukaki fullback to score a try. From that moment neither team had any territorial advantage. Near the end of the spell persistent following up gave Tom Groundwater a try, after a moving ball had eluded several Pukaki defenders. Moments from the end of the first spell Pukaki lost a grand opportunity to score a try when a kick from a back went over the dead ball line. At half time the home team led 9- 3.
  During the first spell the visitors had lost Bluey Stringer, a centre three quarter, who had captained the previous seasons South Canterbury Junior team. But they still had a useful looking pack. On the side line, which was not roped off, there was room for a man to wave his arms when reasoning with a visiting barracker and spectators knew most of the players by their first names. The sight of barrackers of both sexes surging up and down the touch line was as interesting as the actual game.
  The Pukaki players began the second half with the air of men who knew that a quick score might swing the game in their favour. Murray Wilson, a 17 year old full back, showed real promise but the Pukaki backs had a fatal tendency to kick when straight running might have meant a try. From the lineouts the black forwards secured most of the contested possession. Among them was Fred Houston and an aggressive back row forward named Don Cameron. From the scrums, however, Mick Casey continued to get the ball. His Father Vic hooked for South Canterbury in 1925. At first five eighth Albury had a strong man named Stewart Donaldson, the President of the club who, because of the lack of players, was playing under protest. While he was not swift as in former years , he was a tower of strength in a youthful set of backs, for he was unperturbed by frisky opposing forwards. One of his kicks went too far to land over the Pukaki goal line, but the ball bounced back into play for Owen Tinkler to score a try.
  In a late rally, Pukaki sent the ball along the backs to the replacement forward Gibson. Running like a natural centre he scored the best try of the day. In further attacks the Pukaki half back Ray Holmes made a grand effort to battle through the forwards for a press on the line and for many tense moments Pukaki was nearly over. The Albury full back was in a good deal of trouble but he always managed to do something right at the last, desperate moment.
  A good game ended in favour of Albury by 12- 6, with good feelings on and off the field. The only resident of Albury who did not see the game was the poor post office exchange girl, who leaning out of her window, called to spectators on their way to the Hotel , “who won?”, it was with pleasure the locals had the right answer.
  The spirit of the MRSU lives on with 'sub- union revival' tournaments and one off matches between teams to mark historical milestones, the first one held in 1988, for which the Jubilee Trophy (1875- 2000) is presented. In 1997 Mrs Joan Cameron presented a trophy in memory of her father T. F. Bussell, who played for Fairlie Creek in the 1890s, the trophy is presented to the winner of the Albury v Fairlie match. 1997 marked 100 years since the first such match.
                   
                                      MacKENZIE RUGBY SUB-UNION CHAMPIONS
                                                                    1907 - 1952

  County Flag
1907 -  Fairlie Creek
1908 -  Fairlie Creek
1909 -  Cricklewood
1910 -  Albury
1911 -  Cricklewood
1912 -  Albury
1913 -  Albury
1914 -  Alpine
1915 – 1920 WWI,no comp
  Reilly Cup
1921 -  Albury
1922 -  Fairlie
1923 -  Fairlie
1924 -  Fairlie
1925 -  Fairlie
1926 -  Aorangi
1927 -  Fairlie
1928 -  Fairlie
1929 -  Fairlie
1930 -  Fairlie
1931 -  Aorangi
1932 -  Fairlie
1933 -  Aorangi
1934 -  Fairlie
1935 -  Fairlie
1936 -  Southern
1937 -  Southern
1938 -  Cave
1939 -  Southern
1940 -  Fairlie
1941 – 1944 WWII, no comp
1945 -  Albury
  T. H. Cook Cup
1946 -  Cave
1947 -  Tekapo
1948 -  Tekapo
1949 -  Fairlie
1950 -  Tekapo
1951 -  Albury
1952 -  Fairlie
1953 -  Sub-union disbanded, MacKenzie RFC formed

                                                                                                         
                        MACKENZIE RUGBY SUB-UNION REVIVAL TOURNAMENTS
                                    ( MacKenzie Rugby Sub-Union Tournament trophy )

1988 -  Tekapo 20          Cricklewood 4*
1989 -  Cave 14              Aorangi  4*
2000 -  Albury 3              Fairlie  3*
2003 -  Aorangi 6            Albury 6*
2007 -  Fairlie Creek 11 Cricklewood 8
2008 -  Te Ngawai 13    Aorangi 8
2009 -  Southern 16        Pirates 14
2010 -  Cave 20              Fairlie 0
2012 -  Cave 21              Alpine 20
* denotes tourney final


                                                          T. F. BUSSELL TROPHY
                                                        (  Albury versus Fairlie )

1997 -  Albury
1999 -  Fairlie
2001 -  Fairlie
2002 -  Fairlie
2003 -  Albury
2008 -  Albury
2011 -  Fairlie

2017 - Albury

                                          THE CLUBS of the MacKENZIE COUNTY

MacKENZIE RUGBY SUB- UNION, 1907- black & gold hoops, 1921- club colours, 1923- sky blue, 1925- Royal blue, 1931- 52 maroon & gold hoops. Athletic Grounds (Strathconan Park), School Road, Fairlie.
Laddie Heath Shield; 1947, 1948.

BURKES PASS F.C. 1875 – 1884 (black & white hoops). 1875- 77, 'The Paddock', Burkes Pass, 1878- 84, Albury Domain. Changed title to; MacKenzie Country F.C. for 1884.
FAIRLIE CREEK F.C. 1884 – 1914 (1884- all white with blue cross patee, 1899- blue & black hoops, 1907 white sash added). Athletic Grounds, Fairlie (Creek).
MRSU Championship; 1907- 1908.
ALBURY F.C. 1897- 1933 (black & gold hoops). Albury Domain.
MRSU Championship; 1910, 1912-13, 1921.
CRICKLEWOOD F.C. 1907- 1911 (maroon). Tubb's Paddock, Cricklewood.
MRFU Championship; 1909, 1911.
CAVE F.C. 1911- 22, 1935- 47 (green & black hoops, then blue & white hoops). Cave Domain.
MRSU Championship; 1938, 1946.
ALPINE F.C. 1912- 1914 (blue & white hoops). Allandale School, then Athletic Grounds, Fairlie.
MRSU Championship; 1914.
FAIRLIE F.C. 1921- 1952 (red & black hoops). Strathconan Park, Fairlie.
MRSU Championship; 1922- 25, 1927- 30, 1932, 1934- 35, 1940, 1949, 1952.
TE NGAWAI F.C. 1921- 1933 (blue & black hoops). Gallen's Paddock, Te Ngawai.
AORANGI F.C. 1923- 1952 (sky blue). Strathconan Park, Fairlie.
MRSU Championship; 1926, 1931, 1933.
SOUTHERN F.C. 1934- 52 amalgamation of Albury & Te Ngawai (Royal blue & gold hoops). Albury Domain. (re named Albury in 1945)
MRSU Championship; 1936- 37, 1939, 1945, 1951.
SHERWOOD DOWNS F.C.* 1934- 1937 (maroon & gold hoops). Clayton Domain, Sherwood Downs.
PIRATES F.C. 1934 (all black), Strathconan Park, Fairlie.
TEKAPO F.C. 1940- 1952 (blue & red hoops). Hunter- Weston Ground, Lake Tekapo.
MRSU Championship; 1947- 48, 1950.
PUKAKI F.C. 1948- 1951 (all black). Simon's Pass, Lake Pukaki.

* = 'Junior' (second grade) only.