For many years the country areas of Tasman, Upper Moutere, Dovedale, Ngatimoti and Tapawera struggled to maintain rugby teams in each area. 

During the war Upper Moutere and Dovedale combined and after the war Upper Moutere, Tasman and Ngatimoti re-entered teams in the competition.

In 1949 more players were available and the Dovedale and Ngatimoti clubs amalgamated to form Central club. 

In 1954 meetings were held in Tasman, Upper Moutere and Central clubs to consider amalgamation, the idea was not well received by club administrators but playing members took matters into their own hands.

A trip had been arranged for a game with Murchison by one club and as they had difficulty making up numbers, players were invited from the other two districts. It was during this trip the new amalgamation was born. 

At a later meeting in the Neudorf hall some administrators still expressed concerns, but the playing numbers voted unanimously for the amalgamation of the 3 clubs.

So on the 26th of January 1955 the Rangers Rugby Football Club was officially formed by the players for the players.

Rangers was the chosen name for the club over Rovers by a 60% majority.

Rangers have a proud history of being a tough, fair, competitive country Rugby club and our mission statement is:

“To promote and develop rugby in the Moutere Hills area to the highest possible level”