Renwick Rugby Club Celebrates 110 Years of Loyalty, Legacy, and Laughter

This year marks yet another impressive milestone for the Renwick Rugby Club - 110 years of grassroots rugby, community spirit, and generations of families rolling up their sleeves for the love of the game. After well-attended celebrations for the club’s 75th and 100th anniversaries, the current committee have chosen to mark the 110th anniversary with a fun, informal celebration: a nostalgic match day filled with memories, muddy boots, and a specially designed playing strip to honour more than a century of Renwick rugby.

The event is set for July 26 at Renwick Domain, coinciding with a senior home game against long-time friendly rivals Awatere. That choice was no coincidence. Awatere has long been a kindred country club, and in 2024, both clubs’ JAB U13 teams joined forces as “The Arwicks” to compete in the Tasman competition. That spirit of collaboration made the anniversary matchup a natural fit.

The festivities will kick off with the Under 12 Mudpups facing off against Awatere Under 12s at 11am, followed by a curtain raiser at 12:30pm featuring Golden Oldies from both clubs, a few of whom needed a bit of friendly bribery (and a lot of liniment) to return for one more run. At 2pm, the main event will see the Renwick Tractor Spares & Repairs Muddogs take on Awatere Seniors. With the June Club Day cancelled due to extreme weather, this stacked match day has evolved into a full-blown celebration, with several JAB teams also playing at home.

What makes Renwick Rugby Club such a strong, enduring part of the community? For starters, it’s the incredible local support. Loyal sponsors do more than just give money. They coach, manage, cheer from the sidelines, and flip sausages on the grill. Club patron, Blue Blick, is hands-on at every senior home game. Tractor Repairs and Spares and the Woodbourne Tavern team, are huge in terms of continuing assistance.

This season, Renwick has fielded eleven junior teams (U6–U12) with over 130 kids taking the field each weekend, thanks to a strong and passionate group of coaches and volunteers. Despite the club's Premier team folding a couple of years ago, Renwick’s presence in regional rugby is far from diminished. Some Renwick players competed in the Tasman Trophy Competition as part of the combined Central Team and the Muddogs senior team continues to thrive as a tight-knit, family-focused unit.

Supporters often see Renwick as the underdog which is a label worn with pride. People come not for guaranteed wins, but for the love of the game and the camaraderie that rugby brings. The club’s long-standing traditions shine through in the surnames that keep reappearing in the team lists, children of former players following in their parents’ and grandparent’s footsteps. Initiatives like the “Little Tackers” programme, for kids too young for Under 6 rugby, show how Renwick continues to innovate to ensure a bright future.

Of course, not everything is as it once was. Clubs today must function like small businesses, with costs like ground maintenance and line marking adding up quickly. COVID took a toll on volunteer numbers, and being the ‘little brothers’ of the Tasman Union makes things harder for Marlborough rugby in general.

One of the many notable figures in the club is Robert Harrison Jones who started playing senior rugby for Renwick in the early 1980s and racked up 320 premier games during the years of extended playing seasons. A Life Member, former Club Captain and current President, Robert embodies the soul of Renwick Rugby. His family has contributed including sister, Rhonda, who is a longtime sponsor and his sons Zac and Quinn who represented Renwick through the ranks, with Quinn playing in the

2024 MAKO team that lifted the Ranfurly Shield, alongside former JAB Renwick player Kyren Taumoefolau. Wife Vicki, by default, has also been with the club for over 35 years in various roles.

“It’s like an extension of your family,” Robert says. “All your mates you’ve made over the years are here. It’s been a huge part of my life.”

He fondly remembers packed sidelines in the ‘80s and ‘90s when rugby was the main event in town. Though crowd numbers have dipped, junior rugby remains strong, and the club continues to look forward.

Renwick may not always be at the top of the table, but its strength lies in its people including the volunteers, the players, the supporters, and the families who’ve given so much. As the club celebrates 110 years, it does so with pride in its past, gratitude for its present, and confidence in a future powered by community, loyalty, and love for the game.

And rest assured, whether it’s 115 or 125 years, someone will always be around to fire up the BBQ and pull on the green jersey one more time.