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The latest episode of The Club Rooms is now live.This time, we head to Mount Wellington Rugby Club and sit down with pre...
18/08/2026

The latest episode of The Club Rooms is now live.

This time, we head to Mount Wellington Rugby Club and sit down with president and captain Darin Housham — a proud fourth-generation member of the club.

Darin talks about what Mount Wellington means to his whānau, the life lessons that have come through the club, and the role rugby continues to play in the wider community.

He also opens up about the harder years — losing the club rooms, rebuilding, and the challenge of keeping a grassroots club moving forward.

Four generations. One club. A lot of history.

Watch the full episode on YouTube.

50 years later, the rugby still brings them together.For The Club Rooms, we recently travelled outside Auckland for our ...
18/08/2026

50 years later, the rugby still brings them together.

For The Club Rooms, we recently travelled outside Auckland for our first episode on the road returning to Thames Rugby & Sports Club, a relationship we’ve proudly maintained since 2024.

We had the privilege of sitting down with the 1976 Hui Mai championship team, celebrating 50 years since their clean sweep season.

With the McClinchy Trophy back in their hands, the stories, laughs and camaraderie came naturally.

And that’s what makes grassroots sport so powerful.

These men weren’t just remembering a rugby season. They were reconnecting with friendships, identity and a community that has stayed with them for five decades.

Hui Mai later became part of the Thames Rugby & Sports Club story, but the identity is still very much alive.

This is why we created The Club Rooms.

To document the people behind the clubs. The icons, stalwarts, volunteers, champions and communities whose stories are often at risk of being lost.

Thames reminded us that rugby is much more than what happens on the field.

It’s a social infrastructure that connects generations.

And there are thousands of stories like this across New Zealand.

If you follow sport in NZ, you keep hearing the same narrative: unions are losing out, numbers are down, and the game is...
04/08/2026

If you follow sport in NZ, you keep hearing the same narrative: unions are losing out, numbers are down, and the game is changing. But after spending Season 1 interviewing club icons and stalwarts for our project, Clubrooms, we found something even more urgent: we are sitting on a massive gap generation.

The legendary stalwarts who have turned up for their clubs for the last 20, 30, or 40 years aren't going to be around forever, and it begs the question: who is stepping up next? Who is taking the pads down off the posts? Who is keeping the shed tidy? Who is sacrificing their Saturday night to run the bar or making sure the jerseys are washed for next week?

Without these battlers, volunteers, and proud life members, grassroots rugby dies, and if that happens, a massive piece of what makes us Kiwis goes down the gurgler with it. That's why we built Clubrooms. It is 100% free for clubs to participate.

We're here to digitally preserve club histories, capture the stories of our older generation while they're still here to tell them, and celebrate the local legends who were never going to be All Blacks but are absolute royalty in their own community.

For Season 2, we are expanding to feature clubs outside of Auckland while also finishing off the rest of the Auckland region so no local club gets left behind.

You can also now send us stars!

03/08/2026

Ever wondered what went down behind the scenes at one of NZ’s most famous rugby clubs? Ponsonby RFC historian Paul Neazor walks us through the history, heritage, and high jinks of the legendary clubrooms.

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube!

15/07/2026

Do enough rugby people know who David Gallaher really was?

Ponsonby Rugby Club historian Paul Neazor explains why David Gallaher remains one of the most important figures in New Zealand rugby.
His legacy wasn't just built in the black jersey.
It began at Ponsonby Rugby Club.

David Gallaher captained the legendary 1905–06 Originals, the team that helped put New Zealand rugby on the world stage.

Great clubs never forget where they came from.

Should every young rugby player know David Gallaher's story before they pull on a jersey?

23/06/2026

What's the biggest thing players don't see behind the scenes?

Do players really understand what it takes to run a club?

Most of us see the game from the changing room, the sideline, or the grandstand.

But everything looks different when you step into governance.

Ioane Ioane talks about the transition from player to club leadership and the realities that come with it.

Budgets, facilities, volunteers, planning, and decisions that most members never see.

Running a rugby club is about far more than what happens on the field.

What surprised you most when you got involved behind the scenes?

20/06/2026

Can a rugby club become part of your family?

For many, the club became a second home.

You can't replace genuine belonging.

What does your rugby club mean to you personally?

18/06/2026

Have rugby clubs lost their place in the community?

Tony says the club is more than a rugby field.
It's a place where people can sit down, talk, and be heard.
A place where someone will always make time for you.

For some people, the club is still their support network.

Communities don't build themselves.

18/06/2026

What's the biggest prize your club is still chasing?

When asked about East Tamaki's 10-year plan, Ioane Ioane spoke about one goal that stands above the rest.

The club has reached a Gallagher Shield semi-final.

But they've never lifted the trophy.

Every club has milestones.

Every club has unfinished business.

Some achievements mean more because they take generations to reach.

What's the highest honour your club has won — or is still chasing?

14/06/2026

What rugby jersey means the most to you?

Ando reflects on the jersey displays throughout Pakuranga United's clubrooms.

Every jersey has a story behind it.
A team, a season, a friendship, or a moment that still means something years later.

One of the jerseys he treasures most is an Auckland Grammar First XV jersey gifted to him by his mate, Grant Patten.

Some jerseys are more than memorabilia.

Which jersey in your clubrooms carries the most history?

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