Rugby commenced at Ohoka in 1927 although it had been at the school for many years. Initially talk
of a team took place at a dance and then later that year a group of young men were gathered
outside the store and decided to go ahead and form a team. None of the players had any experience
apart from schooldays but apparently they quickly learnt.

There were only four married men in the first team which included Charlie Dalzell who cut the legs
off a pair of working trousers and put sprigs into his work boots. Others were Dave Dunick, Tom
Ramsay, Ernie Ward, Les Brown, Mick Lynskey, Bill Lynskey, Clem Lynskey, Vern Lynskey, Joe Dunick,
Ben Scott, Hughie Power, Charlie Cook and George Armstrong. The first president was Mr C. R. Cook
who acted as coach and referee as well, whilst the first secretary was A. Howard. During the first
season the team travelled by Midland bus to away games. Other teams in the junior competition
included Glenmark, Oxford, Cust, Woodend and Amberley. Each club had to supply their own
referee for home games.

One of Ohoka’s earliest referees was Percy Rouse, a local traffic inspector. The pavilion in those days
was part of the old tote from the Mandeville Racecourse.

In their second year of rugby Ohoka won the junior competition and played for the Amuri Shield in a
match against Cheviot played at Spotswood as Cheviot was too wet. Even at Spotswood the ground
was so muddy it was impossible to see the try line. The result of the game was a draw with Cheviot
holding the shield.

With automatic promotion in those days, Ohoka played Seniors the next year. In 1937 Ohoka won
the junior competition, the seven-a-side competition and the Amuri Shield in a game played at
Kaikoura.

In 1938 H. Power reported to the Sub-Union that the Ohoka Club had arranged for a better ground
at Swannanoa and apologised on behalf of the club for asking teams to play on such a ground as
Ohoka had previously used.

While Ohoka were playing Juniors there was a constant regrading problem. Three players, Leo Cook,
Jack Winter and Hughie Power were turned down for regrading at the commencement of one
season.

In 1941 the Club went into recess owing to the Second World War. The Sub-Union itself was in
recess from 1941 to 1945 but recommenced in 1946. The Club fielded a junior team in 1946 and
played at Cottle Park as the Ohoka ground was ploughed up.

In 1948 the Sub-Union asked Ohoka to go to Seniors but the Club was against it and so entered the
Junior grade again. The club returned to play on the Ohoka field.

During 1949 tile drainage of the domain was completed in conjunction with the cricket club. Ohoka
won the junior seven-aside competition.

In 1950 R. Metson made up a club monogram with the feature of it being a pukeko. The club were
runners-up in the junior competition, won the junior knock-out competition and won a Canterbury
seven-a-side competition held at Kaiapoi.

A new pavilion was built during the year but was officially opened at the annual meeting in 1953. All
the fundraising had gone to the Ohoka Combined Sports Club who were the overall organising body.
Mr B. Dunick, the Club president, was appointed to the Sub-Union management committee.

In 1954 the dispute over boundaries with the Petrie brothers commenced. The Rangiora Senior team
actually pulled out of the competition over it. This argument continued until the Sub-Union half

yearly meeting of 1957 when the Ohoka Club seconded the motion abolishing boundaries. The
boundary rule was suspended for the 1958 and 1959 seasons as a trial and then became
permanently abolished.

In 1955 Ohoka fielded two teams for the first time with a 3rd grade team being entered. Mr Guy
Ward carried out water heating improvements to the shower system.

1964 D. Walls made up a Shield for the annual fixture between Ohoka and Westport Old Boys which
was known as the Ice Bowl Shield.

In 1965 R. J. M. Millar was elected president of the North Canterbury Rugby Sub-Union for a three
year term.

In 1970 he was elected a Life Member of the N.C.R.S.U. lie was president of the Canterbury Rugby
Sub-Unions from 1973-75. He has also been the North Canterbury Senior selector and has been very
active in the running of the Canterbury Rugby Supporters Club.

In 1968 P. Robinson was elected to the Management Committee of the N.C.R.S.U. After having
selected and coached the Under 20 grade rep. team, he selected the Senior Rep. team for several
seasons before becoming President of the N.C.R.S.U. in 1977.

During 1968-69 the ground was levelled and tile drained. A second field was marked out in 1970.

The Senior team rejoined the Senior competition for the 1972 season and have remained there
since. G. Millar was elected to the N.C.R.S.U. management committee after having being a referee
for many seasons.

The 1974 season was one of the wettest ever resulting in only one Senior game being played on the
Ohoka Domain. The first discussion took place on the idea of shifting the playing grounds from
Ohoka to the Mandeville Racecourse Reserve.

In the 1975 season B. Plaskett scored over 100 points for the season in the Under 10 grade. A club
dress jersey was introduced, being a maroon colour with a monogram consisting of Ohoka R.F.C.
surrounding a rugby ball.

R. Rails was elected to the N.C.R.S.U. management committee.

The club’s first All Black, Doug Bruce, joined the club in 1976. He was living in the Ohoka
Schoolhouse while teaching at the Woodend Primary School. After having played five competition
games he was selected for the South Africa tour where he gained his first test cap. Unfortunately he
rejoined the Oxford Club for the 1977 season.

An open junior team was entered as there were insufficient Under 19 players to make up a team.
This grade proved to be very successful and will provide a good pool of players for senior teams of
the future.

In 1977 the Club fielded the following teams—Senior, Junior, 4th Grade Under 16, 5th Grade Under
14, 6th Grade Under 12, 7th Grade Under 10, and an Under 8 ten-a-side