An attempt was made to get Rugby off the ground in 1900 at Waihenga Station Martinborough. A match was played in Greytown against Greytown, but history does not record the result.
The year 1904 saw the birth of the Martinborough Rugby Club, which was accepted, as a Junior Club by the Wairarapa Rugby Union. The colours being chocolate and blue. Records show that Martinborough were declared out of the Junior fixtures in late July, as no reply had been made to a letter sent to them.
In 1905 Martinborough was again included in the Junior draw. For some unknown reason the match between Martinborough and Masterton was drawn to be played at Morrison’s Bush.
The Club continued in the Junior grade in 1906. The club complained by letter to the Union that they had no referee in their last two matches. In reply the Union stated that referees were appointed to take charge and that they did not notify their inability to officiate.
In 1907 the Union wrote to the Club drawing attention to the unsatisfactory condition of the grounds and that unless something is not done to protect the playing ground from the encroachment of spectators, no further matches would be played there. The club reported that the ground had been properly fenced and that every assistance had been received from the local Constable in keeping the ground clear of spectators.
1909 shows that Martinborough lost its identify for a while by merging with the Featherston Liberal Club the combined club being known as the Lower Valley Club. Both Senior and Junior teams were entered. The colours consisted of a white top half and black bottom half. In 1910, a Senior team was again entered. In the competition final a draw was required to win but they were beaten by a field goal — four points to three by Greytown. In 1911 Lower Valley Club only entered a Junior team.
In 1913 Martinborough was again revived. Both Senior and third grade teams were entered; the colours were now the familiar green and black. Junior and third grade teams were entered in 1914. World War I saw the Club go into recess until 1919.
Another start was made in 1919 and the Club managed to carry on till 1922, when we became part of the Featherston Liberal Club, and known as Featherston United. Martinborough again appeared briefly in the season of 1925 but in 1926 had to withdraw from the Senior competition, on account of lack of playing members. It is well to pause here and note that in these two years, C.R. Bambry and L.J.L. Chapman (1925) and L.M. Roach (1926) gained representative honours in the Wairarapa team. A.C.Swan’s history of Rugby is not quite clear as to what happened to us in 1927, but in 1928 a merger was again made with Featherston, this club being known as Southern United.
In 1930, a team was formed by Mr Sandy Chapman and by 1934 was strong enough to come runners-up in the competition. This Club was active until 1940 when World War II put paid to most rugby throughout New Zealand. Martinborough came to life again after the war ended in 1945 when a Junior team was fielded. By 1950 they had entered the Senior ranks with the promotion of many junior players and this team was among the leaders of the competition from 1951 to 1954.
A strong committee in 1964 saw that the Club was registered as an Incorporated Society, and the building of the clubroom was commenced the same year. The building on Coronation Park was completed in 1965. The financing off the building proved a real headache to the Committee members, but a more than generous contribution by Mr Colin McLeod saw the building a reality. It must also be remembered that the working bees at that time gave all the time and energy it possessed. The Martinborough Borough Council always helped the Club over the years especially during the period of updating the Clubrooms and to comply with the various regulations of an ancillary license.
During the 70s, the Club lost Bob Gray, a life member, a coach, a real staunch club member, Bob Gray’s work in and for the club will not be forgotten.
On August 1, 1981 Martinborough defeated Gladstone by 26-0 in the grand final of the Wairarapa Bush Rugby Union’s Senior First competition, held at Memorial Park in Masterton. This was the first time ever that Martinborough had won the premier title. The under 20s also had great success in the 1981 season when they succeeded for the first time in winning the Wairarapa Bush Championships.
Further success followed in 1989 and 1981 when Martinborough was again crowned winners of the Senior First competition. In 1993 the Martinborough Under 21 side won the Wairarapa Bush Championship.
The past ten years have seen the Club struggle at times as the structure of the township has changed. Fewer young men with an interest in rugby make up the local populace and that has had a flow on effect to the Club. There is no Under 21 side and there has been a struggle to field a competitive senior side. Perhaps the future will see a return to the past in the form of a merger – time will tell.
