The 1955 Ōhaupō Junior Football Club team. Evan Dela Rue is top row, second from left. Photo / Supplied
Waikato player #517 Evan Thomas Dela Rue, 87, spent almost half a century on the rugby field, playing alongside the likes of Don Clarke and refereeing some of New Zealand’s greatest players.
The Kaipaki farmer was born on Valentines Day 1936 only a few kilometres from where he currently lives, after his parents moved up from Taranaki.
Attending Ōhaupō Primary School, he joined the Ōhaupō Rugby Club at age 5 and has been a member ever since – more than 80 years of service.
“I used to watch a lot of rugby when I was young. I’ve seen a lot of rugby players over a long period of time because I’ve always been mad about rugby. We used to go to all the games. I remember the likes of Has Catley [the first Waikato centurion, who played 1935-1955] playing,” he says.
Part of a family of five, Dela Rue also showed an interest in tennis at an early age.
In his later years of primary school, he was selected twice for the Te Awamutu Gwynne Shield rugby side before heading to Auckland’s Sacred Heart College for 1950 and 1951.
At Sacred Heart, he played halfback before becoming a set-in-stone first five-eighth.
He returned to play for Ōhaupō and the Te Awamutu Rugby Sub-Union third-grade side in 1952 and carried on there, with much the same squad, through to the Te Awamutu Peace Cup team, with the likes of future Waikato reps Tom Chestnut (Te Awamutu Old Boys) and Herbie Fairweather (Te Awamutu United).
“Several players from the Ōhaupō Rugby Club were in the Te Awamutu side each year and we were coached by former Te Awamutu mayor Bob Vaile,” says Dela Rue.
“I had one year living in Hamilton around 1957, and that was the only year I didn’t play for Ōhaupō. I played for Hamilton Marist - it was a good team too. We won the Stag trophy. Then I moved back to live in Kaipaki.”
In 1957, 21-year-old Dela Rue was brought into the Waikato rugby squad as an apprentice player.
“I was brought in during the season and I trained but then the next year, the trials were in Te Awamutu and I played in both trials and made the Waikato squad again.”
That year, he represented Waikato but was forced to retire after playing just one game due to a neck injury.
Dela Rue played alongside notable rugby players such as Don Clarke, Ian Clarke, Bryce Cowley, Ron Hemi, Peter Nicol, Rex Pickering and Wilson Whineray during his short-lived rugby career.
“They were some great guys and very talented. That’s how you learn the game and get the confidence of experience, playing with guys like that. Confidence is an important thing,” says Dela Rue.
Although his match tally was just one, he still managed to get mentioned in the Rugby Almanack, now the world’s longest-running rugby book of record.
“Only three newcomers found their way into the Waikato side, and for only one game each, namely Groube, Dela Rue and Fabling,” it says in the 1959 Rugby Almanack of New Zealand.
Dela Rue’s sole match came in a 15-5 victory over Auckland on June 2 in the Coronation Shield clash at Hamilton’s Rugby Park.
Waikato captain and centurion Bryce Cowley had left the field in the second half and Dela Rue replaced him at second five-eighth.
While putting a tackle on Auckland and All Black midfielder Terry Lineen, Dela Rue’s head made contact with Lineen’s hip, causing a major neck problem, but he continued playing in discomfort.
“I played pre-season games too, but you don’t get any caps for those and unfortunately that’s what happened,” he says.
“It was something you longed and hoped for. It’s still very frustrating but injuries happen.
“Bryce went off, I came on and that was virtually it.”
He says he was lucky he didn’t end up paralysed as it was later discovered that his neck was broken.
“I actually flaked out – mind you, I’d been drinking as well – but I obviously had a concussion. [Waikato selector] Bill Corby and the assistant coach took me up to the hospital. At that time, they were really clamping down on rugby players drinking. They didn’t want to know me but Corby said, ‘He’s staying here’.
“I was in the hospital for four days and never saw anybody. This was critical and I walked out of the hospital – they said, ‘You can go’. I walked down to the physiotherapist, who was under Waikato Rugby Union, and I couldn’t even move my neck. He gave me a bit of a touch and I said, ‘Be careful’. I didn’t know it had set itself.
“It was months later, we were cutting a hedge on the farm and a branch sprung back and caught me on the side of the head. Jeez, I couldn’t move my neck. I went to the hospital. They x-rayed it and were rushing around putting sandbags around my neck.
“They said, ‘You’ve got a broken neck’. They had another look and said, ‘This is an old injury’. I had a broken neck and the hospital could have maybe fixed that or clamped it at that time and I could have carried on playing rugby.”
Sixty-five years later, he still has to do daily neck exercises, otherwise he can’t move it.
“I played on a bit for Ōhaupō but I just found it too difficult so I went into coaching.”
Dela Rue started coaching in 1960 when he was about 24, a lot earlier than he expected.
“I coached a fourth-grade side with two of my younger brothers in the team. One of them was a halfback and the other was a first-five. They were good, tidy players.
“We did bloody well and ended up winning the Waikato competition. We beat Hamilton Old Boys in the final at Ōhaupō – it was really gratifying.
“I enjoyed that but I just felt that I needed to be more involved with the game and I was still pretty fit. I was reffing a few kids’ games in 1966 and some referee spotted me.”
Dela Rue was asked if he’d like to become a ref. He said yes and never looked back.
“I enjoyed it, it’s not easy. It’s something you’ve always got to be concentrating on. You’ve always got to be on the ball, picking the moods of the players, identifying problems and stopping them before they happen,” says Dela Rue.
“I only ever ordered one person off and that was in a friendly game, but after that we were good mates.”
Officiating from 1966 to 1988, he became the top referee in the Waikato region, including at National Provincial Championship level until he was 52.
Dela Rue had begun his national refereeing career in the early 1970s and quickly rose to prominence, with his first national provincial appointment being the East Coast v Wairarapa Bush match in 1973.
On four occasions he refereed at Eden Park in Auckland and was selected to officiate the Queen’s Birthday match for the Waikato side three times.
His career of over two decades sees him remembered as a highly respected figure in Waikato rugby history.
Fittingly, Dela Rue’s final match refereeing was the Ōhaupō Rugby Club’s centennial match between Auckland and the Harlequins in 1988.
After stepping away from the pitch, Dela Rue became the convener of the Waikato Rugby Union referee appointment board.
He held this position for a decade, assessing and appointing Waikato referees and also assessed provincial referees around the country for the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU).
Dela Rue is widely recognised for his outstanding contributions to the sport and has been awarded life memberships for the Ōhaupō Rugby Club, Te Awamutu Rugby Referees Association and Waikato Rugby Referees Association.
He also received the Sport Waikato Service to Sport award at the 2018 Waipā Networks District Sports Awards.
Dela Rue’s three sons Gary, Ross and Brian have all played for his beloved Ōhaupō, although none of his eight grandkids have put on the red, yellow and gold Ōhaupō colours yet.
“My youngest son was also down for a New Zealand Under-23 trial but he broke his ankle,” he says.
Aside from his love for rugby, Dela Rue was an avid tennis player and cricket player.
At 87, he remains active in tennis, playing regularly at Hamilton’s Lugton Park Tennis Club, and is a life member of the Kaipaki Tennis Club.
In cricket, Dela Rue played for 35 years as a wicketkeeper and batsman, representing Kaipaki and Te Awamutu rep sides, even winning the Te Awamutu A Grade batting cup in 1965.
Dela Rue was known not just for his sporting achievements but also for his character and integrity.
He was respected by players, coaches, and fellow referees alike and was always willing to share his knowledge and experience with others.
“Playing and refereeing right through has given me a long, long time associated with people and players. That’s why I know so many people in Te Awamutu and around the country.”
Even after retiring from refereeing, he continued to serve the rugby community in various ways, including mentoring young referees.
His advice to all sports players is refreshing and gleaned from much experience.
“I think you’ve got to put everything into your club team to be able to make it into reps. If you’re not going to do it for your club and just say, ‘Well, I’m going to make the rep team’, you’re not going to do it. You’ve got to put your effort in everywhere. If you’re not enjoying something, then why do it?”
After all he has witnessed, Dela Rue says everything is a highlight, even making your club team.
“It’s been a great ride actually, sport. No matter what you do, if you take the opportunities and strive to do the best you can.
“It’s a process of highlights and achievements as you go. Once you achieve one, you look for the next goal.”
The two young players join the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic for the 2025 ANZ Premiership.