Waikato's Jackson Willison dives into score against Manawatu in the Air New Zealand Cup rugby match at FMG Stadium, Palmerston North, New Zealand, Thursday, July 26, 2007. Credit:NZPA / Ross Setford
Waikato's Jackson Willison dives into score against Manawatu in the Air New Zealand Cup rugby match at FMG Stadium, Palmerston North, New Zealand, Thursday, July 26, 2007. Credit:NZPA / Ross Setford
Waikato Rugby Union will host the Grassroots Trust Festival of Rugby on November 26, part of their Covid-delayed centenary celebrations.
The day will start at 11am with an old-fashioned Mooloo Parade, followed by a women’s game to celebrate where our Waikato colours come from.
Floats from junior rugby clubs and Waikato rugby sponsors will head down Victoria Street and across the Claudelands Bridge to park up on the concrete area outside Globox Arena.
After many years of planning, it’s set to be a great day out for all members of the family, and there will be food trucks and bouncy castles on-site.
The women’s game, played between Hamilton Rugby Sub-Union and Hamilton Old Boys Huskies, will kick off at 12.30pm.
With the old grandstand now closed, they will erect a temporary grandstand on the western side of the field.
At 2pm, they will re-enact Waikato’s first international game, against South Africa, at the same venue that game was played 101 years ago - Claudelands Park.
The field will even be decked out with old-school wooden posts, while the referees will also be in old-school long-sleeved white jerseys.
The Waikato side will have only authentic capped Waikato players, while the South African team is based around South African ex-pats that live in New Zealand, plus Kevin Putt and Ian Calder, who both played rugby for Waikato and in South Africa.
Waikato wll re-enact their first international game v South Africa for the Waikato Rugby Union centenary. The back of the jerseys will carry the name of the player who wore that particular playing number 101 years ago.
The back of the jerseys will carry the name of the player who wore that particular playing number 101 years ago.
Former Waikato captain and Ranfurly Shield winner Jackson Willison is ready to take the field, and says that celebrating the centenary is something to be proud of as a union.
“From a personal point of view, it’ll be quite a privilege and something to be proud of - being able to contribute a little bit of time again in the [Waikato] jersey would be cool,” he says.
“I’ve missed out on a few other exhibition and charity matches; this will be the first one for me. The general idea is that everyone gets a game, and everyone will get to keep their jersey as well. I think the competitive streak is going to come out.
“We’re finally here, and it’ll be a cool time to connect with some former teammates, and in my case, even some legends – it’ll be quite cool to mix it with them.”
Now an assistant coach with Te Awamutu Sports, 34-year-old Willison last played for Waikato in 2013.
“It’s been a few years since I last got to wear those colours, and it’s even longer for some other people. With the venue of the match at Claudelands, there’s going to be a whole lot of history behind that. I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be quite a day, for not only the Waikato fans, but kids and families as well. Hopefully, it’s a day that we can all celebrate.”
