Invercargill Rugby Club (Blues)

Rugby team

BluesFull name| Invercargill Blues RC

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Founded| 1874 (1874)
Ground(s)| Balmoral Drive
President| Darryl Olphert
Coach(es)| James Wilson, Ben Paulin, Mike Cunningham
Management \- Tori Clarke
Captain(s)| Richard Little
League(s)| Premier Division, Womens, Bs, Cs

Team kit

Blues RC (Invercargill) is an amateur rugby team that plays in the Premier Division of Southland Club Rugby. Founded in 1874, the club has a prestigious history, and it boasts 31 Galbraith Shield titles including a record period of eight in a row.

The club also has a strong women's rugby team.[1]

## Notable players

[edit]

Blues has had many players achieve Southland Stags honours as well as a number of All Blacks and other New Zealand representatives.

The following have represented the All Blacks.

Player
| All Black number
| Year of All Black debut

|
|

Henry Braddon[2] | 2 | 1884
Simon Culhane[3] | 946 | 1995
Ethan de Groot[4][5] | 1197 | 2021
Elliot Dixon[6] | 1149 | 2016
Les George[7] | 439 | 1938
Paul Henderson | 897 | 1989
James O'Donnell[8] | 9 | 1884
Steven Pokere[9] | 825 | 1981

The club has also had a representative of the New Zealand women's national rugby union team (Black Ferns), Amy Rule.[10]

Other notable players include:

* Michael Fatialofa[11]
* David Henderson[12]
* Kendrick Lynn[13]
* Jay Renton, New Zealand under-20 representative[14][15]
* Daniel Townson[16]
* James Wilson[17]
* John Hayes, Irish and British and Lions Test player[18]

## Galbraith Shield victories

[edit]

* 1911 & 1912
* 1930 & 1931
* 1936 & 1937
* 1939
* 1945-1947
* 1958
* 1964
* 1967
* 1970 & 1971
* 1974
* 1977
* 1981-1983
* 1987-1994
* 2003
* 2005
* 2019

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Savory, Logan (16 June 2019). "Marist knock over previously unbeaten Blues to claim women's title". Stuff.
2. ^ "Stats | allblacks.com". stats.allblacks.com.
3. ^ "Stats | allblacks.com". stats.allblacks.com.
4. ^ "Stats | allblacks.com". stats.allblacks.com.
5. ^ Savory, Logan (21 October 2023). "The Eastern Southland kid ready to step onto rugby's biggest stage".
6. ^ "Stats | allblacks.com". stats.allblacks.com.
7. ^ "Stats | allblacks.com". stats.allblacks.com.
8. ^ "Stats | allblacks.com". stats.allblacks.com.
9. ^ "Stats | allblacks.com". stats.allblacks.com.
10. ^ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "Amy McKenzie Rule | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
11. ^ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "Michael J Fatialofa | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
12. ^ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "David Bruce Henderson | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
13. ^ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "Kendrick Graeme Lynn | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
14. ^ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "Jay L Renton | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
15. ^ Savory, Logan (20 November 2017). "Teenage halfback Jay Renton's rise continues with Highlanders opportunity". Stuff.
16. ^ Savory, Logan (14 July 2020). "Club Stalwarts: Blues flanker Daniel Townson just keeps trucking". Stuff.
17. ^ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "James William Rangi Wilson | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
18. ^ Murray Kinsella, 'How John Hayes became a prop at the end of the world in New Zealand'. The42ie, 24 June 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2025

## See also

[edit]

* Blues Invercargill
* Southland Rugby Clubs
* Howitt, Bob. Article: Southland's oldest club. Rugby News magazine (November 2023). Charlotte Smulders (Publisher), New Zealand.

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