Alhambra Union Rugby Football Club
Encyclopedia
Alhambra Union Rugby Football Club is a rugby football
club based in Dunedin
, New Zealand
.
Union had the numbers but lacked the grounds. After a season of training and playing the picturesque North Ground was far from a picture. Alhambra
had the grounds but was losing numbers after it lost its senior status at the end of 1983.
and permission was obtained to play games there in 1885. That same year the club joined the ORFU
and was given the colours of red & black. In 1886 it played its first senior game, drawing against Kaikorai.
In 1891 the club had its first taste of success winning the senior and junior banner. The seniors repeated the feat the following season. In the first decade of the 1900s the club enjoyed a purple patch winning the senior banner in 1902 (13 games undefeated), 1905, 1909 and 1910. They were runner-up twice in that period as well.
First reports of the games played by Union appeared in local papers in 1874, although a report on a game played between Dunedin and North Dunedin almost certainly involved the Union club.
The first club President was Robert Stout who later became Sir Robert Stout. He would go on to be a Provincial Councillor, Prime Minister and later Chief Justice. He would become a long serving patron of the club.
After some tough times in the depression of 1880s the club won its first senior banner in 1887. It repeated the title again in 1890. Games were played on the North Ground which at that stage was surrounded by a picket fence.
test team on the famous 1924 Invincibles tour.
In 1926 the Union club amalgamated with the YMCA
second grade team. A new monogram was developed with the triangle appearing for the first time.
The depression years in the 1930s were tough for all clubs but games continued to be played. Alhambra played Kaikorai for the Murphy memorial for the first time in 1938 going down 3-0.
After finishing last in 1938 the Union club was guided to the title in 1939 by All Black 'Did' Vorrath defeating Southern 9-6 in the final, thanks to a last minute Ron Silver penalty.
The Second World War was again tough for clubs. Often rival clubs like Alhambra and Kaikorai would combine to ensure games would be played.
By the late 1960s the peak of the baby boomers had occurred at primary schools and both clubs benefited with large schoolboy numbers. Ten to fifteen years later these numbers had progressed through to the senior club.
In 1975 the Union club had nine teams training on the North Ground. Alhambra had a mini-revival in the late 1970s with talented students Tim Burcher and Rex Smith leading them to the Galloway Shield in 1977.
The strength continued in the early 90's with impressive performances across the club. The seniors were consistently in the top four contesting the final twice. The colts' teams were also strong during this period picking up the banner in 1993.
Into the late nineties through to the current times the club has been buoyed by the success of the 2nd grade and woman's who have consistently made the top four. The woman's team won the banner in 1999 on the back of strong performances from its three Black Ferns, Farah Palmer, Jacinta Nielson and Maree Edwards.
In that same year the club had the unique honour of having both the men and woman's NZ Rugby player of the year in Josh Kronfield and Farah Palmer. Both were playing for the club at the time and is a situation that is unlikely to ever be repeated.
in the World Cup.
2006 was the year supporters had waited for. The Premier Men's team won the banner, by beating University A 23-17 at Carisbrook. 67 years was a long time to wait. The semi-final against Southern had gone into extra-time before the team won 42-23. The double was almost achieved with the women just losing 24-20 to University team, which made up by far the bulk of the Otago team.
Leading up to the 2007 rugby and cricket world cups, both of the national coaches in these sports, Graham Henry and John Bracewell, had played for the Union club. The club again won the banner in 2008 beating Dunedin 26-10 in the final.
The Women's team won their final in 2007 over Southern 84-3 and gained a hat trick over the next two years by beating Pirates twice in the finals. Players to represent the Black Ferns during these years were Carla Hohepa, Kathleen Wilson and Kelly Brazier.
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
club based in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Origins
The Alhambra Union Rugby Football Club as we know it today was formed at the end of the 1986 season and first took the paddock in 1987. The two north end clubs of Dunedin had each operated in excess of 100 years but after years of informal discussions it was agreed to merge the clubs.Union had the numbers but lacked the grounds. After a season of training and playing the picturesque North Ground was far from a picture. Alhambra
Alhambra
The Alhambra , the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra , is a palace and fortress complex located in the Granada, Andalusia, Spain...
had the grounds but was losing numbers after it lost its senior status at the end of 1983.
Alhambra
Formed in 1884 the club was founded from members of the old Albany Street school who arranged a 'kick around' at Thompson's paddock, now known as Harbour Terrace. At the end of that first season members began clearing bush at OpohoOpoho
Opoho is a suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. It sits on the western flank of Signal Hill, New Zealand, to the northeast of the city centre, overlooking North East Valley and the Dunedin Botanic Gardens....
and permission was obtained to play games there in 1885. That same year the club joined the ORFU
Orfu
Orfű is a village in Baranya county, Hungary. The settlement is a well-known pleasure resort.- External links :* *...
and was given the colours of red & black. In 1886 it played its first senior game, drawing against Kaikorai.
In 1891 the club had its first taste of success winning the senior and junior banner. The seniors repeated the feat the following season. In the first decade of the 1900s the club enjoyed a purple patch winning the senior banner in 1902 (13 games undefeated), 1905, 1909 and 1910. They were runner-up twice in that period as well.
Union
The Union Football Club was formed in 1872,after a special meeting on the 24th February 1871 at the Annadale Arms Hotel. This meeting took place after the boys of the Otago Boys High School had played a game against the Dunedin club, which had just been formed.First reports of the games played by Union appeared in local papers in 1874, although a report on a game played between Dunedin and North Dunedin almost certainly involved the Union club.
The first club President was Robert Stout who later became Sir Robert Stout. He would go on to be a Provincial Councillor, Prime Minister and later Chief Justice. He would become a long serving patron of the club.
After some tough times in the depression of 1880s the club won its first senior banner in 1887. It repeated the title again in 1890. Games were played on the North Ground which at that stage was surrounded by a picket fence.
War, Depression and the Baby Boomers
Leading up to the First World War, both clubs struggled and were only held together by enthusiastic administrators determined to keep them playing. Union picked up the senior banner in 1916. Alhambra won the title again in 1920 with Jock Richardson playing his part. He would later go on to captain the All BlackAll Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
test team on the famous 1924 Invincibles tour.
In 1926 the Union club amalgamated with the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
second grade team. A new monogram was developed with the triangle appearing for the first time.
The depression years in the 1930s were tough for all clubs but games continued to be played. Alhambra played Kaikorai for the Murphy memorial for the first time in 1938 going down 3-0.
After finishing last in 1938 the Union club was guided to the title in 1939 by All Black 'Did' Vorrath defeating Southern 9-6 in the final, thanks to a last minute Ron Silver penalty.
The Second World War was again tough for clubs. Often rival clubs like Alhambra and Kaikorai would combine to ensure games would be played.
By the late 1960s the peak of the baby boomers had occurred at primary schools and both clubs benefited with large schoolboy numbers. Ten to fifteen years later these numbers had progressed through to the senior club.
In 1975 the Union club had nine teams training on the North Ground. Alhambra had a mini-revival in the late 1970s with talented students Tim Burcher and Rex Smith leading them to the Galloway Shield in 1977.
The Merged Club
The most obvious benefit of the merged club was the increased playing numbers. In 1987 the four senior teams all played in the finals with the fourth's winning the banner. University A beat the seniors with a penalty in the last action of the day.The strength continued in the early 90's with impressive performances across the club. The seniors were consistently in the top four contesting the final twice. The colts' teams were also strong during this period picking up the banner in 1993.
Into the late nineties through to the current times the club has been buoyed by the success of the 2nd grade and woman's who have consistently made the top four. The woman's team won the banner in 1999 on the back of strong performances from its three Black Ferns, Farah Palmer, Jacinta Nielson and Maree Edwards.
In that same year the club had the unique honour of having both the men and woman's NZ Rugby player of the year in Josh Kronfield and Farah Palmer. Both were playing for the club at the time and is a situation that is unlikely to ever be repeated.
The 21st Century
In 2003 the club had three players in the Highlanders with Filipo Levi, Seru Rabeni and Ben Herring all being selected. Rabeni went onto play for FijiFiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in the World Cup.
2006 was the year supporters had waited for. The Premier Men's team won the banner, by beating University A 23-17 at Carisbrook. 67 years was a long time to wait. The semi-final against Southern had gone into extra-time before the team won 42-23. The double was almost achieved with the women just losing 24-20 to University team, which made up by far the bulk of the Otago team.
Leading up to the 2007 rugby and cricket world cups, both of the national coaches in these sports, Graham Henry and John Bracewell, had played for the Union club. The club again won the banner in 2008 beating Dunedin 26-10 in the final.
The Women's team won their final in 2007 over Southern 84-3 and gained a hat trick over the next two years by beating Pirates twice in the finals. Players to represent the Black Ferns during these years were Carla Hohepa, Kathleen Wilson and Kelly Brazier.