West Harbour RFC
Encyclopedia
The West Harbour Rugby Football Club is a team in the Shute Shield
, the premier club rugby union
football competition in New South Wales
.
The club is based in Concord
in the Inner West of Sydney
, and play their home matches at Waratah Stadium, Concord Oval
. The club's major sponsor is Burwood RSL and post match is held at the Club Burwood.
The club's home ground holds a place in rugby history as a venue for the inaugural Rugby World Cup
in 1987. The ground hosted the memorable semi-final between Australia and France, where the French defeated the tournament favourites 30-24.
representative was Stan Wickham
, he was joined by Ward
and Wheat Prentice.
A second premiership was won in 1929, spearheaded by another international Sid King, this remains the club's last premiership in top flight rugby. In 1951 the club was demoted from First division and it was not until 1966 that they were re-instated. The club saw success in the 1970s, with a 17 match winning strak leading to a club championship
and a grand final berth in which they were defeated by Randwick
.
The club was relegated once more in 1980 only to be re-instated the following year. In the 1980s the club's home ground, Concord Oval, was redeveloped with assistance from the NSWRU and State Government
. The newly named Waratah Stadium became the home base of the Waratahs
as well as the venue for the classic semi-final in 1987 between Australia and France
in the inaugural Rugby World Cup
.
The club changed its name to West Harbour Rugby Football Club in 1995, which coincided with a revival in the club's fortunes. The club produced a number of under age Australian representatives and Super 12 players as well as internationals Steve Devine
, Pierre Hola
and Des Tuiavii, all of whom represented different nations.
When Lote Tuqiri crossed from rugby league
to union in 2003, he signed to play with West Harbour. Super 12 and national commitments have restricted him to a handful of appearances for the club
The West Harbour women's team was formed in 1999 and has dominated the Sydney competition, winning their 5th premiership in 2004. The club's juniors now field twelve teams alongside the five senior and four colts teams. A surplus of players meant that the club now also field three sides in the Subdistrict competition
. In 2006, former Scotland
and Leinster
coach, Matt Williams
joined the club as head coach.
Matt Williams
has returned to Europe. The Club is now Coached by Stu Woodhouse. The recent League convert to Rugby Timana Tahu
was contracted to West Harbour Pirates, but he has now returned to League, as has Tuqiri. Most notably in West Harbour's 2009 success is embodied within Thomas Patterson's colts brethren nicknamed "The Nightriders" who personified the true meaning of rugby whilst destroying the opposition.
Shute Shield
The Shute Shield is a rugby union competition in Sydney, New South Wales. It is the premier grade rugby trophy in NSW rugby. The Shute Shield is awarded at the end of the Sydney Club Rugby season to the team that wins the Grand Final...
, the premier club rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
football competition in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
The club is based in Concord
Concord, New South Wales
Concord is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canada Bay....
in the Inner West of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, and play their home matches at Waratah Stadium, Concord Oval
Concord Oval
Concord Oval is a rugby stadium in Concord, Australia. It is currently used mostly for rugby union matches and was used for eight matches during the 1987 Rugby World Cup. The stadium is able to hold 20,000 people and opened in 1985....
. The club's major sponsor is Burwood RSL and post match is held at the Club Burwood.
The club's home ground holds a place in rugby history as a venue for the inaugural Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
in 1987. The ground hosted the memorable semi-final between Australia and France, where the French defeated the tournament favourites 30-24.
Club information
- Uniform colors: Black, White and Red
- Premiership Titles: 2 titles: 1902, 1929
Club history
The first rugby club to represent the district was Burwood which competed in the Sydney Metropolitan competition until the introduction of district rugby. Western Suburbs District Rugby Union Football Club was formed in 1900 and won the premiership in its third year of competition, in 1902. The club's first captain and WallabyWallaby
A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...
representative was Stan Wickham
Stan Wickham
Stan Wickham was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who captained the Australian national side on a number of occasions in the early 1900s...
, he was joined by Ward
Ward Prentice
Warden Selby Prentice was an Australian sportsman who captained Australia at rugby union and New South Wales at first-class cricket and also played first-grade rugby league for the Western Suburbs Magpies....
and Wheat Prentice.
A second premiership was won in 1929, spearheaded by another international Sid King, this remains the club's last premiership in top flight rugby. In 1951 the club was demoted from First division and it was not until 1966 that they were re-instated. The club saw success in the 1970s, with a 17 match winning strak leading to a club championship
Club Championship
A Club Championship system is a sports competition where more than one team is fielded by clubs in the competition. An example of its use is in club rugby and cricket competitions in Australia where clubs may have several grades....
and a grand final berth in which they were defeated by Randwick
Randwick DRUFC
Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club, also known as the Galloping Greens, is an Australian rugby union club which competes in the Sydney grade competition. The club was formed in 1882 and since then has won 31 first grade premierships and seven Australian club championships...
.
The club was relegated once more in 1980 only to be re-instated the following year. In the 1980s the club's home ground, Concord Oval, was redeveloped with assistance from the NSWRU and State Government
Government of New South Wales
The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
. The newly named Waratah Stadium became the home base of the Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
as well as the venue for the classic semi-final in 1987 between Australia and France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
in the inaugural Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
.
The club changed its name to West Harbour Rugby Football Club in 1995, which coincided with a revival in the club's fortunes. The club produced a number of under age Australian representatives and Super 12 players as well as internationals Steve Devine
Steve Devine
Stephen John Devine is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He is a former All Black and currently co-hosts a programme on New Zealand Sky TV called This Given Sunday, along with Karl Te Nana.He played for Australia Under-21 before relocating to New Zealand...
, Pierre Hola
Pierre Hola
Pierre Hola is a Tongan rugby union footballer. He has represented Tonga and currently plays his club rugby in the Australian Shute Shield for Eastwood.-Career:Hola made his debut for Tonga in September 1998 in a match against Samoa...
and Des Tuiavii, all of whom represented different nations.
When Lote Tuqiri crossed from rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
to union in 2003, he signed to play with West Harbour. Super 12 and national commitments have restricted him to a handful of appearances for the club
The West Harbour women's team was formed in 1999 and has dominated the Sydney competition, winning their 5th premiership in 2004. The club's juniors now field twelve teams alongside the five senior and four colts teams. A surplus of players meant that the club now also field three sides in the Subdistrict competition
New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union
The New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union is affiliated to the New South Wales Rugby Union and runs the competition affectionately known as "Subbies" rugby. There are around 7500 players and 55 clubs competing across 6 divisions, making "Subbies" the largest centrally administered rugby competition...
. In 2006, former Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
and Leinster
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
coach, Matt Williams
Matt Williams (rugby coach)
Matt Williams is an Australian rugby union coach from New South Wales.Williams, a teacher by profession, started in coaching at club level with Western Suburbs in Sydney, Australia in 1991...
joined the club as head coach.
Matt Williams
Matt Williams (rugby coach)
Matt Williams is an Australian rugby union coach from New South Wales.Williams, a teacher by profession, started in coaching at club level with Western Suburbs in Sydney, Australia in 1991...
has returned to Europe. The Club is now Coached by Stu Woodhouse. The recent League convert to Rugby Timana Tahu
Timana Tahu
Timana James Aporo Tahu is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and former rugby union player, a dual-code international, currently playing for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League. He formerly played for the New South Wales Waratahs in the Super 14 competition...
was contracted to West Harbour Pirates, but he has now returned to League, as has Tuqiri. Most notably in West Harbour's 2009 success is embodied within Thomas Patterson's colts brethren nicknamed "The Nightriders" who personified the true meaning of rugby whilst destroying the opposition.
International representatives
- Roger Barton
- Clarrie PrenticeClarrie PrenticeClarence Warwick Prentice was an Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer who represented his country at both sports - a dual-code rugby international...
- Stan WickhamStan WickhamStan Wickham was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who captained the Australian national side on a number of occasions in the early 1900s...
- Ward PrenticeWard PrenticeWarden Selby Prentice was an Australian sportsman who captained Australia at rugby union and New South Wales at first-class cricket and also played first-grade rugby league for the Western Suburbs Magpies....
- Larry WoganLarry WoganLawrence William "Larry" Wogan was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Wogan, a centre, was born in Hokitika and claimed a total of 22 international rugby caps for Australia.-References:...
- Tom Lawton
- George McKay
- John Shute
- Alexander Armstrong
- Hugh Buntine
- H Bruce Judd
- Geoff StoreyGeoff StoreyGeoffrey Parnell Storey was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Storey, a lock, was born in Strathfield, New South Wales and claimed a total of 8 international rugby caps for Australia.-References:...
- Keith Storey
- Sid King
- M.R.Blair
- Eric Bardsley
- John O'Donnell
- George Gordon
- A.Thorpe
- P.K.Collins
- R.L.F.Kelly
- Bill McLaughlinBill McLaughlinReginald Edward Millen "Bill" McLaughlin was an Australian Rugby Union player and President of the Australian Rugby Union. He represented for the Wallabies twice and was later assistant manager and coach of the national side. He attended Newington College .-References:...
- T.P.Pauling
- Cecil Ramalli
- Phil Hardcastle
- James Walsh
- Geoff Vaughan
- Barry Stumbles
- Laurie Monaghan
- Mick EllemMick EllemMichael Anthony "Mick" Ellem was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Ellem, a , was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed 1 international rugby cap for Australia.-References:...
- Stephen James
- Tony Daly
- Fili Finau
- Lote Tuqiri
- Rodney Blake
- Timana TahuTimana TahuTimana James Aporo Tahu is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and former rugby union player, a dual-code international, currently playing for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League. He formerly played for the New South Wales Waratahs in the Super 14 competition...
- Salesi Ma'afuSalesi Ma'afuSalesi Ma'afu, is an Australian professional Rugby union footballer. Ma'afu was selected to the Qantas Wallabies squad in 2009 and again in 2011 after having appeared for Australia A in 2007 and 2008...
Former players who have represented other nations
- Fergus Keogh (Ireland)
- Tali Kavapalu (Tonga)
- Watisoni Nasalo (Fiji)
- Zoran Prijic (Yugoslavia)
- Richard Moriarty (Wales)
- Paul Moriarty (Wales)
- Vili Ala'alatoa (Samoa)
- Fetiaki Langi (Tonga)
- Fua Veiru (Samoa)
- Dan ParksDan ParksDaniel Arthur Parks is a Scottish international rugby union player who plays for RaboDirect Pro12 side Cardiff Blues as fly-half...
, ScotlandScotland national rugby union teamThe Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
- Steve DevineSteve DevineStephen John Devine is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He is a former All Black and currently co-hosts a programme on New Zealand Sky TV called This Given Sunday, along with Karl Te Nana.He played for Australia Under-21 before relocating to New Zealand...
, New ZealandAll BlacksThe New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport.... - Pierre HolaPierre HolaPierre Hola is a Tongan rugby union footballer. He has represented Tonga and currently plays his club rugby in the Australian Shute Shield for Eastwood.-Career:Hola made his debut for Tonga in September 1998 in a match against Samoa...
, TongaTonga national rugby union teamThe Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
- Des Tuiavii, SamoaSamoa national rugby union teamThe Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
- Campese Ma'afu (Fiji)
- Sitiveni Mafi (Tonga)
- Matthew Jarrett (Malta)
Current Super Rugby players
- Salesi Ma'afuSalesi Ma'afuSalesi Ma'afu, is an Australian professional Rugby union footballer. Ma'afu was selected to the Qantas Wallabies squad in 2009 and again in 2011 after having appeared for Australia A in 2007 and 2008...
, (Brumbies) - Sam Wykes, (Western ForceWestern ForceWestern Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
) - Rory SideyRory SideyRory Sidey is an Australian rugby union player who plays for the Western Force. He was educated at Trinity Grammar School, NSW....
, (WaratahsNew South Wales WaratahsThe New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
) - Rodney BlakeRodney BlakeRodney Blake is a professional Australian rugby union footballer. He plays prop for the Melbourne Rebels. He previously played for Bayonne in France. He is sometimes referred to as Rodzilla. His father Paul is a former Otago flanker. In June 2006, Blake made his debut for the Wallabies.- Career...
(Melbourne Rebels)