Wellington club legend Ash Pointon passes away

Ash Pointon played over 250 Premier games for Ories and Johnsonville throughout the 1980s and 1990s and coached Ories teams for several years until a decade ago.

It is with tremendous sadness that Oreintal-Rongotai advised of his passing this morning after a long battle with cancer at the age of 56.

Until recently overtaken, Ash for almost 30 years at 167 games, held the record for most Premier appearances for Ories after beginning his Senior career just a few weeks after the start of the 1980 season and  in his second season out of Rongotai College where he was a fixture in the First XV for a number of years.

Ash played most of his early years at lock while his brother-in-law and current Ories Chairman Phil Jones had a mortgage on the No.8 position, shifting to blindside flanker then to No. 8 around 1985 where he remained as Ories were a regular part of The Jubilee Cup competition. Ash played for both the Wellington Colts and B team in a period where Wellington had two All Black locks and he was considered unlucky not to attain higher honours. 

After the 1988 Ories Centennial and with a newly purchased house in Newlands and a young family Ash transferred to Johnsonville where he clocked up just over 100 games and was a big part of them regaining Premier status. 

After retiring following Johnsonville's winning of the Swindale Shield in 1997 Ash returned to Ories and spent three years coaching the Miramar club’s successful second side. He retired from coaching but then returned to assist their Hardham Cup winning Premiers in 2007.

On Saturday Ories will play Johnsonville for The Ash Pointon Cup which recognises the tremendous contribution Ash made to both clubs. Ories are the current holders.

Ash is survived by his wife Moana, sons Frank, James, Gary and Scott and daughter Charlotte and a number of grandchildren.

A Memorial Service to celebrate Ash's life will be held at Ories Clubrooms this Thursday commencing at 2.00pm.