Joint Ories and Poneke fundraising weekend for Grbich Memorial Shield match

Above: Rongotai College Old Boys Paulo Aukuso (Ories) and Ben Huntley (Poneke) in action against each other in the 2009 Swindale Shield and Jimmy Grbich Shield match

UPDATED: The Oriental-Rongotai (Ories) and Poneke FC rugby clubs are jointly organising a fundraising weekend at the end of May to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Jimmy Grbich Memorial Shield, which is played for between the two clubs annually in their first round Swindale Shield match.

The aim of the two clubs is to create the ‘Rongotai College Rugby Hub'.? Ultimately they want young people to get the most out of rugby union and begin a lifelong involvement in the game whether it is through playing, coaching, officiating or volunteering. Supporting the school stage of the "Rugby Journey" underpins a lifelong involvement in a safe, healthy and fun game.? To achieve this goal they need to be resourced with able and passionate personnel and financial sustainability.? Accordingly, funds raised from the weekend will go towards rugby at Rongotai College.?

It is envisaged that the financial resources will be spread over the whole Rongotai College playing community and will support in particular training and coaching equipment for our U15 sides which consist of mainly Year 9 and 10 students.

Events planned include a dinner at The Pines on Thursday 29 May. This will be MC'd by Grant Nisbett and a charity auction held. Tickets are $100 and this will include going in a draw for a trip for two to the Bledisloe Cup in Australia.?

On Friday 30 May a Golf Day will be held at Miramar Links commencing at 11.30 am The cost for this is $50 per player.?

Contact info@ories.org.nz if you would like to participate in either of these events.

On Saturday 31 May the Ories Premiers will the play Poneke Premiers at the Polo Ground in their 50^th Jimmy Grbich Memorial Shield match.

The two clubs encourage all of the Rongotai community to be a part of this great weekend.

Poneke lock and No. 8 and some-time midfielder Jim Grbich was a Wellington player for several years and a New Zealand Maori representative player for three years in the 1950s and early 1960s.

In the golden age of club rugby, crowds of several thousand plus would regularly attend Athletic Park on Saturdays for Jubilee Cup rugby and the calibre and personality of players such as Jim Grbirch was a key reason why.

Grbich was born in the ?Kaitaia district and educated in Hamilton before moving to Wellington. He played for Poneke for over a decade and was "at the peak of his powers" when he tragically died in a car accident in 1962. He was one of those few players who always seemed to be where the ball would be. Together with flanker Moray Bevan, he formed a dangerous combination for Poneke, Wellington and New Zealand Maori.

N. Gardiner, a long time member of Oriental, who was also a good friend of the Grbich family, presented the Jim Grbich Memorial Shield in 1964 and it has been contested every year since between Poneke and Oriental (1964-67) and Oriental-Rongotai (1968 -) in their first round ‘Battle of the Cutting' clash.

Ories are the defending champions having won this match 32-24 on Anzac Day last year.

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