Wellington club rugby team profile: Poneke Ruffnuts

Club: Poneke

Team name: Ruffnuts

Team mascot: Ruffnuts Squirrel

Home ground: Kilbirnie Park

Social Media:
Twitter: @PonekeRuffnuts
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PonekeRuffnuts

What's the meaning of the team's nickname? One of our foundation players Vailei Fasitua came up with the name back in 1998 and it just stuck with us ever since. As for the meaning of the nickname - we're still trying to figure out what it means! ?

Team origins? In 1997,Talia Belford and Jeffery Hague, both Wellington College old boys while students at Victoria University, discussed the idea of forming a social rugby team made up of Wellington College old boys. With only a couple weeks leading up to the start of the season, the boys still didn't have enough to field a team. In a last ditch attempt Talia called upon his church friends and other university mates and managed to get enough to field a team.

That year we started in the Senior 5 competition (Yes there was a Senior 5 grade). We took out the first round easily which lead to a promotion to the Senior 4 grade for the second round. On paper, we had players who were good enough to play Senior 1s and even Premier level (Semisi Mapusua left our team the following season to play for our Premier team). The majority of the team were students so a lot of the guys couldn't commit to serious rugby or just couldn't be bothered with trainings. Our ages ranged from 18 to 28, so we all we were all reasonably young and fit. A few of our players were also playing Rugby League for Victoria University that same season.

In the Senior 4 grade we were introduced to the Petone Police team who became one of our main rivals for the next ten years. Every encounter against the Petone Police was tough. They were a very fit and a well drilled team. They were the only team we lost to that season including the Senior 4 finals. We also lost to them in the 1998 and 2003 Senior 3 finals.

In 2011 we reached a milestone as we capped off our 15th season as a rugby team.? Prior to that season the Ruffnuts played in the Senior 2 grade (Competing in this grade since 2008). The team was mostly comprised of younger players mixed with a few of the Ruffnuts old timers. What made it even more special was that we had two teams to celebrate the team's 15th season. A second team was put together, which competed in the Reserves grade, consisted of original and former players. After that season, the Ruffnuts Reserve team became the only Ruffnuts team.

Competition currently playing? Currently we play in the Reserve Grade (Division 1) and we've been in this grade since 2011. We have reached the Reserve Grade finals in each of the last three years. We fell short of achieving championship success in 2011 and 2012 losing to Upper Hutt J8s and MSP Internationals respectively. Last year we avenged our loss the previous year final beating MSP Internationals 29-13.

Biggest Rivals? We've had the honour of playing some real great teams over the last 18 seasons. During our years in the Senior 5, 4 and 3 grades our main rivals were Petone Police, MSP Avele College Old Boys, Norths, Ories Vatos Loco, Johnsonville/Tawa BMU, Wellington Sallies and West Mixed Veges. We also spent three and half seasons in the Senior 2 grade and our main rivals in that grade were Tawa, Wainui, MSP, Norths and Ories.? In the Reserve grade, our main rivals have been the MSP Internationals and Upper Hutt J8s.

What are the biggest matches of the year? Our biggest matches this season to date have been MSP Internationals, Petone Brotherhood and Poneke Rats. With Upper Hutt J8s returning to our division for the second round will create an interesting match-up.

What have been some of the magic moments? Last season we had three father and son combinations playing in the team. Anthony Carter and son Matthew, Rob Ngan Woo and son Ezra, Doug Leafa and son Ben Coffin. They all played in last year's finals and it was a very special moment for them all and for our team as a whole. Matthew and Ezra have been encouraged by our team management to take their talents to a higher level. They are now playing for our Poneke Colts team. Another player Jerome Ostler is a nephew of Anthony and his father went to Wellington College with one of our veteran players Isamaeli Peleti in the early 80s!

Team rituals and traditions? Every game we appoint a different captain. If we lose a game, the captain of the day must buy two buckets of KFC and two boxes of Heineken for the team. In our inaugural season, whatever jersey number a player got out of the bag, was the position they would play that day. It didn't last long as guys who had never played front row before were getting injured!

Traditionally we celebrate the season by setting up an end of year trip. The first few years they were your typical bus trip up the line to get intoxicated. Former player/coach Essendon Tuipupou is credited for starting a new tradition in our team end of year trips from 2003 onwards. The focus of our trips was now about experiencing something that we would not normally go, see or do. Previous trips include, skiing and snowboarding at Mt Ruapehu, snorkelling and surfing in the Gold Coast, kayaking in the Marlborough Sounds, clay shooting and trout fishing on Lake Taupo, white-water rafting in Turangi and shooting the shot-over in Queenstown all funded by our wives. Needless to say, with all these new experiences for our boys there was still a lot drinking involved.

Who are the experienced players? We currently have a lot of experienced players especially former Premier players with Poneke and other clubs. Players like Hemi Tui, Darren Eagle, Kwain Auelua, Evan Belford, George Faletolu, Fa'alolo'u Leota, James Terry, Ie'u Tuiavi'Ii, Anitoni Manase, Peti Keni, Mika Faletolu, Toby Robson, Jimroy Savaiinaea, Tumanu Martin, Phil Onesemo, Willie Leota and Dennis Unasa. Phil Onesemo one of the original players of the 1997 team, left the team the following season to play for Tawa premiers. He eventually came back in 1999 and has been with team ever since. He has been the backbone for our team all these years and is the most capped player and has won more awards for our team than any other player. He is truly the epitome of the word Ruffnuts! Phil, Paris Fasitua, Perseus Fasitua, John Palu, Soti Enari, Fa'alolo'u, Semisi and Talia are the only players who played in the inaugural game for the Ruffnuts back in 1997 and are still playing today or involved at administration level. Last year, the Premiers had some players injured and were lacking depth. A few of our players were asked to reserve for them given the vast experience our players had at that level.

Who in your team has claims to fame outside of rugby? Toby Robson is our famous Rugby writer for Dominion Post. George Leafa and Damien Ekenasio are both members of the Wellington Saints as coach and player respectively. George's son Izayah Mauriohooho-Le'afa is also a member of the Wellington Saints and a New Zealand Tall Black. Another current player Isamaeli Peleti was also a former NBL player for the Hutt Valley Lakers back in the 80s. Tym Matagi was a member of 90s RnB group "Purest Form" (With hits like Message to my Girl and Rainbow Rainbow Magic!). Former players Elia Feterika (foundation player), Liam Va'ai , Tana Tupa'i and Avina Kelekolio are members of one New Zealand's top Reggae bands, Tomorrow People.? Another former player Tony Tamapolu managed to have his name in the credits of the Lord the Rings trilogy and The Last Samurai having worked in all four films. Former player/coach Essendon Tuitupou's younger brother Sam, was an All Black and in several occasions he wore our Ruffnuts t-shirt on TV. Well known comedian Tofiga Fepuela'i of the Laughing Samoans, also played a season for the mighty Ruffnuts!

In today's busy modern environment, how does your team maintain its player ranks and rejuvenate its player roster? What attracts players to our team is the flexibility we have that suits our players' busy lifestyles. First and foremost we are a social team so there is no emphasis on trainings. Family and work commitments are a priority for our boys. The majority of our players are husbands and fathers and most of our players are over the age of 35 with four almost hitting their 50s. The last few years we have averaged 40-50 registered players but only a hand full have played more than 10 games a season. We have just enough every week to field a team but our team changes week to week pending on everyone's availability.

Last word: Our team have kind of gone full circle From our humble beginnings of being a team full of students to the present time of being a team made up of family men, the Ruffnuts team has always been about creating a fun and safe environment for family and friends to come together and play a vibrant, open playing game of rugby that suited any type of player. However we have evolved and have become more than simply just a Rugby team. The Ruffnuts have become a very close network that is involved in Basketball (RuffBallers), Touch (TouchNutz and Rufftouch), Super Tag (Rufftag), Cycling (RuffRiders) and many other community activities. The close knit culture has emerged, primarily due to the support of the founding members, our families and past players, who continue to support the Ruffnuts and its activities. Our club motto definitely optimises what our team is all about - "YOU DON'T JUST PLAY. YOU BELONG". We're more than just a rugby team. We're one big happy family!