Northland Rugby Union
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| Nickname(s) | Taniwha, Cambridge Blues |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1920 as the North Auckland Rugby Union |
| Region | Northland |
| Ground(s) | Okara Park, Whangarei (Capacity: 30,000) |
| Coach(es) |
 Richie Harris
|
| Captain(s) |
Matt Moulds
|
| League(s) | ITM Cup |
| 2013 ITM Cup | 6th Championship |
The Northland Rugby Football Union (NRFU) is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand, including the northernmost part of the Auckland local government region. It was named the North Auckland Rugby Union from its founding in 1920 until 1994.
Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in 1920, as North Auckland Rugby Union. It formed when the Whangarei Rugby Union applied to the New Zealand Union to have the areas controlled by the Whangarei, Northern Wairoa, Bay of Islands, Otamatea and Hokianga sub-unions combined as a major union. This application was granted in 1921. In 1989 the Omaha, Warkworth and Kaipara Flats clubs merged to become the Mahurangi club and switched from the North Auckland union to the North Harbour Rugby Union. In 1994, North Auckland changed its name to the Northland Rugby Football Union.
North Auckland played their first ever match as union on August 3, 1920, in an 11-0 victory over South Island Country. However, they did not play their first 'inter-union' match until July 27, 1922 - an 8-6 loss at the hands of Auckland in Whangarei. Their first 'inter-union' win came on August 30, 1923, when they beat King Country 20-8
Northland, as North Auckland, have held the Shield on only four occasions - 1950, 1960, 1971 and 1978. However, they have been a part of a couple of the most memorable moments in Shield History.
Northland's first ever challenge came on July 3, 1935. The 126th Ranfurly Shield match. Northland lost this challenge comprehensively, 29-8, to Auckland.
Northland first won the Shield in 1950, with a 20-9 win over South Canterbury. However, their reign lasted only three games, as Waikato took it off them with a 6-3 win. Almost 10 years passed before Northland won the Shield again, beating Auckland 24-11 in 1960. Their defense of the Shield this time around was not any better, losing it back to Auckland only 11 days later.
More than 10 years passed before Northland would win the Shield for a third time. On this occasion, they beat Auckland 17-12, in 1971. This Shield-winning side fared much better than their predecessors. They managed six successful defenses before losing the Shield back to Auckland in 1972, in what is commonly regarded as the most famous rugby match in Northland history. "Ranfurly Shield Fever" hit the city of Whangarei hard before this encounter. One memorable sign was erected on Whangarei's main street on the morning of the match, reading: "Northland vs South Northland". While another sign, erected just south of Whangarei, read: "You are now entering Ranfurly Shield Country". When game-time arrived, a staggering 40,000 people crammed into Whangarei's Okara Park. An amazing number considering, at the time, Whangarei was a city of only 34,000 people, and Okara Park's capacity seating was not near 40,000. Despite Northland losing the match 16-15, it is seen as a monumental, and proud moment in Northland rugby history.
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