Ponsonby Ponies
The Ponsonby Ponies are a rugby league club based in Ponsonby, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1908 and was originally named Ponsonby United. The Ponies compete in the Auckland Rugby League Sharman cup competition & are the oldest rugby league club in NZ.
 | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ponsonby United Rugby League Football Club |
| Colours | blue and black |
| Founded | 1908 |
| Website | http://www.ponies.kiwi/ |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) | |
| Competition | Auckland Rugby League |
| 2018 | 2nd |
| Records | |
| Premierships | 1917, 1918, 1919, 1926, 1929, 1930, 1952, 1954, 1958, 1967, 1972, 1973 |
| Minor premiership | 1952, 1954, 1958, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1973 |
| Roope Rooster | 1917, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1930, 1944, 1952, 1953, 1972, 1973 |
| Stormont Shield | 1925, 1926, 1952, 1967, 1972 |
| Sharman Cup | 1990 |
| Phelan Shield | 2007 |
History
The club was founded in August 1908 by two returning All Golds, Billy Tyler and Charlie Dunning.[1] Victoria Park hosted Auckland's first representative rugby league match, between Auckland and Wellington.
The 1912 Ponsonby squad included: Arthur Carlaw, Alf Chorley, Charlie Dunning, W Hooper, B Kean, Charles Webb, V Hunter, Tom Lynch, Scotch MacDonald, Harry Oakley, M Stanaway, Syd Riley, Billy Tyler and J Warner.[2]
In 1920 Ponsonby won the Thacker Shield.[3]
1952 saw the club win the "treble" of the Fox Memorial, Roope Rooster and Stormont Shield all in one year. This feat was to be repeated in 1972.
In 1979 the club merged with Maritime to form Ponsonby-Maritime however this merger only lasted until 1983.
The club was relegated in 1992, since then it has not regained its position in the first division.
The club celebrated its centenary in 2008.
In 2015 the Ponies entered back into the Sharman cup & the rebuild began with a number of former players returning. 2017 was a great season for the Ponsonby Ponies with an outstanding team of former juniors assembled during pre season under coach John Mana. A new committee & chairman was voted in, giving a breath of fresh air into the club.
Notable players
Between the years 1909 and 1986 Ponsonby developed 44 players that gained New Zealand Representative status.
Notable Former Players, with debut year of New Zealand representation in brackets; Arthur Carlaw (1909), Ronald Amelioran MacDonald (1909), Alfred Chorley (1910), Charles Dunning (1910), George Arthur Gillett (1911), Charles Savory (1911), Arthur Hardgrave (1912), Charles Albert Edward Webb (1912), James Clark (1913), Samuel Arthur Lowrie (1914), Thomas Allen McClymont (1919, William George Walsh (1919), Frank August Delgrosso (1921), Joseph Meadows (1921), Des White (1950), Joe Ropati (1986), Don Mann (1971).
References
- John Haynes From All Blacks to All Golds: Rugby League's Pioneers, Christchurch, Ryan and Haynes, 1996. ISBN 0-473-03864-1
- "First league club set to mark centenary". Auckland City Harbour News. 31 July 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
- Ponsonby United Rugby League Club Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine at aucklandleague.co.nz