We hope you enjoy this look back as we look forward to many more years of recording the history of Buller Rugby Union.
We acknowledge all the information from the NZ “Rugby Almanack” Series since 1934 and appreciate their hard and dedicated work in providing this detailed history. – Web Admin

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Results

Sat 27 May	2:30 pm	A	Rundle Cup	West Coast	05 - 11	Match Center
Mon 05 Jun	2:30 pm	A	Representative Match	Nelson	09 - 03	Match Center
Thu 15 Jun	2:30 pm	H	Tour match	N.S.W. Country (Aus)	16 - 13	Match Center
Sat 22 Jul	2:30 pm	H	Rundle Cup	West Coast	12 - 14	Match Center
Sat 19 Aug	2:30 pm	H	Representative Match	Canterbury	03 - 14	Match Center
Sat 26 Aug	2:30 pm	A	Representative Match	Poverty Bay	20 - 10	Match Center
Tue 29 Aug	2:30 pm	A	Representative Match	Whanganui	12 - 15	Match Center
Thu 31 Aug	2:30 pm	A	Representative Match	Horowhenua	12 - 26	Match Center
Sat 02 Sep	2:30 pm	A	Seddon Shield	Marlborough	24 - 03	Match Center
Sat 16 Sep	2:30 pm	A	Representative Match	Canterbury XV	33 - 08	Match Center

THE 1967 SEASON:

This season had a bigger than usual programme of representative fixtures, with ten being contested. Only twice before has that total been exceeded, in 1935 and in 1949 when eleven matches were played, whilst in 1958 it was ten games, too. Included this year was a tour to the North Island for three matches, two being won, whilst New South Wales Country was a visitor for the second time.

The visit to Wanganui came after a spell of sixty years; Wanganui has yet to come to Buller.

The Poverty Bay and Horowhenua games were the first ever played between those Unions and Buller, and perhaps has opened up a field for a new series for the future.

The ten matches were:

v. West Coast At Hokitika Won 11 to 5
v. Nelson At Nelson Lost 3 to 9
v. New South Wales Country At Westport Won 16 to 13
v. West Coast At Westport Lost 12 to 14
v. Canterbury At Westport Lost 3 to 14
v. Poverty Bay At Gisborne Lost 10 to 20
v. Wanganui At Wanganui Won 15 to 12
v. Horowhenua At Levin Won 26 to 12
v. Marlborough At Blenheim Lost 3 to 24 {Seddon Shield}
v. Canterbury XV At Christchurch Lost 8 to 33

Brian Stack (Westport) was one of the South Island wingers again, when he played in the Inter-Island match, at Dunedin; it was his second appearance for South Island. He was also called to the South Island trial, at Christchurch, but injury did not allow him to take the field.

During the year a function, sponsored by the affiliations, was held in honour of Mr. W.A.G.Craddock for his outstanding service to Buller Rugby during the past 40 years. Visitors included the President of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr.C.G.Gibbons (Wellington), the senior Vice-President of the Union, Mr.R.A.Mace (Nelson), and Mr.F.D.Kilby (Wellington), of the New Zealand Rugby Union Executive.

The senior competition was played with five teams, Karamea Club having to forgo top status owing to a shortage of players; the Club, however, fielded a junior side. At the meeting of the Management Committee held on September 11, Mr.Les.J.Maloney, of Granity, was appointed organizer for the 75th Jubilee celebrations to be held during the Queen’s Birthday week-end of 1968. Mr. J. S. Connelly was selected as deputy-organizer and publicity officer, with two representatives from each Club forming a Committee.

Of particular note this season was the celebration of the 75th Jubilee of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, at Wellington, on August 19. Featured were two curtain-raisers to an International between Australia and New Zealand, a grand parade of those who had worn the Silver Fern, and a dinner which included the guests at Athletic Park in the afternoon. One of the preliminary matches was the first-ever Inter-Island Secondary Schools game, Buller being represented in the successful South Island XV by M. D. Lake, of Buller High School, who was one of the wing-threequarters. Buller High School has had long affiliation with Buller Union, firstly as Westport High School, then as Westport Technical High School, thirdly, as Buller Technical College, and now as given above.