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
Back to Year by Year Index click here
1981SEASON |
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Results
Mon 01 Jun | 2:30 pm | A | Div2 Sth-NPC | Nelson Bays | 13 - 03 | Match Center |
Sat 27 Jun | 2:30 pm | H | Div2 Sth-NPC | West Coast | 16 - 12 | Match Center |
Sat 11 Jul | 2:30 pm | H | Div2 Sth-NPC | North Otago | 26 - 00 | Match Center |
Sat 25 Jul | 2:30 pm | A | Div2 Sth-NPC | Marlborough | 27 - 00 | Match Center |
Sat 08 Aug | 2:30 pm | A | Div2 Sth-NPC | Mid Canterbury | 15 - 00 | Match Center |
Thu 27 Aug | 2:30 pm | H | Div2 Sth-NPC | South Canterbury | 04 - 17 | Match Center |
Sat 05 Sep | 2:30 pm | A | Seddon Shield | Marlborough | 13 - 12 | Match Center |
Sun 13 Sep | 2:30 pm | H | Representative | Canterbury XV | 03 - 30 | Match Center |
Tue 22 Sep | 2:30 pm | H | Representative | Manawatu | 00 - 34 | Match Center |
THE 1981 SEASON:
1981 again saw Buller’s best form reserved for the Seddon Shield Challenge. With the Shield seemingly firmly ensconced in Blenheim, Buller took the Marlborough team head on and succumbed by the barest of margins 13-12.
Buller did score two wins and its new look team which included fourteen new caps promised much for the future.
These new caps included David Baird, who was to become Buller’s most prolific points scorer in history, Robert Elley who was to become a devastating Representative Number 8 and John McArthur who was to play numerous games for Buller before going on to play Representative Rugby across the Tasman.
Rex Mumm passed fifty games for Buller during the season and was again a solid figure at full back while Richard Banks was back in the pack after an absence of four years in the wilderness.
Strength in the pack came especially from experienced lock Neville Gear and Piet Groot.
Matches played were:
v Nelson-Bays at Motueka Lost 3-13
v West Coast at Westport Won 16-12
v North Otago at Westport Won 26-0
v Marlborough at Blenheim Lost 0-27
v Mid-Canterbury at Ashburton Lost 0-15
v South Canterbury at Westport Lost 4-17
v Marlborough at Blenheim Lost 12-13 {Seddon Shield}
v Canterbury XV at Westport Lost 3-30
v Manawatu at Westport Lost 0-34
Scorers were:
v Nelson-Bays: David Baird (penalty)
v West Coast: Tahu Kena (try), David Baird (try, 2 penalties, conversion)
v North Otago: Charlie Neighbours (try), John Gilbert (try), Robert Elley (try), Les Stuart (try, drop goal), David Baird (penalty, 2 conversions)
v Marlborough: No scorers
v Mid-Canterbury: No scorers
v South Canterbury: John Gilbert (try)
v Marlborough: Les Stuart (4 penalties)
v Canterbury XV: David Baird (penalty)
v Manawatu: No scorers