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

Thu 20 Apr	2:30 pm	H	Representative	Australian Capital Territory (Aus)	09 - 19	Match Center
Mon 05 Jun	2:30 pm	H	Div2 Sth-NPC	Nelson Bays	06 - 13	Match Center
Sat 17 Jun	2:30 pm	H	Representative	Canterbury Sub Unions	18 - 22	Match Center
Sat 24 Jun	2:30 pm	A	Div2 Sth-NPC(RC)	West Coast	17 - 06	Match Center
Sat 08 Jul	2:30 pm	H	Div2 Sth-NPC	Mid Canterbury	06 - 16	Match Center
Sat 22 Jul	2:30 pm	A	Div2 Sth-NPC	North Otago	12 - 06	Match Center
Sat 05 Aug	2:30 pm	A	Seddon Shield	Nelson Bays	12 - 24	Match Center
Sat 12 Aug	2:30 pm	H	Seddon Shield	West Coast	07 - 15	Match Center
Sun 20 Aug	2:30 pm	H	Div2 Sth-NPC	Marlborough	03 - 23	Match Center
Sat 16 Sep	2:30 pm	H	Representative	Canterbury B	00 - 15	Match Center

THE 1978 SEASON:

1978 was a slightly better season in terms of results than 1977 but only one game out of ten was won.

The single victory came in one of the most important games of the season, the Seddon Shield challenge, where Nelson-Bays were beaten by the comfortable margin of 24-12.

However, as was becoming all too frequent, the Shield’s tenure in Westport was brief indeed, and once again Buller was unable to defend the Shield, losing it to West Coast in the first defence.

In terms of personal achievement, the third of the three Ngakawau inside backs to reach the 50 game mark for Buller was Alan Ireland who reached this milestone in the first of the season’s two games against West Coast.

The major personal highlight for the season was the selection of Piet Groot as a member of the New Zealand Juniors to Queensland.

Unfortunately, although he was to represent Buller in a most distinguished manner for many more seasons, Groot was never again awarded national honours.

The mantle of fullback and most prolific points scorer this season fell on Rex Mumm who became the regular full back in place of Gerald Hart.

Mumm contributed 55 of the Buller team’s total of 85 for the season and became a points centurion for Buller when he passed the century mark in the Rundle Cup game against West Coast for Greymouth.

Matches played were:

v Australian Capital Territory at Westport Lost 9-19
v Nelson-Bays at Westport Lost 6-13
v Canterbury XV at Westport Lost 18-22
v West Coast at Greymouth Lost 6-17
v Mid-Canterbury at Westport Lost 6-16
v North Otago at Oamaru Lost 6-12
v Nelson-Bays at Nelson Won 24-12 {Seddon Shield}
v West Coast at Westport Lost 7-15 {Seddon Shield}
v Marlborough at Westport Lost 3-23
v Canterbury XV at Westport Lost 0-15

Scorers were

v A.C.T.: Rex Mumm (3 penalties)
v Nelson-Bays: Rex Mumm (2 penalties)
v Canterbury XV: Charlie Neighbours (try), Alan Ireland (drop goal), Rex Mumm (3 penalties, conversion)
v West Coast: Rex Mumm (try, conversion)
v Mid-Canterbury: Rex Mumm (2 penalties)
v North Otago: Philip Wilkes (try), Rex Mumm (conversion)
v Nelson-Bays: Charlie Neighbours (try), Joe Hollis (try), Brian Morgan (try), Rex Mumm (3 conversions, penalty), Alan Ireland (drop goal)
v West Coast: Charlie Neighbours (try), Rex Mumm (penalty)
v Marlborough: Rex Mumm (penalty)
v Canterbury XV: No scorers