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

Results

Mon 06 Jun	2:30 pm	H	Representative	West Coast	37 - 03	Match Center
Sat 25 Jun	2:30 pm	A	Div3 - NPC	Nelson Bays	42 - 10	Match Center
Sat 23 Jul	2:30 pm	A	Div3 - NPC	West Coast	11 - 12	Match Center
Sat 30 Jul	2:30 pm	H	Div3 - NPC	East Coast	29 - 13	Match Center
Sat 13 Aug	2:30 pm	H	Seddon Shield	Marlborough	13 - 46	Match Center
Wed 17 Aug	2:30 pm	H	Div3 - NPC	North Otago	18 - 06	Match Center
Wed 24 Aug	2:30 pm	A	Div3 - NPC	Thames Valley	25 - 03	Match Center
Sat 27 Aug	2:30 pm	A	Div3 - NPC	Horowhenua Kapiti	35 - 22	Match Center
Sat 03 Sep	2:30 pm	H	Div3 - NPC	Whanganui	07 - 66	Match Center
Sat 10 Sep	2:30 pm	H	Representative	Canterbury B	04 - 34	Match Center

THE 1988 SEASON:

The 1988 season was a much brighter affair in many ways than had been the previous season.

Four games were won and only at the end of the season did the defence fail completely, conceding 100 points in the final two games against Wanganui and the Canterbury XV.

It was a disappointing finale to a season which had promised, and indeed had delivered, much to Buller supporters.

A group of new young backs, such as David Masterton, Paul Marris and Robert Book, who gave added pace to the backline made their appearance and the loose forward trio was going from strength to strength.

A confident Marlborough team agreed to defend the Seddon Shield in Westport and their confidence proved justified as they maintained the Shield in a 46-13 victory.

Glen Elley reached 50 games for Buller in the match against Nelson-Bays.

Finally, a Buller player received recognition at a higher level. Andrew Slee was selected for the first New Zealand Divisional team, composed of players from Division II and III Unions.

This team made a tour of the Pacific Islands and Slee played in a number of the matches on that tour.

Matches played were:

v West Coast at Westport Won 37-3
v Nelson-Bays at Motueka Lost 10-42
v West Coast at Greymouth Won 12-11
v East Coast at Westport Won 29-13
v Marlborough at Westport Lost 13-46 {Seddon Shield}
v North Otago at Westport Won 18-6
v Thames Valley at Te Aroha Lost 3-25
v Horowhenua at Levin Lost 22-35
v Wanganui at Westport Lost 7-66
v Canterbury XV at Westport Lost 4-34

Scorers were:

v West Coast: Andrew Slee (2 tries), Kerry Daily (try), Robert Cook (try), Thomas Stuart (try), Murray Dickson (try)
v Nelson-Bays: David Baird (try, 2 penalties)
v West Coast: Thomas Stuart (try), Paul Marris (try), Kerry Daily (try)
v East Coast: Robert Cook (2 tries), Thomas Stuart (try), John Brazil (try), David Baird (try, 3 penalties)
v Marlborough: Kerry Daily (2 tries), David Baird (penalty, conversion)
v North Otago: Robert Cook (try), Tony Warren (try), David Baird (2 penalties, 2 conversions)
v Thames Valley: Grant McArthur (penalty)
v Horowhenua: Andrew Slee (try), David Masterson (try), Peter Casey (try), David Baird (2 penalties, 2 conversions)
v Wanganui: Tony Warren (try), David Baird (penalty)
v Canterbury XV: Chris Alexander (try)