Leicester Rutledge: It's a close-knit family club'

Thursday, 16 May 2019

Wrights Bush Rugby club centenary organisers talk about the good times with former All Black Leicester Rutledge.

Leicester Rutledge isn't sure where he would have ended up if it wasn't for a preseason game with the Wright's Bush Rugby Club 50 years ago.

Rutledge was a self described teenage street kid from Christchurch when he made a trip south in 1969.

He travelled to Southland to visit his younger brother Colin. During that Southland holiday Rutledge was thrown some boots and invited to play for Wright's Bush's third grade team.

From left, Wright's Rugby Club president Callum Stewart, with fellow centennial organisers Graham Marshall, Neil Winter, and Leicester Rutledge at the Wright's Bush clubrooms.

'I had no intention of staying in Southland. By the end of the night I had a job and I've never gone back.

'That gives you an idea how special the club is and how special the people were for the likes of me. It's something I'll never forget,' Rutledge said.

Former All Black Leicester Rutledge with a collection of his jerseys he donated to his Wright's Bush Rugby Club.

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During the next couple of decades Rutledge developed into Wright's Bush's most decorated player. He remains the club's sole All Black in its 100 year history.

His mark on the club, situated on the Wallacetown-Riverton Highway, can still be recognised to this day.

Hanging on the walls of the clubrooms was a collection of Rutledge's jerseys, including his first All Black jersey from 1978.

Although the 67-year-old stressed the Wright's Bush club was far bigger than what he had achieved in the game.

He said Wright's Bush was a special club because of many people.

'It's a close-knit family club, we've had a lot of fun.'

Rutledge is the chairman of an organising committee which for the past year has planned the Wright's Bush Rugby Club's centennial celebrations.

The centennial will be held from May 31 to June 2.

The weekend will include a get together on the Friday night at the Whitehouse Hotel. On the Saturday, schoolboy, golden oldies, and senior games will all be played at Wright's Bush, before a dinner at the Workingmen's Club in Invercargill at night.

At this stage 250 people were expected to attend, although registrations remain open.

Wright's Bush has had its challenges in reaching the 100-year milestone.

A player shortage meant for 15 years the club was unable to field a senior team and it was the junior players which flew the flag for the club during that time.

President Callum Stewart said junior Wright's Bush players often returned back at some stage, that proved to be the case in 2010 when the senior team was resurrected.

'That's how we made a comeback in 2010, a lot of ex-pats came back from Uni and back into the district,' Stewart said.

In recent years Wright's Bush has aligned with Central Pirates and played under the Bush Pirates banner in Southland's division two competition.

Another notable Wright's Bush product was Nic Barrett, who played his junior rugby for club before going on to play professionally.

He too donated his Maori All Blacks and Chiefs Super Rugby jerseys to the club, and they were also displayed proudly on the clubroom walls.