9 May 2006 125 Years of Rugby at Lincoln University Celebration Matches

125 Years of Rugby at Lincoln University
Celebration Matches
Saturday 13 May, 1.00pm & 2.45pm

On 14 May 1881 a team of students at the School of Agriculture at Lincoln, now Lincoln University, played their first game of rugby – a match against Southbridge.

This weekend the University is celebrating 125 years of Lincoln rugby with two Canterbury competition games being played at the University and a new trophy being inaugurated for the traditional match between Lincoln University and Canterbury University.

The Hart-O'Reilly Trophy (a carved wooden rugby ball) commemorates two famous coaches – the late Denis "Joe" Hart of Lincoln University and the late Laurie O'Reilly of Canterbury University (later to be New Zealand's Commissioner for Children).

The Canterbury competition matches being played at Lincoln University on Saturday are –

1.00pm: Christchurch Metropolitan Colts Competition, Lincoln's Whineray Colts vs Varsity Colts.

2.45pm: Leading Edge Senior Competition, Merivale Lincoln University vs Canterbury University.

With Canterbury University's three wins from six matches against Merivale Lincoln University's one win and five losses, this will be an interesting tussle.

Both games are on the rugby field adjacent to the Lincoln University Recreation Centre, on Calder Drive, on the Lincoln University campus.

On the Saturday night, from 7pm at the Air Force Museum, Wigram, there's a 125th Anniversary Dinner, with about 200 attending. Guests include former All Blacks Ian Hurst and Andy Jefferd.

In the years since Lincoln's first All Black, John Hotop 1952, some 25 Lincoln students and graduates have won All Black honours including legendary All Black captain Wilson Whineray. However, not all have played for the Lincoln University or Merivale Lincoln University clubs (e.g. Richie McCaw, played for Christchurch), which is what this 125th anniversary specifically relates to.

Ian Collins, Communications Group, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand