28 March 2013 Reunion marks golden era of rugby league at Lincoln University

Rugby league memories will be revived at Lincoln University over Easter as former student players return to the campus for a 20th anniversary reunion celebrating one of their moments of glory  -  the Lincoln team’s first Grand Final win in the Christchurch league competition.

Rugby league flourished at Lincoln University from the early 1990s until the end of the decade and helped launch a number of professional league careers. In 1993 the Lincoln University team produced the first of its best two results - winning the Grand Final of Christchurch’s Division 2 Competition, beating the Burnham Army team at the Addington Showgrounds in front of a record crowd.  The team repeated its success the following year and old hands claim they were “robbed” in 1995 from making it three in a row!

Soil scientist Peter Carey was club president and "Mr Rugby League” at Lincoln University during the sport’s golden period of the 1990s. He and alumnus Tony Fakahau have organised the Easter reunion by contacting as many of the former players as possible.
 
“Back in the day, Lincoln University caught a wave of talented Polynesian sportsmen among its students,” says Peter. “Many were scouted away from the University to play for other clubs and others finished their studies and moved on in life. Eventually both these factors had an impact on the viability of league at Lincoln and things came to a natural conclusion at the end of the 1990s.”

Among those returning who played league for Lincoln University in the 1990s is Tagaloa Fa’afouina Su’a, now President of Rugby League Samoa and head of Su’a Associates, an international award winning accountancy and sports consulting and event management company in Samoa.

Tony Fakahau, Deputy Chair of Canterbury Rugby League and General Manager of Pacific Trust Canterbury, provider of health, social and education services to children, young people and families, is another ex-player attending the reunion. Mike Tamati, who went on to play professionally for Parramatta, and also played Super 12 rugby union for the Crusaders and rugby in Italy,  is on the guest list too.  Former coaches attending are Mark Broadhurst and Gordon Smith, both ex-Kiwis.

Players not able to attend but who went on to top overseas clubs on professional contracts include Tongans Tevita Vaikona and Paul Koloi. Tevita, star of the University’s 1993 team, who was selected for the Junior Kiwis and toured to the UK and France then later had a long and successful career with the Bradford Bulls. Paul won a professional contract with legendary north of England club Wigan, played for the Canterbury Cardinals, was a liaison officer for the Tongan Rugby League organisation, and is now a teacher in Britain.

“Our Easter reunion is largely informal,” says Peter, “but there will be a gathering on the campus on the afternoon of Good Friday and a dinner off-campus on Saturday night.”