Fathers and sons in Wellington rugby Part 1

Above: The Nicholls family, perhaps the most famous rugby father and sons in Wellington club rugby. 

Rugby in Wellington and throughout many clubs is very much a family affair, with many brothers, sisters and cousins playing with or against each other most weeks.

Less prevalent are sons (and daughters) who have gone on to emulate or top their father’s achievements in the game at a local or representative level.

Below are examples of some of these down the years up to the present day. We have titled this article ‘Part 1’ so if there is feedback and suggestions we can follow up with ‘Part 2’.

Sid Nicholls and sons

The first notable example of this, and one that left a lasting impact on the game in Wellington is Sid Nicholls and sons. Father Sid was the founder of Poneke and was their captain for that club’s first eight years. He then moved to Petone and helped drive that fledging club forward. If that is all he did that would be a lasting legacy. But he went on and sired five rugby playing sons, three of whom became All Blacks. Mark, HE ‘Ginger’ and HG ‘Doc’ were Petone All Blacks in the 1920s. The fourth brother, Geoff, also played for Petone – All four took the field for Petone in 1923. The fifth brother Guy was a North Auckland representative, while their sister, Dulcie, won numerous New Zealand tennis titles between 1930 and 1937. Mark’s son, Mark, played rugby for Wellington.

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Harry and Teddy Roberts

Father Harry played for the Wellington Football Club and for the Wellington representative team between 1883-1889 and also played for Canterbury in 1887 and 1888. He was one of five Wellington players selected in the New Zealand team for its first ever tour overseas, to New South Wales in 1884. His son E J “Teddy” Roberts was an All Black in 1913-14 and 1920-21  out of the St James and Athletics clubs– so Harry and Teddy were New Zealand’s first father-son internationals. Like father, like son, Teddy was also a halfback and occasional first-five. He played 26 matches for the All Blacks, including five Tests.

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Bumper Wright and sons

Father Hercules, or ‘Bumper’ was a forward and a Wellington representative out of Petone between 1903-07, playing 27 games for Wellington including in some famous early matches involving the Ranfurly Shield, before switching to rugby league and playing in and captaining the 1907/08 All Golds team. He had two noted rugby playing sons. Older brother Max played 10 first-class matches for Wellington out of the WCOB club between 1934-37 and a handful of Wellington B/Colts matches and was a Poverty Bay representative in 1935. Younger brother Alan was the most accomplished, playing four matches (no tests) for the All Blacks in 1938, and 35 for Wellington, also out of the WCOB club.

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Eric Tindill and sons

Eric Tindill is the only man to have ever represented New Zealand in both Test rugby and Test cricket. He also refereed both cricket and rugby Test matches and was a leading rugby and cricket administrator and selector in both sports for many years. As a rugby player Tindill played for the old Athletic club and was predominantly a halfback who also played representative rugby at first five-eighth – the position he was chosen for when he first made the All Blacks on their six-month tour of the UK in 1935/36. He was also in line to tour South Africa in 1940, but that tour was cancelled. Like Bumper Wright above, Eric had two rugby playing sons. Paul played at first class level for Wellington in both rugby and cricket and Dennis played rugby for Wellington B in 1964. Paul was a halfback and represented Wellington out of Marist in 1962 and Onslow in 1964, while Dennis was a wing and played for Athletic.

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Graham Mexted and sons

Graham Mexted was a No. 8 who was a founding member of the then Premier 2 (equivalent) Tawa club and selected in his second Wellington match to play the touring British Isles in 1950. He was a spectator for the third test at Athletic Park and then selected to play the fourth in Auckland in a 11-8 win that sealed the series. He then went on the 1951 tour of Australia, playing a further five matches and no more tests. Graham Mexted would play 38 matches for Wellington and 60 first-class games overall before hanging up his boots to raise his family, including sons Murray and Alan, and move into coaching and administration at Tawa. Oldest son Murray was also a No. 8 and played 111 matches for Wellington 1976-85 and 34 tests for the All Blacks 1979-85 and 201 first-class matches overall. Youngest son and flanker Alan played 18 matches for Wellington 1983-1985. Murray and Alan were both in the Wellington Axemen side that won the Jubilee Cup in 1985.

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Phil Proctor and sons

Phil Proctor was a prop who played for Petone and later the Wests Roosters and made 64 appearances for the Wellington Lions 1985-1995.  He hung up his playing boots and turned to coaching – winning Jubilee Cups with three different clubs, the Wests Roosters (1998), Petone (2005) and Oriental-Rongotai (2011). He also coached the Wellington Development team. Three of Proctor’s sons were – and two still are – leading players in Wellington, and all three are backs. Older brother James was a first-five who played for Ories and Marist St Pat’s and played for Tasman in 2011, middle brother and midfielder Matt played for Oriental-Rongotai and played one test for the All Blacks in 2018 and youngest brother and MSP midfielder Billy is a current All Blacks squad member.

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Andy Leslie and sons

Andy Leslie was Petone’s captain throughout the second half of their dominant era in which they won the Jubilee Cup 10 times in 11 seasons 1967-76. In 1973 this team completed an unbeaten season, scoring over 600 points (4-point tries). In 1974, after 99 matches for Wellington, Leslie was chosen for the All Blacks for the first time, and as captain. He played all his 31 All Blacks matches as captain. He later coached Petone to more success, coached Wellington 1990-92. NZRU President 2007-08. Older son and midfielder John Leslie moved to Otago and played 123 games for them and 32 for the Highlanders 1996-98 and later Scotland in 23 internationals 1998-2002. Youngest son and loose forward Martin played for Petone and 75 matches for Wellington 1991-98, 21 for the Hurricanes 1997-98 and 37 times for Scotland 1998-2003.

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Doug Power and Ben Power

Father Doug Power was a hard-hitting loose forward who was a leading player in Hutt Old Boys teams in the late 1980s and early 1990s and then from Hutt Old Boys Marist from 1994 for almost a decade and in over 200 matches in total. Doug Power was in the New Zealand Colts in 1990. He started at Wainuiomata and played 15 matches for the Wellington Lions out of that club that same year, before switching to HOB and captaining and winning the Jubilee Cup with them in his first year in 1991. He played a total of 34 first-class matches for the Lions up to 1995. Son Ben graduated from Hutt International Boys’ School as First XV to join Hutt Old Boys Marist in 2016 and he went on play circa 90 Premier matches as a hooker and loose forward and captained the Eagles, and won the Swindale Shield in 2019.

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Alama Ieremia and Akira Ieremia

Father Alama Ieremia was a leading midfield back for Western Suburbs throughout the 1990s and won the Jubilee Cup in 1998 with the Roosters. Alama Ieremia was a NPC winner with Wellington in 2000, playing at centre inside players such as a Tana Umaga, Jonah Lomu and Christian Cullen. He played 65 times for Wellington 1992-2000, 42 for the Hurricanes 1996-2000 and 40 for the All Blacks 1994-2000. Later turned to coaching and coached in Wellington and Japan, and then Head Coach of Samoa 2015-17 and Auckland NPC 2017-22. Currently attack coach of the USA Eagles and MLR coach at Anthem. Son Akira Ieremia is a lock/flanker and attended St Pat’s Silverstream. Leaving school, he joined the Tawa club and was a Jubilee Cup winner in 2021. Akira made his Wellington Lions debut in 2023 and played 13 NPC matches in 2023-24 and joined father Alama as an NPC winner. He now plays for the Kubota Spears in Japan.

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Murray Tocker and JP Tocker

Father Murray and son JP were both Jubilee Cup winners with Marist St Pat’s. Murray won eight of them as a player and later coach, up to MSP’s most recent win in 2012. The outside back and prolific goal-kicker spent four years in the St Pat’s Silverstream First XV and later played 34 first class games for Hawke’s Bay between 1976-1986. Son JP, a wing and midfield back, left St Pat’s Town in 2001 to join MSP where he played well over 100 Premier matches over a decade and won the 2008, 2009 and 2012 Jubilee Cups under the coaching of Murray.