Rugby History

One of the giants of Wellington rugby. Ken Gray rose to become a leading figure in Petone, Wellington and All Blacks rugby. “A great forward,” wrote doyen Sir T.P. McLean. “Durable, vigorous, relentless, pursuing, and supremely intelligent.” Gray has strong ties to both the Paremata-Plimmerton and Petone clubs, having played all his top

All Black number 600, Ralph Caulton was a leading outside back in Wellington club rugby, Wellington provincial rugby and for the All Blacks from the late 1950s to the first half of the 1960s. Caulton, who was a centre or wing, was Pōneke’s first All Black selected in 21 years when

Rod Heeps was a speed merchant and national sprint champion and a prolific try scoring wing or centre in Wellington club rugby and for Wellington and the All Blacks, whose career spanned the latter part of the 1950s and the early 1960s. Heeps’ topflight career wasn’t long, but it left a

Rongo Wirepa was Taita’s captain and talismanic tighthead prop who played in Wellington club rugby throughout the latter 1950s and the 1960s. He never played for Wellington, but was a Māori All Black in 1960 and 1964. During his career Taita were always competitive and showed flashes of being a top