Rugby Team At Longbeach In The 1890's

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30218, 24 August 1963, Page 9

Rugby Team At Longbeach In The 1890's

Still an avid listener to Rugby on the radio and a keen follower of the game Mr W. H. Price will celebrate his ninety-fourth birthday on Monday. One of his proudest possessions is a photograph of the Longbeach Rugby team of 1894.

He is the only survivor of the team. Mr Price played his first Rugby for the Southbridge Rugby Club; but his association with Longbeach began when Southbridge travelled to Ashburton to play a match.

He did not make the return journey, but stayed on in Ashburton and took up his trade of a blacksmith at the Longbeach station. Joining the Ashburton Club he played ip the front row with another blacksmith (Mr E. Healy). Mr Pr.ce recalled that every Saturday he used to ride in to Ashburton to play Rugby and return on Sunday evening. “However, that did not continue for very long. Mr J. C. N. Grigg, who was such a good sport, suggested forming a club at Long* beach. There were enough young men at the station to field a very strong team, Mr Price recalled. Mr Price played for the Longbeach team for some years until he was forced to retire because of • knee injury.