News

Use of Club Boxes at Eden Park for forthcoming Cricket and League matches 2012

A limited number of tickets are available in the Club Boxes at Eden park for the following fixtures.

• NZ V Zimbabwe - T20 - Saturday 11 February At 7.00pm -Ticket Price $30
• NZ V South Africa - T20 - Wednesday 22 February At 7.00pm - Ticket Price $40
• NZ V South Africa - One Dayer - Saturday 3rd March At 2.00pm - Ticket Price $50
• Warriors V Manly - League - Sunday 4th March At 2.00pm - Ticket Price $65
  

If you are interested in attending any of the above games please contact the secretary at - sec@brfc.co.nz or ring - 09 846 7241.

Club Members honoured at NZRU Annual Meeting 21st April 2011

Bryan Williams elected NZRU President
Ian MacRae elected Vice President
Rob Fisher made Life Member

Former All Black Bryan Williams MBE today succeeded John Sturgeon as the New Zealand Rugby Union President. Mr Williams, who was elected NZRU Vice President in 2009, was nominated by the Auckland Rugby Football Union (ARFU) and elected President at the NZRU Annual General Meeting in Wellington today. Williams, who takes up his appointment immediately, is a Vice President of the New Zealand Barbarians and past President of his beloved Ponsonby Club, where he is also a life member and committee member. Williams played 113 games for the All Blacks between 1970 and 1978, and later went on to coach at the Provincial, Franchise and international levels as well as serving as a director of the ARFU.

Succeeding Mr Williams as Vice President is Ian MacRae. Nominated by the Hawke's Bay Rugby Football Union, Mr MacRae had a lengthy representative and All Blacks career and went on to serve as an administrator and coach at both the club and representative level.

In welcoming the new appointments, NZRU Chairman Mike Eagle paid tribute to Mr Sturgeon for his service to New Zealand Rugby over the past four years and in his contributions at the national level. "John succeeded Andy Leslie in the role and has been a strong ambassador for New Zealand rugby both at home and abroad. As a proud West Coaster, John provided us with a direct and very personal link to the tragic events at Pike River on the West Coast when the All Blacks were touring the UK last November," said Mr Eagle.

Meanwhile, Rob Fisher was made a Life Member of the NZRU at today's AGM.

Mr Fisher, who was nominated by the ARFU, has had an extensive and distinguished administrative career in rugby. He was Chairman of the ARFU from 1990 to 1995 and was elected as a Councillor of the NZRU in 1992. He was elected Deputy Chairman in 1994 and to the Chairmanship in 1997, serving in that role until 2000. He remained on the NZRU Board until 2002.
Mr Fisher was one of the NZRU's two delegates on the International Rugby Board from 1994 and became Deputy Chairman of the IRB in 1996 until his retirement from the IRB in 2002. Since 2006, he has served on the NZRU Appeal Council.

His involvement in rugby included the successful campaign to defeat the challenge of World Rugby Corporation in 1995 and negotiating player contracts, commercial and television contracts as rugby turned professional in the mid-1990s. Currently a member of the Eden Park Trust and Eden Park Redevelopment Board, he has served on the Eden Park Board of Control for 22 years. Mr Fisher joins the other Life Members Eddie Tonks, Richie Guy, Peter Burke, Ron Don, Sir Colin Meads and Sir Fred Allen.

Assisting the Cantabrians

The Barbarians Management fully support this initiative, so, if you are able to, we hope you will give support to Cantabrians needing accommodation for theses games.

For more information click here.

Action-packed ITM Cup 2011 draw released

Southland first to challenge for Ranfurly Shield
February 2011

A new competition format, 14 teams, 13 rounds over eight weeks, the Ranfurly Shield once again on the line, promotion and relegation and 72 matches of footy – this year’s ITM Cup is set for an intense, action-packed season.

The official draw for the 2011 ITM Cup has been released today by the New Zealand Rugby Union and promises plenty of rugby action from Tuesday to Sunday once it gets under way on Thursday 14 July.

Key features of the season draw are:

• Southland gets the first Ranfurly Shield challenge in Round 3
• Manawatu’s bucketheads will celebrate their province’s 125th anniversary with a home derby match against Hawke’s Bay in the first round
• Bay of Plenty marks their centenary in Round 9, when they host neighbouring rivals Hawke’s Bay
• Round 7 will be Otago’s last round robin match at Carisbrook and it will be a battle of Southern strength when they host Southland on Saturday 6 August.
• Otago plays two rounds at their new ground Forsyth Barr Stadium
• All matches broadcast live on SKY TV.
  

The season kicks off with Round 1 on Thursday 14 July when Otago host North Harbour. The first mid-week match will be between North Harbour and Tasman at North Harbour Stadium on Tuesday 19 July.

General Manager of Professional Rugby Neil Sorensen said this year’s domestic competition promises lots of action between old and new provincial rivals.

“There’s a lot of rugby to fit in the eight weeks of this competition. As well as all the great provincial pride and rivalry that comes with the ITM Cup, the Finals will be played a week out from the start of the Rugby World Cup,” he said.

Semifinals will not be played this year because of the Rugby World Cup tournament, with the competition returning to normal schedules in 2012. Promotion and relegation are also a feature of the new format with the winner of the ITM Championship Final winning promotion into the ITM Premiership next season while the team that finishes last in the ITM Premiership is relegated to the Championship.

“We’re delighted SKY TV will have crews around the country to bring us all 70 matches plus the Championship and Premiership Finals by live broadcast so we won’t miss out on anything,” Sorensen said.

The teams playing in the ITM Premiership and competing for the ITM Cup, and wanting to avoid 2012 relegation are:

• Canterbury
• Waikato
• Auckland
• Wellington
• Taranaki
• Bay of Plenty
• Southland
  

The teams playing in the ITM Championship and playing for promotion into the 2012 Premiership are:

• Hawke’s Bay
• Counties Manukau
• Northland
• North Harbour
• Tasman
• Manawatu
• Otago
  

The ITM Championship and ITM Premiership Finals will be played on the weekend of Saturday 3 September.

For more details including the cup draw, click here (PDF file).

Patron Bob Sorenson Officially Opens New Clubrooms

On Thursday the 24th June 2010 Patron Bob Sorenson cut the ‘’ Red Barbarian Ribbon ‘’ officially opening our new Clubrooms. Regrettably his Co – Patron Jack Bourke couldn’t attend but the Club looks forward to hosting Jack and his wife Doreen at a later time. Life Members and their wives were also present along with many Special Guests including the Chairman of the Eden Park Trust John Waller and from the N.Z.R.U. Director Gerard Van Tilborg. The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Immediate Past President Phil Lindesay, while Past President Mike Cormack and the Writer also spoke.

It was an evening to remember, an evening that will go down in the Annals of the Club. Over 100 Barbarian members, wives and guests enjoyed the ambience of our new ’’ International Facilities ‘’. The design of the rooms and suites by well known Architect Neil Cotton has created an environment that links the past with the present and onto the future. Yes , we have our Heritage in our Historical photographs, stainglass windows and memorabilia but these clubrooms bring us to the threshold of the 21st Century. These International Facilities are ‘’Modern’’. The snug area for the members wives and guests where they can enjoy a wine or their own plunge coffee or even just to sit in the comfort of the leather chairs, watch T.V. or enjoy a book from the library is very special. Well known Interior Designer Anna Foss nee Fitzpatrick daughter of B.B.J. and Louise, sister of Sean spent many hours on choosing the colours, the design, the fabrics etc to create a special Barbarian ambience for the club.

The Lodore Trophy for Middleweight Rugby was also presented to the club on the evening and we thank Norm Bennett for his kind gesture.

When you visit the Clubrooms view the magnificent new Honours Board donated by the late Pat Walsh’s wife Noeline and son Mark Walsh. Our Barbarian Crest on the honours board was carved by the former Maori All Black Fred Graham.

On the evening it is worthy to note that members stayed longer than normal as many stories were shared, games revisited with two former All Blacks Bernie McCahill and Ron Williams ‘’chewing the fat’’ and enjoying a fine bottle of red in the late hours of the night.

To all members ensure you visit your club. Come and enjoy the facilities that you will be very proud to use and proud to bring your guests to.

John. A. Mills.
President.