Rugby is a game for gentlemen in
all classes but for no bad sportsman in any class.
Rt Reverend W J Casey, 1894
Following the 1935 All Blacks tour of Great Britain, Hugh
McLean and Ron Bush became interested in forming a New Zealand
Barbarian Rugby Club that adopted the philosophies of the
foundation Barbarians club in England.
In the early years the club was primarily involved in organising
teams of selected players to take part in benefit matches
and exhibitions which spread the gospel of adventurous rugby
in Auckland and in many parts of the North Island. The club
fielded its first team in1937 in a benefit match for the Thames
Valley sub-unions, who were suffering financially.
As a non-profit organization, the club aims to use any money
gained to nurture or improve the game and in recent years
has become a major sponsor of primary school, secondary school
and middleweight (i.e. weight restricted) rugby at both the
Auckland and national level.
In the early 1970s the club purchased a property at 17 Cricket
Ave which served the Barbarians well for 40 years.
The property at 17 Cricket Ave was required for the redevelopment
of Eden Park for the Rugby World Cup in 2011 and patron Bob
Sorenson opened the magnificent new facility on level 6 of
the ASB Stand at Eden Park on June 24, 2010. The images below
will introduce you to this facility.
The NZ Barbarians have played against the Maori All Blacks in 2010 and 2015 and faced the British & Irish Lions in the opening game of their tour in Whangarei on June 3, 2017.
The Barbarian 'brand' is globally respected and highly recognisable
in the rugby-playing world.
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