Diversification key to Stokes Valley’s success

Like a lot of clubs through New Zealand Stokes Valley RFC is in an ongoing battle for survival. Retention of players, particularly in the lower grades, is a significant issue. But one way of keeping the rugby community engaged and to keep the club going is to band together with other sports. 

“I have been a member of SVRFC for over twenty years and we have had a rough time staying up in the senior competition,” says Club Captain Glen Nixon.

“For the last couple of years we have been re-building our club form a rugby club to a multi- sports club. We have rugby, netball and softball under the SVRFC and we are also looking at more codes.”

“We have got six netball teams this year, they are strong and a vital part of our club,” adds SVRFC Chairman Graeme Hardie.

There is also the junior rugby club. “We have a very strong junior club,” says Graeme. “We have a team in every grade from U6 up to U13. We have got over 150 young players.”

It goes without saying that if they can foster the junior club and build relationships with other sports with likeminded goals then today’s youngsters will come back and play and stay involved when they are older.  Similarly, current Hurricanes captain Brad Shields played his junior rugby for the club so the next Shields could be just around the corner. 

Like similar small clubs, SVRFC has always been built on the passion and commitment of its people. In 2015, club members Tania Karaitiana and Vio Ugone (both since moved on) won the Charles Monro Rugby Volunteers of the Year at the NZRU awards.

But that can only go so far, says Glen.” As with all clubs, it is getting harder and harder for the small clubs to keep their doors open as cash flow is a main reason for this. With boosting numbers this has helped the club a lot, especially the netball club.”

This year the SVRFC senior rugby club is fielding two teams in WRFU competitions, both of whom are competing in the First Grade competition. 

“We have only got the two teams, but we are back into a recruitment phase and we hope to have some age-grade teams starting up again over the next few seasons,” says Graeme who is also a referee in the college competitions and sometimes in senior and Women’s club grades. 

“Our aim for this year is to win the first round of the First Grade and move up to the Premier Reserve grade, to challenge for the HD Morgan Cup,” says Graeme. “Our next goal is to make sure we have got a good base of players.”

There are a number of experienced players playing across both teams, but equally, there are some young players coming through, as well as some ex-U85kg players in there.  The club last fielded an U85kg team in 2017. 

There is also a ‘goldie oldies’ team that will take the field over the next several months.

The First Grade first round Thompson Memorial Shield is a fortnight old. Stokes Valley’s A side is sitting on top of the table with two ‘bonus point’ wins. But both of these have been defaults, so they are looking forward to playing the HOBM Barbarians (two wins) this Saturday. The B team has had two defeats so far and this Saturday meets the Avalon Wolves (a win and a loss) at home at Delaney Park.