A CENTURY STRONG – WELLSFORD RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB
For 100 years, Wellsford Rugby Football Club has stood at the heart of its community, shaping generations through sport, service, and unwavering local pride.
This year, Wellsford Rugby Football Club reaches a remarkable milestone: one hundred years since its official formation on 7 March 1926, when the club’s first annual meeting was held at the Wellsford Hall. One of the oldest and most respected clubs in the Rodney region, Wellsford remains a proud Northland institution and an integral part of the local community.
From its earliest days, the club has been built on inclusivity and family values. Generations of players, supporters, and volunteers have passed through its gates, with the club continuing to provide a welcoming, safe environment for members young and old. That enduring spirit comes from countless hours of volunteer effort from committee members, coaches, and managers – the people who keep the club thriving.
This dedication is embodied by one of the club’s most recent life members, Mick Sweetman. Known affectionately as ‘Uncle Mick’, he has been part of the Wellsford Rugby Club for more than 33 years. Since joining in 1992, Mick has worn almost every hat imaginable – player, coach, manager, and long-serving committee member. Quietly working behind the scenes, his contribution reflects the humble commitment that has sustained the club for a century.
Over the decades, Wellsford Rugby has celebrated significant milestones both on and off the field. The construction of the clubrooms in the early 1970s, built by members themselves, stands as a testament to collective effort and determination. On the field, the club enjoyed particular success throughout the 1960s and 1970s, producing several Northland representative players and building a reputation as a formidable force within the local Rodney sub-union.
In 2004, Wellsford was promoted to the Northland Premier senior competition, with the Premier Reserve team securing the title the following year. After several semi-final appearances, the Premier team claimed its first championship in 2009 – a defining moment in the club’s history – before lifting the trophy again in 2015. That same season marked the official adoption of the ‘Wellsford Wolves’ identity, first envisioned by club stalwart Matty Wright. The Wolves symbolises strength, loyalty, and teamwork, values that have become deeply embedded in club culture. Today, every Wellsford team proudly carries the Wolves name.
Despite its size, Wellsford has consistently punched above its weight, producing outstanding representative talent. Ross Wright and Rene Ranger stand among the club’s most celebrated alumni, with 123 and 116 appearances for Northland respectively. Both went on to play for the Blues, with Ranger earning six All Blacks caps in 2010 as the club's first-ever All Black. Proud Wellsford men, they continue to give back to the club, still pulling on the jersey – a powerful example of lifelong connection.
More than a celebration of rugby, the centenary marks a century of community, commitment, and shared history – and a future still firmly rooted in Wellsford pride.