Ruakura Rugby Football Club

The semi finals are here, and we would love to see as many of our members as possible at the Ruakura RFC Clubrooms this Friday afternoon ahead of the Chiefs v Crusaders Semi-Final.

The clubrooms will be open from 3.30pm at Chiefs HQ, Ruakura Research Centre, providing a great opportunity to gather with fellow rugby supporters, enjoy some food and refreshments, and build the atmosphere before what promises to be a massive match.

Most importantly, wear your Chiefs colours and let's get behind our boys as they chase a place in the Super Rugby Final.

Details:
📅 Friday 12 June 2026
⏰ From 3.30pm
📍 Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton
🍔 Kitchen serving food throughout the afternoon
🍺 Cash bar available
🏉 Match kick-off: 7.05pm

Whether you're heading to FMG Stadium afterwards or simply want to enjoy the pre-match atmosphere with fellow members, we'd love to see you there.

Go the Chiefs!

Beyond the Jersey | Waikato Chamber of Commerce Inspire Event

It was a pleasure to host the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Inspire Event tonight in the Ruakura RFC clubrooms.

A huge thank you to Craig West, Mitchell Karpik and Mitchell Graham, who did a fantastic job sharing their stories and providing a genuine insight into life after professional rugby.

While all three enjoyed successful careers in a Chiefs jersey, what stood out tonight was how they have transitioned into equally successful careers beyond the game. They spoke openly about the lessons rugby taught them. Resilience, teamwork, leadership, discipline and accountability and how those values have helped shape their professional journeys in business and life.

The discussion was authentic, relatable and inspiring, highlighting that while rugby careers may come to an end, the skills and relationships developed through sport can create opportunities that last a lifetime.

A special thank you to the Waikato Chamber of Commerce, who continue to do an outstanding job creating events like this for the Waikato business community. Bringing people together to learn, connect and be inspired is incredibly valuable, and we are proud to support and host these initiatives.

Within the Ruakura RFC network, we are fortunate to have a remarkable group of former players, coaches and staff who are passionate about sharing their experiences and giving back. We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future.

Rugby may bring us together, but the lessons learned along the way can take us anywhere.

Well done to Vision Complete Earthworks Ltd for sponsoring these monthly events: https://www.visioncompleteearthworks.co.nz

https://nblawyers.co.nz/mitch-karpik/
Tainui Group Holdings
https://worchem.co.nz
Mitchell Graham
Mitchell Karpik
Lee Grant Craig West

RUAKURA RFC OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN STYLE

While Ruakura RFC has been quietly bubbling away in the background for some time now, it was wonderful to officially launch the club with our Gala Dinner on Friday night.

It was a special evening that brought together so many familiar faces from throughout Chiefs history. Former players, coaches, managers, staff, supporters and members of the wider rugby community gathered to share stories, reconnect with old mates and celebrate the rich history and spirit of Chiefs rugby.

One of the highlights of the evening was seeing rugby supporters and business leaders rubbing shoulders with many of their heroes. There was plenty of laughter, plenty of banter, and more than a few stories that perhaps had never been told publicly before.

A huge thank you to James McOnie, who was the perfect MC and kept the evening flowing brilliantly. Guests were treated to a fascinating panel featuring former Chiefs coaches Brad Meurant, Ian Foster and Neil Barnes, before hearing from Chiefs legends Eric Rush, Mark Ranby, Craig Clarke and Aaron Cruden, who shared memories from their playing days and gave everyone a genuine insight into what it meant to wear the Chiefs jersey.

It was also fantastic to hear from Tony Johnson, who spoke about the journey of writing He Piko, He Taniwha alongside Lynn McConnell, a remarkable book that captures 30 years of Chiefs rugby through the voices of those who lived it.

The night was full of camaraderie, connection and good old-fashioned rugby spirit. Former players and guests alike embraced the occasion, creating an atmosphere that reflected everything Ruakura RFC hopes to stand for. Friendship, storytelling, belonging and giving back to the game.

Events like this simply don't happen without the support of many wonderful people and organisations.

A sincere thank you to our major sponsor Craigs Investment Partners, who continue to support outstanding initiatives throughout our community. To Steve Meertens and Website Angels, who have been right behind the Ruakura RFC vision since day one and have provided tremendous support throughout the journey.

Thank you to Kahurangi Catering for their magnificent food and service, and to the The University of Waikato for hosting us at The Pā — a world-class venue supported by a first-class team.

To the team at Waikato Draught, thank you for your unwavering support. It's fair to say the famous big bots of Waikato Draught were very well received by many of our guests!

Thank you also to Takapoto Estate for supplying the wine, their world class quality of wine was received very favourably by the guests!, and to Ben Sunn, whose music helped create a wonderful atmosphere throughout the evening.

A special thank you also to Hannah Devlin and the team at Drury Lane Dance Studio, who kicked off the evening in spectacular fashion. Their performance, complete with the traditional Chiefs cheerleading outfits of yesteryear, brought back plenty of memories and set the tone for a night that celebrated the rich history and character of Chiefs rugby. Thank you, Hannah, for embracing the vision and helping create such a memorable start to the evening.

A special thank you must also go to Brian King, who generously gave his time as auctioneer for the evening. Brian is one of those rare people who continually gives back to our community without seeking recognition. His energy, humour and professionalism helped make the auction a tremendous success, and his contribution to the evening was immense. We are incredibly grateful for his support of Ruakura RFC.

Last but certainly not least, thank you to Gilly Alexander, whose efforts as Event Manager were simply outstanding. Gilly did an incredible job bringing the event together and managing the countless moving parts that go into an event of this scale. She should be immensely proud of what was achieved.

Most importantly, thank you to everyone who attended. You helped create a night that celebrated not only the history of the Chiefs, but also the future of rugby in our region.

The evening provided an opportunity to share the story behind Ruakura RFC and explain what we're trying to build — a club that honours the past, strengthens connections in the present, and helps support the development pathway for future generations of rugby players.

Our vision is simple: to use yesterday's heroes to inspire the next generation, while creating opportunities for former players, supporters and the wider community to remain connected to the game they love.

This was just the beginning.

We look forward to continuing to grow Ruakura RFC and playing our part in supporting rugby pathways at all levels of the game, ensuring the Chiefs region remains one of the strongest and most vibrant rugby communities in the world.

If you'd like to learn more about Ruakura RFC, stay connected, or explore becoming a member, we'd love to hear from you.

Join our mailing list here:
https://www.ruakurarfc.co.nz/galaform

Yesterday's heroes inspiring the next generation.

Thank you to Sharon Dean at Ultimate Sports for capturing the night beautifully.

Gallagher Chiefs

A great night celebrating 75 years of Suburbs Community Sports Club last night.

Ruakura Rugby Football Club had the privilege of being involved in the evening, with All Black legend and original Chiefs player Frank Bunce (Chief #2) the guest speaker.

Frank was absolutely outstanding. The Q&A was packed with hilarious stories and genuine rugby banter involving the likes of Laurie Mains, Jonah Lomu, Walter Little, Eric Rush and plenty more. One of the highlights was Frank reflecting on the infamous 1995 Rugby World Cup food poisoning controversy, joking:

“How many of you guys can actually remember what you ate 30 years ago?!”

before sharing how disruptive that week became for the All Blacks leading into the World Cup Final.

Another classic story was from the infamous 1996 clash against Australia involving Michael Brial. Not only did Frank have the last laugh by scoring the match-winning try, he then found himself sitting beside Brial during the post-match drug testing. Frank reckoned he won that battle too — managing to complete his sample 20 minutes before Brial, who was left sitting there waiting! To this day they’ve never spoken to each other.

The room was packed with around 200 members and supporters, creating an unbelievable atmosphere in the newly upgraded clubrooms. It was a brilliantly run function and fantastic to see people dancing long into the night celebrating the rich history of the club.

Congratulations to everyone involved with Suburbs Community Sports Club on reaching such a significant milestone. A special thanks to President Shane Townsand for giving Ruakura Rugby Football Club the opportunity to be involved.

Congratulations also to Katrina Tombleson - Bayleys Real Estate who did a fantastic job running the auction on the night, helping raise close to $15,000 for the club through the auction alone.

One of the great things about Ruakura RFC is helping connect the Chiefs and former Chiefs players back into the grassroots of the game and the communities that make rugby so special.

If any clubs around Chiefs Country would like Ruakura RFC to help support upcoming functions, jubilees or events in the future, please feel free to reach out to us.

NCP Images

CHIEFS v CRUSADERS WATCH PARTY | RUAKURA RFC

The Ruakura RFC Clubrooms will be open tomorrow night for the big one… Chiefs v Crusaders.

📍 Ruakura RFC Clubrooms
🕓 Doors Open: 4pm
🏉 Kick-Off: 7.05pm
📺 Live on the Heathcotes Big Screen
🍔 Kitchen & Bar Open

Come down, bring a mate and settle in for what should be a blockbuster night against our old rivals from down south.

See you at the clubrooms.

RUAKURA RFC GALA DINNER UPDATE

Unfortunately, we are no longer accepting ticket sales for our Gala Dinner Launch on 29 May as we have now reached full capacity.

A huge thank you to everyone for the incredible support. It should be a fantastic night full of genuine rugby camaraderie, storytelling, banter and reconnecting with good people from across the Chiefs and wider rugby community.

If you missed out but would still like to attend, please get in touch to join our waitlist. We’ll do our best to accommodate any opportunities that may arise. [email protected]

Thank you again for all the support towards Ruakura Rugby Football Club. 🏉

Last night was a special one for Ruakura Rugby Football Club. A big thank you to Jon Tanner for giving us the opportunity to make it happen.

We were incredibly proud to host around 100 kids and parents from Southern United Rugby Football Club(SURF) in Tokoroa for the Chiefs vs Highlanders match at FMG Stadium Waikato.

Ruakura RFC organised buses and minivans to bring the group to Hamilton, hosted dinner for everyone at our clubrooms at Chiefs HQ, and provided match tickets so the kids and families could enjoy a memorable night together supporting the Chiefs.

For many, it was an experience they will never forget.

This initiative sits right at the heart of what Ruakura RFC is all about, creating a platform for former Chiefs players to give back to the game they love. So many of our alumni are passionate about helping the next generation and reconnecting with communities throughout Chiefs Country.

A special mention must go to Isaac Boss (Chief #94), who played 21 games for the Chiefs between 2001–2004 before going on to forge an outstanding professional career in Ireland, including appearances at the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups. Isaac has played a significant role in helping grow and support rugby in the South Waikato region and was instrumental in helping make this initiative happen.

It perfectly aligns with our mantra:
“Using yesterday’s heroes to inspire the next generation.”

South Waikato has long been one of New Zealand rugby’s great talent hotbeds, producing and shaping some remarkable people and players, including:

Birth
Isaac Boss (Tokoroa)
Adrian Cashmore (Tokoroa)
Grant Fox (Putaruru)
Jasin Goldsmith (Tokoroa)
Richard Kahui (Tokoroa)
Damian Karauna (Mangakino)
Nicky Little (Tokoroa)
Walter Little (Tokoroa)
Sean Maitland (Tokoroa)
Keven Mealamu (Tokoroa)
Henry Paul (Tokoroa)
Wayne Smith (Putaruru)
Joe Webber (Tokoroa)
Royce Willis (Tokoroa)

School
Isaac Boss (Forest View HS)
Jahrome Brown (Putaruru HS)
Quade Cooper (Forest View HS)
Ian Foster (Forest View HS)
Jasin Goldsmith (Forest View HS)
Richard Kahui (Forest View HS)
Wayne Smith (Putaruru HS)

Many of these names have strong links to Tokoroa and Putāruru.

We also want to acknowledge the outstanding work Rugby for Life has done alongside SURF over the last two years. Rugby For Life is a fantastic charitable trust using the power of rugby to create positive outcomes in underserved communities through health, education and employment initiatives. Their impact is being strongly felt and we look forward to working alongside them on future rugby initiatives.

A huge thank you to Doug Kotuhi from SURF for coordinating the group, and to all the parents and volunteers who helped make the trip possible.

Thanks to Sharon and Wayne from Ultimate Sports for the photos. Your promotion of community sport is amazing.

Great to be supporting the Waikato Chamber of Commerce with this event.

Within the Ruakura RFC (Chiefs Alumni) network, we’re fortunate to have a strong group of former players and staff who are passionate about sharing their experiences and lessons from rugby into life and business beyond the game.

We’re really looking forward to this one, and to hosting more events like it in the future.

Craig West, Mitch Karpik and Mitchell Graham are three outstanding men who have all gone on to build impressive careers, and we’re proud to have them involved.

EVENTS | June Inspire

30 years of pride, passion, and performance 🏉

Join us for a relaxed Inspire event celebrating the Chiefs legacy! Held in a classic grassroots rugby clubroom setting, Ruakura Rugby Football Club, three Chiefs alumni will share the real stories behind the jersey and life beyond the game.

Featuring Mitchell Karpik, a former flanker turned property lawyer bringing resilience from the field into his career, Craig West, who has gone from Chiefs prop to CEO leading with purpose and connection, and Mitchell Graham, an ex-prop now engineer and managing director building a business after hanging up the boots.

Come along, connect, and be inspired!

Register today at https://business.waikatochamber.co.nz/events/details/inspire-beyond-the-jersey-30-years-of-chiefs-and-life-after-the-game-5220?calendarMonth=2026-06-01