Welcome
This website is dedicated to all those young players, Coach’s and Manager’s (& the Parents) that have been involved with the Northern Roller Mills Rugby Tournament since the first tournament in 1925. Whats so special about this tournament, has to be the history. Some unions have their own tournaments such as the Gwynne Shield (Waikato 1921), Tai Mitchell (Bay of Plenty 1938), Taniwha Cup (Northland 1933) which only the top players competing in these local tournaments are selected to represent their union in the Northern Roller Mills Tournament, Add in the Northern Roller Mills (1925) and these tournaments are some of the world’s oldest Junior rugby tournaments.
Tournament History
It started when in 1924 the Northern Roller Milling Company (then a Flour Company) located in Fort Street in Auckland presented the Shield for competition between primary school teams from any rugby unions within the Auckland province.The first Tournament was held in Auckland in 1925 with the following teams competing Auckland, Franklin, Tauranga, King Country, Hamilton, Whangarei & Goldfields (Auckland Star 1925). What you’ll see if you attend one of these games is a bunch of very skilful 12-13 yr olds, proudly wearing their union colours, these are no names, they play the game that they love, it’s bred into them from the generations before them…..these are our future.
Here they will experience the hardest rugby in there young careers and take away a lot of memories that the likes of Grant Fox, Colin Meads, Michael Jones, Stephen Donald etc. still talk about it today as if it was yesterday.
The competition is tough, 4 Points are awarded for a win, bonus point if scored more than 4 tries, 2 points for a draw, 1 point for the losing team if within 7 points. It is a week long tournament and each union plays a pool round of 4 games trying to make the top 2 to play in the finals on Friday and Saturday. 6 games over 7 days with 1 bye day.
*The 2005 North Harbour team lost ONLY one game and ended up in 5th position.
*The 2002 Auckland East had a total of 11 points scored against them they too ended up in 5th position
Stephen Donald pointing to his 1996 Roller Mills photo
Another Famous ALL Black, Colin Meads, King Country 1948 Roller Mills Team.
*Ron Bryers selector-coach became an All Black in 1949
Who are NRM?
1859 John Lamb took over Waitemata Flourmills
1875 Lamb purchased the Fort St site in Auckland city
1888 Lamb moved his Mill to Fort St, and renamed it Auckland Roller Mills
1889 Auckland Roller Mills merged with Firth’s Eight Hour Mill
1899 Combined operation renamed The Northern Roller Milling Company (NRM)
NRM is one of New Zealand’s Oldest and largest stockfeed company feeding a diverse range of animals, from calves and chickens to horses and pigs. They have 6 feedmills covering the lenght of the country, which manufacture our feed thanks to the support of our customers, New Zealand rural communities. http://www.nrm.co.nz
