Brent Pritchard: Petone Rugby president on the club celebrating it's 140th Anniversary

Two pieces of history will be brought together as the Petone Rugby Club celebrates its 140th anniversary on Saturday. 

On display, for the first time together, will be the military's highest award —the original Victoria Cross won by William James Hardham— and the newly refurblished cup named in his honour, Wellington club rugby's prestigious Hardham Cup. 

The original Victoria Cross is on loan from the Waiouru National Army Museum. 

Petone Rugby president Brent Pritchard joined Adam Cooper to look ahead to the club's big day. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wellington's All Sport Breakfast with Adam Cooper thanks to Rutherford
and Bond Toyota and King Toyota on News talks 'b
twenty five past eight here on the All Sport Breakfast.
Well a very special day ahead for the Patoni Rugby Club.
They're one hundred and fortieth anniversary of course, that makes
them one of Wellington's oldest clubs. Not only is the
anniversary being marked as part of old Timer's day at

(00:23):
the club, but it's also a special moment honor one
of Wellington Rugby's most recognized names in history. Now the
newly renovated and renamed Hardam Cup will be on display
alongside the Victoria Cross won by the man that cup
honors William James Hardham, who was a very special member

(00:44):
of the Patoni Rugby Club and also of course served
for our country. So the VC is being brought down
from the Wyo to Army Museum by William Hardham's family.
It's going to be in the same room as the
Hardam Cup, what we believe, for the very first time.
Of course, the Hardam Cups been a part of Wellington
Club Rugby since nineteen thirty nine. So all these commemorations

(01:04):
taking place around bot Tony's Swindlee Shield match as well
today against Wainui Marta at the Batoni Rick at T
forty five. So let's find out how things are firing
out there as they're getting ready for a very big
and very special day. Brent Pritchard as the president of
the Batoni Rugby Club, he's with us wanting to your rent.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, morning, Adam, how are you?

Speaker 1 (01:22):
I'm good mate, So yeah, lot's happening today. Let's start
with the very special moment for the Hardam Cup. Now
I understand it has been recently renovated, helped with buy
some some local business people to kind of make the
day even more special, right.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Absolute, yep. What actually happened was Adam we were approached
by the New Zealand Remembrance Army, which is the director
Simon Strombolm. He basically approached us and wasn't happy with
the state of the Adam Cup and got it renovated
and it just started growing from there and we've led
to today. We're just so significant because we timed our

(01:59):
old times day playing against why Neliamada, who are the
current holders of the Hardham Cup. So things just morphed.
From there, the metal started being mentioned and the Hardam
family were keen to be on board and it's just
been full on organization since before Christmas.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Basically, how influential is William Hardham's legacy still to the
club today, one hundred and forty years on.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Very influential. We actually have a little museum above our
club rooms and there's a dedicated spot therefore, William Hardham
with his Wellington Rugby Union cat that he earned playing
for the Province. He also played obviously for Wellington and
I think he did he won a Rampling Shield as
well playing for Wellington, so he's not only got Sony pedigree,

(02:43):
he's got Willington representative pedigree. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Wonderful and just the poignance of being able to have
the cup in his name and his Victoria Cross right
there next to each other. It sounds like it's never
happened before.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
First time ever. Adam a big deal for us and
should be a big deal for the rugby community.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
As well, given the I guess, you know, the struggles
that certain sports go through the you know, often problems
that the clubs have a you know, community levels and
things like that. It's tough to make ends meet in
the current climate. How special is one hundred and forty
years for the Tidy Rugby.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
Club well as obviously hasn't come without some pain in
an adam and you know, where as most clubs are
striving to get sponsorship in get players paying their subs
and just keeping the community together and getting people down
and enjoying club rugby as you know, it's the lifeblood
of our game. And it's just it's great. It's going
to be so exciting today. We've got several unions going

(03:38):
on as well within the club. Our two thousand and
five Jubilee Cup winning team has got together for this weekend.
We sent a tour to Hawaiian nineteen eighty five. They
are all got together this weekend. So we're just trying
to really include the community. And Tony Reck's the best
place to be today in such a lovely sunny day
that's come.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, it's beautiful, isn't It's very appointed for a very
special name. And tell us about you know, the current
group of whether it's juniors or you right up to
the prem team who are playing that match against Wine
that we are Martha today. Are they quite invested in
the club's history as well. How much work do you
do with your players around you know, those who have
come before them at the club.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
Well, obviously we have our old timers every year and
with today today so special, we're having pretty much like
what happens with the NRL with the Inject Day celebrations
prior to a kickoff. We're having a ceremony prior to
kickoff at two thirty today where the medal will be
displayed at the Potony Wreck as well, and there will
be an armed guard with the Army presenting that to

(04:36):
us out in the field on display. The teams will
be marching out into the middle. We'll have the last
post played and just to commemorate this whole will deal,
we've actually had a special jersey produced one only thirty
of them have been made to commemorate the special day
today and the connection between Potoniy Rugby and Hardham and
also to commemorate our one hundred and fortieth Yeah.

Speaker 1 (04:57):
Great, well, very special milestone and to the game it's elf. Obviously,
Patoni tracking pretty well and the swin Dale Shield so far, Brent,
you're confident that they can cap the special day off
with the win today.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
It would be nice, Adam. We're also again another milestone
today as we're playing for the garn Larson Cup, which
is contested highly between Potoni and Wanuja Marca. Luckily enough
we're the holders of the last and cup, so it'd
be nice to retain that. But I know why they'll
come with a challenge and they won't come they won't
go down without a good fight, hence Pardam's motto. I yes,

(05:29):
and it's just a It's going to be an exciting
day and I'm really proud to be part of the club.

Speaker 1 (05:36):
Great well Brent, thanks for joining us and running us
through all that and for a very special day ahead
and congratulations it's all involved in the club for the
anniversary but also the great day you've pulled together for today.
So hope it all goes well mate, and all the
best with everything.

Speaker 2 (05:49):
Thanks very much, Edam, appreciate the ZB support. Cheers.

Speaker 1 (05:51):
Thanks very much Brent, Brent Pritchard. They're the president of
the Pattoni Rugby Club. You're a very special day That
swin Dale Shield match underway at the Pattoni Wreck at
two forty but yeah, great to be able to honor
William James Hardham. Of course we talk about the Hardom
Cup each and every year. It's been a key part
of Wellington Club Rugby since nineteen thirty nine and how

(06:12):
nice did a couple of people have put some money
into upgrading that and it's new unveiling as a newly
renovated cup alongside the Victoria Cross, one by William James
Hardham himself. So very special day hit at the Potadi
Rugby Club.

Speaker 2 (06:28):
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Speaker 1 (06:32):
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