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For more than five decades, Bill Hyland has been part of the Cornwall rugby story.
A player. A coach. A life member. A volunteer. And a man who helped build the club with his own hands.
Bill and a mate built the Cornwall clubhouse — a building that still stands and continues to serve the club today. His commitment even went as far as putting his own home on the line to help make it happen.
Through the amalgamations with Grafton, Grammar Old Boys and Teachers Eastern, the name and identity of the club changed. But Bill never walked away.
For Bill, Cornwall was never simply a rugby club. It became a second home — a place where lifelong friendships were made, generations of players came together, and volunteers gave their time to build something bigger than themselves.
In this episode of Club Rooms, we sit down with Bill to hear his memories of Cornwall, the people who shaped the club, the clubhouse he helped build, and what he believes has been lost as volunteerism across grassroots rugby has declined.
This is the story of Bill Hyland. A Cornwall original.
Live now on youtube. Link to channel in bio.
Could Ponsonby Rugby Club have ended up somewhere completely different?
Club historian Paul Neazor takes us through Ponsonby's journey from Blake Street.
Coxs Bay was considered as a possible home for the club, but local residents strongly opposed the idea.
That forced Ponsonby to look elsewhere — eventually finding its home at Western Springs, where the club has been since 1997.
Sometimes a club's history is shaped by the places it couldn't go.
Would Ponsonby feel like the same club if Coxs Bay had happened?
What do you think is the biggest thing young players underestimate about trying to make it as a professional rugby player?
Hear about Sama Malolo's journey. Live on youtube at 7am NZT | Long Road EP 01
18/08/2026
The latest episode of The Club Rooms is now live.
This time, we head to Mount Wellington Rugby Club and sit down with president and captain Darin Housham — a proud fourth-generation member of the club.
Darin talks about what Mount Wellington means to his whānau, the life lessons that have come through the club, and the role rugby continues to play in the wider community.
He also opens up about the harder years — losing the club rooms, rebuilding, and the challenge of keeping a grassroots club moving forward.
Four generations. One club. A lot of history.
Watch the full episode on YouTube.
18/08/2026
50 years later, the rugby still brings them together.
For The Club Rooms, we recently travelled outside Auckland for our first episode on the road returning to Thames Rugby & Sports Club, a relationship we’ve proudly maintained since 2024.
We had the privilege of sitting down with the 1976 Hui Mai championship team, celebrating 50 years since their clean sweep season.
With the McClinchy Trophy back in their hands, the stories, laughs and camaraderie came naturally.
And that’s what makes grassroots sport so powerful.
These men weren’t just remembering a rugby season. They were reconnecting with friendships, identity and a community that has stayed with them for five decades.
Hui Mai later became part of the Thames Rugby & Sports Club story, but the identity is still very much alive.
This is why we created The Club Rooms.
To document the people behind the clubs. The icons, stalwarts, volunteers, champions and communities whose stories are often at risk of being lost.
Thames reminded us that rugby is much more than what happens on the field.
It’s a social infrastructure that connects generations.
And there are thousands of stories like this across New Zealand.
04/08/2026
If you follow sport in NZ, you keep hearing the same narrative: unions are losing out, numbers are down, and the game is changing. But after spending Season 1 interviewing club icons and stalwarts for our project, Clubrooms, we found something even more urgent: we are sitting on a massive gap generation.
The legendary stalwarts who have turned up for their clubs for the last 20, 30, or 40 years aren't going to be around forever, and it begs the question: who is stepping up next? Who is taking the pads down off the posts? Who is keeping the shed tidy? Who is sacrificing their Saturday night to run the bar or making sure the jerseys are washed for next week?
Without these battlers, volunteers, and proud life members, grassroots rugby dies, and if that happens, a massive piece of what makes us Kiwis goes down the gurgler with it. That's why we built Clubrooms. It is 100% free for clubs to participate.
We're here to digitally preserve club histories, capture the stories of our older generation while they're still here to tell them, and celebrate the local legends who were never going to be All Blacks but are absolute royalty in their own community.
For Season 2, we are expanding to feature clubs outside of Auckland while also finishing off the rest of the Auckland region so no local club gets left behind.
You can also now send us stars!
Ever wondered what went down behind the scenes at one of NZ’s most famous rugby clubs? Ponsonby RFC historian Paul Neazor walks us through the history, heritage, and high jinks of the legendary clubrooms.
📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube!
Do enough rugby people know who David Gallaher really was?
Ponsonby Rugby Club historian Paul Neazor explains why David Gallaher remains one of the most important figures in New Zealand rugby.
His legacy wasn't just built in the black jersey.
It began at Ponsonby Rugby Club.
David Gallaher captained the legendary 1905–06 Originals, the team that helped put New Zealand rugby on the world stage.
Great clubs never forget where they came from.
Should every young rugby player know David Gallaher's story before they pull on a jersey?
What's the biggest thing players don't see behind the scenes?
Do players really understand what it takes to run a club?
Most of us see the game from the changing room, the sideline, or the grandstand.
But everything looks different when you step into governance.
Ioane Ioane talks about the transition from player to club leadership and the realities that come with it.
Budgets, facilities, volunteers, planning, and decisions that most members never see.
Running a rugby club is about far more than what happens on the field.
What surprised you most when you got involved behind the scenes?
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