Before 1922

St Mary’s School and Junior Rugby

From as early as 1913, St Mary’s Football Club fielded young primary and Junior teams. In 1914 it won the Hamilton Competition and the seven-year-old Elliot Shield, which was founded in 1907. The Elliot Shield is still played for today in the WRU under-21 competition.

The highlight of the Catholic sporting world in 1922, was the coming of the Marist Brothers and the opening of the school.

Chosen to pioneer the new endeavour was the Reverend Brother Calixtus, a man who brought with him glowing reputation in religious and scholastic fields and a great knowledge of rugby football. He was a man of action and Hamilton sportsmen didn’t have to wait long to see him in full flight.

Hamilton Marist Football Club established 1922

Brother Calixtus quickly set in motion a move to reconstitute the St Mary’s Rugby Football Club. He wanted the name changed to Marist Brothers Old Boys’ Rugby Football Club. That goal achieved he became the club’s senior coach and represented the club on the Hamilton Rugby Union. And so in the space of a few months the Catholic rugby club of Hamilton was completely reorganised.

The Hamilton Marist Old Boys Rugby Football Club began with a credit balance of 2 pound, 6s.10d, carried over from the old St Mary’s club. The Rev. Father M J Bleakley was elected the first patron – a position he held until his transfer from Hamilton in 1948. Mr A. J. Clarkin was the first president and in 1924 became the club’s first life member.

In 1922 the senior team contained few members who had Catholic affiliations. At the beginning of the season, the changes of fielding a senior fifteen were not at all bright. However, it was decided to keep the club represented in the senior ranks as well as in the third and fourth-grade competitions. The lower grades presented a brighter picture. The third grade, boosted by a number of former juniors, was runner-up in the championship and won the knock-out competition.

In 1926 the club once again decided against fielding a senior side, deciding to build up lower grades until they reached senior standard. The junior team was very successful being second in the championship and winning the knock-out.