"Pirates" open conference centre!

Always a pleasure to be back in Te Tairawhiti especially for such a positive occasion as this. Let me congratulate you all for your commitment and passion to achieve your vision. Your 40 years of dedication and determination is an inspiration to us all.
Those years of effort and mahi speak volumes of the unity and teamwork within your club, your whânau and your community. All the fundraising, hangi, housie, and raffles have successfully led us all to be here today. What an achievement. Some of us can’t even sell a raffle ticket!
This is a tribute to the past Kaiti and Celtic rugby whânau and players, and an acknowledgement of the Pirates whânau and players who faced all the challenges head on, to now be standing here today opening the new Gisborne Pirates Rugby Football Club Conference Centre.
Rugby is the national sport of Aotearoa and has been part of our national culture since the 19th century. Mâori have been avid players since its introduction in 1870.
In 1888 – 1898 the New Zealand Native Team became the first team ever from New Zealand to tour Britain, when it played the longest ever rugby tour. They played 107 games across Britain, Australia and New Zealand over 14 months. This was four years before the formation of the New Zealand Rugby Union.
And Mâori players easily rank amongst the best. In fact, George Nepia is considered by many, especially in Europe as the greatest rugby player of all times. Particularly during the time when he was in the 1924 – 1925 “Invincibles” team that won all thirty of their games on their European/Canadian tour.
I would share a few gems with you about the contribution that Mâori rugby has made nationwide in recent times:

·In 2004 there were more than 26,000 registered Mâori rugby players in New Zealand – that is 20 percent of all players.

·Of the 160 registered professional rugby players in New Zealand, 54 are of Mâori descent – that is 35 percent.

·We have the highest conversion rate from amateur to professional rugby of any demographic groups within New Zealand rugby.

·And in the last decade (1994-2004), the NZ Mâori rugby team has lost only four of its 26 games with victories over England, Argentina, Scotland and Fiji.

From the country’s rugby greats through to the NZ women’s team and the Rugby Sevens – Mâori feature prominently in all of them.

I share these with you because all outstanding stories originate from a club, from a whanau, and from a community such as yours. Your determination is what breeds inspiration, success and accomplishment.

I hear that you have never won the premier competition, and despite that you love the game and have a great time. I understand. My own story goes like this, I have played over 100 games for the East Coast, and what is most notable about that is, and we didn’t ever win a game.

I have long enjoyed the fierce competition between the East Coast and Poverty Bay. At the same time there is a strong bond between the East Coast and Gisborne, and we are very proud of our rugby. And today we are all winners.

To close I mihi to you all, the project team, the Housie committee, the rugby clubs – Kaiti, Celtic and Pirates, whanau and of course players. Who knows you may go on to win the premier competition?

And to your new conference centre, may it be the centre for much enjoyment and success.

Kia kaha, kia toa, kia maia!