The Thames Valley Rugby Football Union (TVRFU) is the governing body of rugby union in the region of Thames Valley in the North Island of New Zealand. Thames Valley Rugby Football Union was founded in 1921 when it broke away from the now defunct South Auckland Rugby Union. The Thames Rugby Union, a sub-union that had remained affiliated with the Auckland Rugby Football Union, eventually joined the Thames Valley Union in 1951.
Their senior representative team competes in the Heartland Championship and plays at Boyd Park, Te Aroha and Paeroa Domain, Paeroa.
History Rugby has been played in the region since the 1870s and 1880s.
The Ohinemuri Union was founded at Waihi in 1896, and by 1904 this union was named the Goldfields Rugby Union. It consisted of a number of even smaller unions, but was itself a sub-union of the Auckland Rugby Football Union (ARFU), and was therefore not directly affiliated to the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU). Along with a number of other sub-unions, the Goldfields ceded from the ARFU to form the South Auckland Rugby Football Union in 1909.
Several sub-unions split away from the South Auckland Union between 1909 and 1921 to form new independent unions, and in 1921 the Hauraki Plains, Paeroa, Piako, Waihi sub-unions did the same to form the Thames Valley Rugby Football Union (TVRFU). The union was from then on directly affiliated to the NZRU. The Thames sub union, which had remained affiliated to the ARFU up until then, joined the TVRFU in 1951.
Club rugby Thames Valley Rugby Football Union is made up of 12 clubs: Te Aroha College Old Boys Rugby And Sports (COBRAS) Coromandel RFSC Hauraki North RFC Mercury Bay Rugby and Sports Club Ngatea Rugby and Sports Club Paeroa Rugby and Sports Club Tairua Rugby and Sports Club Thames Rugby and Sports Club Waihi Athletic Waihou Whangamata Rugby and Sports Club
Thames Valley Club Champions
Year Champion Runner Up Score1953Patetonga1954Waitakaruru1955Waitakaruru1956Thames United1957Paeroa Old Boys1958Thames United1959Thames United1960Waihou1961Waihou1962Waihou1963Thames United1964Thames United1965Paeroa Old Boys1966Paeroa Old Boys1967Paeroa Old Boys1968Paeroa West1969Thames United1970Kerepehi1971Hauraki North1972Hauraki North1973Waihou1974Waihou1975Waihou1976Huimai1977Paeroa West1978Paeroa West1979Te Aroha College Old Boys1980Paeroa West1981Paeroa West1982Paeroa West1983Paeroa West1984Paeroa West1985Paeroa West1986Paeroa West1987Paeroa West1988Paeroa West1989Thames1990Paeroa West1991Waihou1992Hauraki North & Thames1993Te Aroha College Old Boys1994Hauraki North1995Thames1996Thames1997Thames1998Waihou1999Hauraki NorthTe Aroha College Old Boys23-112000ThamesWaihou20-32001Paeroa WestThames15-132002ThamesPaeroa West23-132003ThamesPaeroa West23-172004Hauraki NorthPaeroa West14-82005WaihouMercury Bay29-252006WaihouWhangamata27-62007Hauraki North & WaihouDrawn10-102008Paeroa WestWaihou12-82009Paeroa WestWaihou25-162010Hauraki NorthPaeroa West22-202011Paeroa WestHauraki North22-162012ThamesTe Aroha College Old Boys13-82013Hauraki North Tairua31-252014Te Aroha College Old BoysWaihou31-272015Waihou & Mercury BayDrawn22-222016WaihouWaihi Athletic29-142017Hauraki NorthWaihi Athletic28-272018Waihi AthleticThames26-172019Te Aroha College Old BoysThames25-232020Whangamata Rugby and SportsTe Aroha College Old Boys21-152021Mercury BayThames R&S12-102022 Thames Te Aroha College Old Boys40-352023WhangamataHauraki North 33-202024Waihi Athletic Paeroa37-192025 Waihi Athletic Paeroa46-20Burnes, Campbell. Rugby News magazine (August 2025). Charlotte Smulders Publisher, New Zealand. 2026Waihi AthleticThames20-19
Women's premiership
2026 - Paeroa 48-12 ThamesBurnes, Campbell. Rugby News magazine (August 2026). Charlotte Smulders Publisher, New Zealand. 2025 - Coromandel 38-17 PaeroaBurnes, Campbell. Rugby News magazine (August 2025). Charlotte Smulders Publisher, New Zealand.
Provincial rugby
Thames Valley were the winners of the NPC 3rd division in 1988, 1990 and 1995.
On 27 October 2018 Thames Valley won their first Heartland Championship by defeating South Canterbury 17-12 in the Meads Cup Final in Timaru. Thames Valley also won the Meads Cup in 2024 and they were runners up to South Canterbury in 2021.
Thames Valley have yet to win the Lochore Cup.
Heartland Championship placings Heartland Championship resultsYear Place Playoffs Semifinal Final 20068 4 0 4 192 177 −15 5 21 9th Lochore Cup Lost 15–17 to King Country— 20078 2 0 6 147 215 −68 4 12 10th Lochore Cup Lost 3–65 to Poverty Bay— 20088 1 0 7 107 225 −118 1 5 11thNo— 20098 0 0 8 110 237 −127 4 4 12thNo— 20108 3 0 5 158 188 −40 3 15 6th No— 20118 4 1 3 229 181 +48 3 21 7th Lochore Cup Lost 27–30 to South Canterbury— 20128 2 0 6 203 263 −60 3 11 11th No— 20138 4 0 4 153 200 −37 1 17 8th Lochore CupLost 8–14 to South Canterbury— 20148 3 1 4 139 135 +4 3 17 9th No— 20158 3 0 5 206 255 −49 4 16 9th No— 20168 0 1 7 158 324 −166 1 5 11th No— 20178 3 0 5 209 174 35 4 4 9th No— 20188 5 0 3 274 233 41 8 28 4th Meads CupWon 17-07 against Wanganui Won 17-12 against South Canterbury 20198 6 0 2 240 163 +77 6 30 1st Meads Cup Lost 15–20 to Whanganui— 20218 7 0 1 291 148 +143 5 33 2nd Meads Cup No semi-final played Lost 16–35 to South Canterbury 20228 5 0 3 247 189 +58 7 27 3rd Meads Cup Lost 15–18 to Whanganui— 20238 6 0 2 246 220 +26 7 31 3rd Meads Cup Lost 3–38 to Whanganui— 20248 6 0 2 348 190 +158 7 31 3rd Meads CupWon 38-15 against Whanganui Won 37-29 against Mid Canterbury 20258 5 0 3 335 172 +163 4 29 3rd Meads CupWon 61–31 against South Canterbury Lost 18-21 to Mid Canterbury
There was no Heartland Championship in the 2020 season due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Ranfurly Shield Thames Valley has never held the Ranfurly Shield. In 2019 Thames Valley lost 41–21 against Otago in a solid display at Wanaka — at one point leading 13–0.
The following are Thames Valley's Ranfurly Shield matches since 1960.
All Blacks Two Thames Valley players have been selected for the All Blacks: Kevin Barry: 23 matches from 1962 to 1964 Bob O'Dea: 5 matches on the 1953–54 tour of Britain, Ireland, France and North America
Historical results
Results each year for Thames Valley up to 2005.
1922-49
YEAR TEAM WIN LOSS DRAW Comments1922H Auckland 3-18 1922 Waikato 3-12 1922H Waikato 3-14 1923 Waikato 6-15 1923H Wanganui10-6 1923H Auckland B 15-24 1924H Waikato21-6 1924 *T.Valley/A/NA/Wai v HB/PB/BOP/EC18-9 1925 Waikato 5-18 1925H King Country17-9 1925H Auckland B14-5 1926H Waikato 6-31 1926 King Country6-3 1926 Taranaki 0-19 1926 Wanganui15-11 1926H North Auckland 0-8 1926 Waikato 5-39 1926H Hawkes Bay B 6-13 1927H King Country 9-9 1927 Bay of Plenty 3-6 1927H Waikato 3-17 1927H Auckland B18-17 1927 *T.Valley/Wai/BOP/KC v Auck/NA 8-8 1928 Auckland B 8-56 1928H Taranaki 3-38 1928 Waikato 0-25 1929H Auckland B17-12 1929H Waikato 11-12 1930 Waikato 0-30 1930H Bay of Plenty 6-8 1930 Bay of Plenty7-6 1931 King Country3-0 1931 Poverty Bay 3-23 1931 East Coast 3-5 1931 Bay of Plenty 5-18 1931H Waikato 12-17 1931H Auckland B 3-10 1932H King Country 6-29 1932 Waikato 12-22 1932H NZ Maori XV 6-35 1932H Bay of Plenty 8-17 1932 Auckland B 3-24 1933 King Country 11-19 1933H Waikato 3-14 1933 Bay of Plenty12-8 1933H Auckland B 6-8 1933 North Auckland 15-36 1934 Auckland B 14-16 1934 Waikato 12-37 1934H Poverty Bay 8-9 1934H Taranaki B 9-14 1934H Bay of Plenty 9-11 1935H Waikato 3-30 1935 *T.Valley/Wai/KC v Auck/NA 16-18 1935H Auckland B 14-32 1935H King Country 16-22 1935 Bay of Plenty 6-20 1935H Hawkes Bay Colts XV 6-10 1936 Auckland B 11-39 1936H North Auckland19-13 1936 King Country 8-18 1936 Waikato 3-30 1936H Bay of Plenty 9-11 1937H Waikato 9-19 1937 Bay of Plenty 6-30 1937 North Auckland 9-23 1937H Auckland B21-11 1938 Waikato 0-26 1938 King Country 14-32 1938H King Country 0-23 1938 Auckland Colts XV 11-24 1939 King Country 3-9 1939H Waikato 6-31 1939H Taranaki Colts XV 8-27 1939H Auckland Colts XV 11-29 1940 Auckland Colts XV 9-14 1940H Bay of Plenty 6-9 1940 Waikato 8-29 1941-44 1945H Waikato 7-18 1946H Auckland B 6-17 1946 Waikato17-0 1947 Bay of Plenty 3-6 1947H East Coast 0-0 1947H NZ Maori 0-26 1947H Waikato 3-3 1947 Auckland XV 14-41 1948H Auckland XV 19-21 1948H Bay of Plenty 6-6 1948 Waikato 3-22 1948 *T.Valley/Waikato v BOP/KC17-0 Thames Valley-Waikato vs1948 Auckland XV 0-18 1949 Bay of Plenty 6-8 1949H Auckland XV 6-13 1949H Waikato9-8
1950-59
1950 Taranaki 0-19 1950 King Country 6-8 1950 *T.Valley/KC/Waikato v British Isles 0-30 Thames Valley-King Country-Waikato vs1950H Bay of Plenty22-8 1950 Waikato 13-14 1950H Auckland XV 11-27 1951H FIJI16-6 T. Valley beats FIJI1951H Waikato 3-11 1951 RSNorth Auckland 6-19 1951H King Country12-11 1951H Taranaki 3-21 1951 Auckland XV 9-20 1951 Bay of Plenty 11-17 1952 East Coast17-6 1952 Poverty Bay 6-16 1952 Hawkes Bay 3-8 1952 RSWaikato 3-17 1952H Wairarapa (Wairarapa-Bush)13-3 1952H North Auckland17-12 1952H Auckland XV25-12 Beat Auckland XV1952H Bay of Plenty 10-30 1953 Waikato 8-29 1953 North Auckland 8-9 1953 Bay of Plenty 26-40 1953H Poverty Bay37-8 1953H Otago 6-14 1953H Hawkes Bay19-16 1953H Waikato15-12 1953 Auckland12-3 Beat Auckland1954 Wairarapa (Wairarapa-Bush)11-3 1954 Horowhenua6-0 1954 Manawatu11-6 1954 Bush (Wairarapa-Bush)8-3 1954H NSW Country 12-12T. Valley played NSW Country1954H Bush (Wairarapa-Bush)23-8 1954H Bay of Plenty32-0 1954H Auckland25-17 Beat Auckland1954H North Auckland 14-14 1954 Auckland XV 9-13 1954 Waikato 3-12 1955H Horowhenua 17-19 1955 South Auckland (Counties) 14-15 1955H NZ Maori17-14 1955 Bay of Plenty19-16 1955H*T.Valley/BOP v Australia 9-14 Thames Valley-Bay of Plenty vs1955H Manawatu 14-20 1955H East Coast30-6 1955 North Auckland 3-6 1955H Waikato13-11 1955 Auckland XV30-8 1955H South Auckland (Counties)17-11 1955 RSCanterbury 11-24 1956 North Auckland 9-11 1956HCSAuckland 10-12 1956 CSCounties3-0 1956HCSBay of Plenty20-9 1956 King Country 15-18 1956HCSNorth Auckland 6-9 1956H*T.Valley/BOP/Count v Auckland 5-6 Thames Valley-Bay of Plenty-Counties vs1956 *T.Valley/BOP/Count v Waikato 6-24 Thames Valley-Bay of Plenty-Counties vs1956 *T.Valley/BOP/Count v South Africa 6-17 Thames Valley-Bay of Plenty-Counties vs1956 CSWaikato 6-30 1956 East Coast20-6 1957 CSAuckland17-16 First and last time T.Valley held the Coronation Shield.1957 Taranaki 6-10 1957 Manawatu12-3 1957 Hawkes Bay 12-19 1957 Poverty Bay8-3 1957 CSBay of Plenty 3-5 1957H Poverty Bay16-6 1957HCSWaikato 11-11 1957H Counties21-16 1957 North Auckland11-8 1958H King Country6-3 1958H Auckland 8-16 1958H Bush (Wairarapa-Bush)19-11 1958 CSWaikato 8-20 1958H NZ Combined Services19-11 1958H Wellington 9-17 1958H Bay of Plenty9-6 1958H North Auckland8-3 1958 Counties 11-11 1959 King Country20-19 1959 Wanganui 12-16 1959 Bush (Wairarapa-Bush) 5-6 1959 Wairarapa (Wairarapa-Bush)16-12 1959H East Coast 5-13 1959 Auckland 3-16 1959 Bay of Plenty 16-17 1959H*T.Valley/BOP v KC/Counties16-11 Thames Valley-Bay of Plenty vs1959 CSNorth Auckland 12-22 1959H Waikato 14-17 1959 *T.Valley/BOP v KC19-17 Thames Valley-Bay of Plenty vs1959H Auckland 6-31 1959 *T.Valley/BOP v British Isles 24-26 Thames Valley-Bay of Plenty vs1959H Counties 12-16
1960-69