Rangitāwhana Chase (16 November 1918 – 7 September 1998) was a rugby league player. He represented the New Zealand rugby league team in 10 matches from 1937 to 1938. In the process he became the 248th player to represent New Zealand. He also represented New Zealand Māori against Australia, as well as the North Island and Auckland. He played his club rugby league in Auckland for the Manukau side. He also represented Whanganui in rugby union and played for the Huia club, as well as making representative appearances for several sub union sides.
Early life Rangitāwhana Chase was born on 16 November 1918 to Henare (Harry) Chase (1887–1949), and Erina Tamara Weatherley (1894–1957) in Moawhango, in rural Whanganui. They had several children together. He had a sister, Ngahua o te Maramatanga (Ginny) Chase (1922–2005), born in Taihape, and another sister Peggy Te Miringa Chase Whenuaroa (1925–2002). Another sister, Kewa Ruby Chase was also born around this time with no fixed date of birth. She died in 1977. Henare also had many children to Miriama Te Pirihi Kaihote. Rangi's older half brother Tame Thomas (Tommy) Chase also played representative rugby union for Whanganui and moved to Auckland with Rangi to play rugby league for Manukau in 1938. He also represented New Zealand at rugby league in 1939.
Playing career Whanganui rugby Rangi Chase played his early rugby for the Huia club in the Taihape area, located in the Whanganui province. They were a team dominated by local Māori players. In 1933, aged 14 he played for Huia against Pirates on 17 June and scored a try. In 1998 these two clubs merged to form the Taihape Rugby & Sports Club. In 1934 Chase was selected for the Taihape sub-union representative side for their match with Rangitikei on 11 August whilst still aged 15. The match was played at Mangaweka and Taihape won 14 to 5 with Chase scoring 2 tries. It was reported in the Whanganui Chronicle that Chase had been one of their "best men". With the score at 5–0 he "broke away for Taihape, and with the ball at his toe carried the play into midfield", a while later from a line-out "the ball went to Graham who sent it over to Chase, the latter scoring a try". Soon after he received a pass from Gregory to cross for his second try.
The 1935 season started with Chase still playing in Huia's senior side against Hautapu on 25 May despite still being regarded as a junior and aged just 16. It was reported that "he certainly did not let his side down, as he was very sound at full-back, his fielding and line-kicking being excellent" in an 8–6 win. On the same day in an earlier junior match he played for the Huia junior side and scored a try and kicked a penalty in a 14–9 win over Utiku. The following weekend he played for the seniors once more in a 9–9 draw with Utiku on the number 2 ground at Taihape. It was reported that he (along with Burrell of Utiku) "gave good exhibitions as the last lines of defence, their handling being clear, while [Chase] came to light with some really excellent line kicks". A few weeks later Chase was selected at full back for the Taihape Māori side to play Rangitikei Māori on 3 July for the Whenuaroa Shield. Taihape Māori lost 22–14 with the only mention of Chase as missing a conversion and then missing a chance to force the ball allowing a try to be scored by his opponent. The only mention of Chase in the newspapers over the remainder of the season was a Taihape junior match against Rangitikei juniors on 20 July at Taihape. Chase was selected to play on the wing. Taihape won the match 11–3.
By 1936 Chase was well established in the Huia side and played at fullback in their early season match with Utiki on 16 May. Utiku won 9 to 3, with Rangi's older brother Tommy Chase also playing but he (Tommy) "failed to reveal his true form". On 13 June Rangi scored 2 tries for Huia against Mangaweka at Taihape in a 21–21 loss. His brother Tommy missed some easy conversions but "nevertheless played an excellent game as did also his brother, Rangi Chase, who was outstanding and scored two fine tries". He had another disallowed for a forward pass. His first try came after the backs got "in motion and he made a determined run which carried him over". His second came when "Payne, Raukawa, T. Chase, and R. Chase handled a bright movement culminating in a try for R. Chase" however he failed to convert it and the chance to win the match was missed.
On the morning of 24 June a personal note appeared in the Whanganui Chronicle stating that "Messrs. Tommy and Rangi Chase, J. Raukawa, and Wereta, left Taihape yesterday morning for Waitara to play for the Whanganui Māori rugby team against Taranaki Māori [team] for the Tuera Shield." The Tuera Shield is still played for today after being first played for in 1896. Taranaki Māori won by 18 to 9 at Waitara. On 1 July Chase played for Taihape against Rangitikei. He was at five eighth in the place of Tommy, who was injured in the Whanganui Māori match, and scored 2 tries in a 27–6 win. Rangi "was outstanding, especially on attack, and scored two excellent tries", he "was the star player in the Taihape rearguard and will doubtless retain his place in the Taihape representative team". A week later he scored another try for Huia in a 8–6 win over Old Boys. Chase then played for Taihape at five eighth against Whanganui Metropolitan on 18 July and scored a try once more. The match was for the Pownall Trophy and his brother Tommy was in the three-quarters. Whanganui won the match 34–14 at Spriggens Park to retain the trophy. It was said that of the Taihape backs "Chase was undoubtedly the best. In fact he was the only back showing representative form… he made several tricky openings for Taihape, but lack of support of the right type brought most of them to failure". His try came "as the result of a quick stab-kick and a clever gather in".
Whanganui rugby selection Prior to the match between Taihape and Whanganui Metropolitan, Chase had been selected in a 25 player squad for the Whanganui representative side which was asked to "keep fit". His performance in the match which was essentially a trial was good enough for him to be selected at second five eighth for Whanganui's match with Waikato 3 days later on 21 July. Whanganui won 17 to 9 with Chase scoring a try after "strong running by Barton and a flash through by Chase". The Whanganui Chronicle after the match said that "Barton played a sound game at centre, and was the best Whanganui back. Thompson, at first five eight ranked next, with Chase close behind him". They went on the say that "R. Chase was the one star in the [Taihape] maroon backs on Saturday, and the fact that he played so well for a losing team justified the selectors in placing him in the representative side for yesterday's match". Chase then played at five-eighths for Taihape against Rangitikei on 8 August at Hunterville Domain in Rangitikei. Taihape lost 9–0 with Chase said to have been "sound".
Chase was then chosen to make his second appearance for Whanganui against Bush Union at Pahiatua on 12 August. Bush won 9–5 with Chase scoring Whanganui's only try. The weather was poor with it raining hard and a gale-force wind. His try came with ten minutes left in the match on a "well ploughed up" ground. He had begun the game at second five-eighth and was involved in several attacking movements and came close to scoring more than once. During the first half Barton moved into second five and Chase moved out to centre. Late in the match a kick went behind the Bush side and "Chase tore into the opening and made a dive at the ball just as H. Wolland went back to force, the referee awarding the Wanganui centre a try". He was named to play for Taihape against Taumarunui but did not play in the match. Chase was then named in the Whanganui side to play Taranaki at New Plymouth at second five-eighth. Whanganui lost 13–0 but Chase was said to have played well.
Chase was then chosen in the five-eighths with D. Thompson in the Whanganui team to play the touring Australian side on 26 August. The team was supposed to assemble for a practice and team meeting the evening before the game. However Chase "was relegated to the sideline. He failed to muster with the other players for practice prior to the match against the Australians and the "Big Three" stood him down and called on Dave Jones (Kaierau)". He played 2 further matches in the season. The first was for Huia against Ngamatea on 12 September where he scored a try and kicked a conversion in an 11–6 win. His final match was for Taihape Māori against a combined Tokaanu-Rātana Māori side. He scored a try in a 16–5 win where it was said he played well along with his brother Tommy.
In 1937 on 21 April the Whanganui Chronicle wrote a lengthy piece covering the prospects of various sides in the Whanganui for the coming season. They stated "Tommy Chase, the colourful Māori back from Taihape, is to be in the picture again this year. He is training hard, reports state. Rangi Chase, his brother, the boy who showed promise as an inside back, is in the running too. That pair will do much to stimulate Taihape Rugby this year. A week later on 24 April in their opening match Huia beat Hautapu 19 to 18. The Whanganui Chronicle said "Rangi Chase played a brilliant game for the red and blacks and undoubtedly won the match for his side. Hautapu were leading by 18 points to 11 with only a short time to go, but Huia came to light at the finish, thanks to Rangi Chase, and pulled the match out of the fire…". He scored 2 tries, set up another and kicked 2 conversions. His first try came after "a scintillating run… left the opposition standing, and this brilliant player scored under the posts and converted his own try". Then he "once more became the hero of the side when he took a pass from Payne and scored a try in the corner". He had played in the centres and did so again against Utiku on 1 May, scoring another try after he "swerved through the defence to score a great try in the corner" which Tommy converted. Despite this they lost 18–8. On 8 May he kicked a conversion and "went well" in a 13–3 win over Pirates. Chase then played in a midweek match on 12 May to celebrate Coronation Day for the Country team against the Town team. He played well once again and scored a try in a 20–9 win. Three days later Huia beat Hautapu 22 to 0 with it said "this match was a triumph for Rangi and Tommy Chase, who played with perfect understanding and were always a thorn in the side of the opposition. Rangi rose to great heights and played a most prominent part in the Māori team's victory". He was heavily involved in much of the attacking play and "was the hero (or shall we say one of the heroes) of the Huia team, and played brilliantly throughout the match. Accepting a pass from Payne he badly beat the opposition to score under the posts…". He played in two further matches for Huia against Utiku and Pirates on 22 and 29 May respectively.
It was reported on 2 June in the Whanganui Chronicle that the Taihape Rugby Union secretary informed their weekly meeting that "Rangi Chase had received a tempting offer to play League football in Auckland and was considering the matter. Nonetheless he was still selected for the Taihape team to play Wanganui Metropolitan on 5 June for the Pownall Trophy. Taihape were well beaten 16–3 although Chase "put in some good work at times but seemed to be greatly handicapped by the wet ground". Following the match he was named as the back reserve for the Whanganui side to play Manawatu.
Rugby league Manukau Rugby League