When in 1930 that keen Wanganui sportsman, Mr C I Spillane, donated the Spillane Cup for annual competition between the Wellington and Wanganui Marist Old Boys teams little did he realize that his generous action was to prove the first move in the formation of the now firmly established NZ Marist Rugby Football Association with its ideals of fostering will. The annual Rugby tournament is the major feature of the Association's activities.

The tournament is divided into two sections "A" section competing for the Spillane Cup and "B" section the Brennan Cup; the winners of the second section qualify to compete for the major trophy the following season, when the losing "A" section team goes back to the "B" section.

The Association has done invaluable work in the cause of Rugby Football among the Marist Clubs of the North Island and in providing this Annual Tournament has supplied the sporting public with an Easter event of the greatest interest.      More

To many sporting enthusiasts the Spillane tournament is just another series of rugby matches played each Easter at a changing venue. But to many players and supporters here this weekend it means a lot more than that.

The playing of games in a friendly rivalry is arranged with the view of renewing old friendships and creating many new ones.

The majority of players in this tournament have, while attending primary and secondary schools learnt the fundamental of rugby from those ardent coaches, the Marist Brothers. Besides their academic and religious teaching of pupils, the Marist Brothers have voluntarily found time to encourage and coach the game of rugby, as they have always readily recognized the value of such a game in the character building of boys. Therefore a great debt of gratitude is owing to those men who have so freely given of their best for this grand game of ours. Many of our members have been taught by other Catholic teaching fraternities and those people must also be included within our thanks.

Over the 70 years of its existence, the Spillane tournament has contributed much. To many it has been the launching pad to success. To others it has been the birthplace of wonderful times, never to be forgotten.

When the late Mr C I Spillane, of Wanganui, donated a challenge trophy, open to all senior Marist Clubs of the North Island, he couldn't have envisaged the scene today when we have teams gathering to enjoy a weekend of rugby and what is associated with it.

Mr Spillane's offer in 1926 was readily taken up by the two senior Marist clubs known to him at that time, Wanganui and Wellington. The trophy was known as the Marist Cup and although it still bears that name it is the self same trophy as is played for today under the accepted title of Spillane Cup.

From 1926 to 1929 the cup was competed for annually between Wanganui and Wellington. In 1930, having learned that such a trophy existed; the Hamilton Marist Club issued a challenge to Wellington, the then holders. This challenge resulted in a conference being called with a view of some permanent competition being established. From this conference came the “New Zealand Marist Rugby Football Association” and the inauguration of what is now known as the Spillane tournament. Messers Howard Bowman and C J (Gus) Davies, both of Wellington, were elected the first president and secretary/treasurer respectively, position they held for many years. August 24 1930, was the conference date, those attending that history making meeting in Wellington were: Auckland (S. Hadley, J Gourley); Wellington (H Bowman, C J Davies); Hamilton (REV. Brother Clemens, P Kelly); Wanganui (J D Crowley, G Bridges). Napier Marist and Hastings Celtic were invited to the conference but were unable to send delegates.

The first tournament was allocated to Hamilton in 1931. In spite of the country being in the depths of the depression, three visiting teams, Wellington, Wanganui and Auckland joined Hamilton in the contest for the cup. After beating Hamilton 8 - 6 on the Saturday Auckland headed Wellington 11-3 in the final.

A copy of the minutes of the first meeting of the recently constituted NZ Marist Rugby Football Association, read "the ideals of the Association are to bring Catholic football clubs in closer touch with one another for the interchange of players, conformity of club rules, discussion on the Spillane Cup competition and any other matters relevant to the betterment of clubs concerned."

First appearances of some of the other clubs at the tournament were: Napier Marist 1932, Gisborne Celtic 1933, Gisborne Marist and St Patrick's - now Marist Palmerston North 1935, Hastings Celtic 1936, St Michael's Rotorua 1951, New Plymouth and Masterton Marist 1952, Hutt Valley Marist 1953, St Patrick's Te Awamutu 1955. Clubs such as Putararu Marist, Morrisville St Joseph's, Whakatane St Joseph's, Wairoa Celtic, Turangi Marist, Counties Marist and Wairakei Marist had also joined the fold by the mid 1980's, making this annual tournament surely the biggest of its kind in the rugby world.
The Association has done invaluable work in the cause of Rugby Football among the Marist Clubs of the North Island and in providing this Annual Tournament has supplied the sporting public with an Easter event of the greatest interest.