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President's Musings

From the pen of Marist St Pats President, John Spillane...

What a weekend it was for our club – we scored a full sweep of wins across the top 4 teams!

Our Premier Men’s and Women’s teams, the Seconds, and the Colts all came away with well-earned victories in round three and I couldn’t be prouder of the effort, spirit, and grit shown by all our teams.

A special shoutout to our Premier Men, who dug deep and showed some real belief to come from behind and take the win. It’s performances like that which really show the heart of this team. That said, we all know we’ve got to start games stronger – and that’s something the boys will be working on this week I am sure. But what a finish – you made us all proud.

The Premier Women also put in a fantastic shift, and it was brilliant to see Monica Tagoai back in red after her duties with the Hurricanes Poua. Welcome back, Monica – you were missed, and what a way to return!

Across the rest of the Club – the Reserve Grade ‘Internationals’ and Presidents had the bye, while the 85’s weren’t quite so lucky, going down to Eastbourne – but the season is still very young for this team, and I am expecting this side to hit form in the coming weeks.

So, our away game against Pare-Plim netted us four much needed “W’s” – and did a lot to lift the entire Club's spirits heading into round 4 this weekend.

Another highlight of the weekend was the decision to meet at the Blend Bar on Wakefield Street upon our return to town. This was a huge success, with good numbers attending, a ripper atmosphere and very welcoming hosts. This initiative seems to have worked, and we are all looking forward to being hosted there after our next away game.

We’re back at home this weekend at Evans Bay, and we’d love to see as many of you there as possible to get behind all our teams. The atmosphere when we’re all together, cheering on the Red Machine, is something really special – so bring your family, your friends, and your loudest voices. And don’t forget to call into the Clubrooms after the matches for a bite, a drink, and a yarn.

Looking a little further ahead, we’re also gearing up for something special – on Friday 2 May, we’re inviting everyone who was part of the club during the 1990s – players, coaches, supporters, and families – to join us at the Clubrooms for a reunion evening. It’s a chance to reconnect, share a few stories (some of which may even be true!), and celebrate the people and the memories that have helped shape MSP into the club we all love today.

This Friday night celebration is ahead of the MSP Club Day (old timers day for those who can handle the title) – on Saturday 3 May – which will see a luncheon down at Evans Bay ahead of our games against Petone - and then it’s back up to the Clubrooms to spend some time with this seasons players, coaches, managers and supporters and to enjoy the energy and enthusiasm of the players of 2025 – this is bound to be a big night so you should get organised now, so you can spend some quality time soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying all that the Red Machine has to offer.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support and loyalty.

This club is more than just rugby – it’s about respecting our history, sharing with our family and community, and being a part of Wellingtons BEST rugby club.

See you at Evans Bay!

President's Musings

From the pen of Marist St Pats President, John Spillane...

What a weekend it was for our club – we scored a full sweep of wins across the top 4 teams!

Our Premier Men’s and Women’s teams, the Seconds, and the Colts all came away with well-earned victories in round three and I couldn’t be prouder of the effort, spirit, and grit shown by all our teams.

A special shoutout to our Premier Men, who dug deep and showed some real belief to come from behind and take the win. It’s performances like that which really show the heart of this team. That said, we all know we’ve got to start games stronger – and that’s something the boys will be working on this week I am sure. But what a finish – you made us all proud.

The Premier Women also put in a fantastic shift, and it was brilliant to see Monica Tagoai back in red after her duties with the Hurricanes Poua. Welcome back, Monica – you were missed, and what a way to return!

Across the rest of the Club – the Reserve Grade ‘Internationals’ and Presidents had the bye, while the 85’s weren’t quite so lucky, going down to Eastbourne – but the season is still very young for this team, and I am expecting this side to hit form in the coming weeks.

So, our away game against Pare-Plim netted us four much needed “W’s” – and did a lot to lift the entire Club's spirits heading into round 4 this weekend.

Another highlight of the weekend was the decision to meet at the Blend Bar on Wakefield Street upon our return to town. This was a huge success, with good numbers attending, a ripper atmosphere and very welcoming hosts. This initiative seems to have worked, and we are all looking forward to being hosted there after our next away game.

We’re back at home this weekend at Evans Bay, and we’d love to see as many of you there as possible to get behind all our teams. The atmosphere when we’re all together, cheering on the Red Machine, is something really special – so bring your family, your friends, and your loudest voices. And don’t forget to call into the Clubrooms after the matches for a bite, a drink, and a yarn.

Looking a little further ahead, we’re also gearing up for something special – on Friday 2 May, we’re inviting everyone who was part of the club during the 1990s – players, coaches, supporters, and families – to join us at the Clubrooms for a reunion evening. It’s a chance to reconnect, share a few stories (some of which may even be true!), and celebrate the people and the memories that have helped shape MSP into the club we all love today.

This Friday night celebration is ahead of the MSP Club Day (old timers day for those who can handle the title) – on Saturday 3 May – which will see a luncheon down at Evans Bay ahead of our games against Petone - and then it’s back up to the Clubrooms to spend some time with this seasons players, coaches, managers and supporters and to enjoy the energy and enthusiasm of the players of 2025 – this is bound to be a big night so you should get organised now, so you can spend some quality time soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying all that the Red Machine has to offer.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support and loyalty.

This club is more than just rugby – it’s about respecting our history, sharing with our family and community, and being a part of Wellingtons BEST rugby club.

See you at Evans Bay!

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