Rātana Rugby: God's Game

The Rātana team, for me, really represents not just rugby issues for Māori people in quite a white, middle-class, conservative town, like Whanganui, but it represents some of the other issues that Māori people face. I think they’re about pride as a people, not just as a team.

– Awa FM announcer, Piri Hira on the Rātana rugby team

For 76 years, the Rātana Pā senior rugby team have been trying to win the Whanganui Club Championship. This year, Murray believes he has the team that can do it. The team are unbeaten so far this season.

– A goal for the Rātana rugby team, from the narration

There are many small towns in New Zealand, but only one that can claim to have been founded by a visitation of the Holy Spirit. Rātana Pā is a tiny community with only 500 permanent residents. Halfway between Bulls and Whanganui, deep in the rural heartland of New Zealand.

– Introducing the town of Rātana, from the narration

I believe this Rātana senior team is a very special and unique team compared to any other team in New Zealand. Not only are we ambassadors to the community, we are ambassadors to the Rātana movement.

– Coach Murray Ririnui on what makes the team unique

We start every game, or every playing day, with a prayer. And our new boys, especially our Pākehā boys, it’s a bit of a culture shock to them. We finish after a game with a prayer as well. To them, it was a culture shock, but they respected us, and they fitted in with us. I think they’re just like one of us now.

– Assistant Coach Thomas Nepia

The greatest day here in Rātana Pā is the 8th of November 1918, 2 pm, when a cloud came and spoke to Rātana, saying: “I had travelled the whole world. At this time the whole world has forgotten me." The cloud says to Rātana: "I have come back to you, te iwi Māori, for I see you have not forgotten me.”

– Former Rātana team member Andre Mason on the founding of the Rātana movement

OK guys, this is the last game of this round. We’re playing Marist. Today’s game is an important game as far as we are concerned, because we haven't been beaten all this season, and we’ll try and beat last year's record by winning today’s game.

– Coach Murray gives a pre-game briefing

And when he died, he died as a pauper, with nothing, but spiritually he left a legacy for all the people — not only the Māori people, but for the peoples of the world.

– Rātana minister Willis Gardner on Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana's legacy