Mark Pirie

Following a visit to the NZ Rugby Museum at Palmerston North, October 2012, the Director Stephen Berg published an article in the Manawatu Standard, 14 November 2012.

The article relates to the discovery of my grandfather's rugby career through an old photo I had in my possession. I had no knowledge of his career prior to the visit apart from remembered family stories which may be inaccurate. Thanks to Stephen for his help in identifying the photo.

My grandfather Tom Lawn (a tall forward) learned his rugby at Stratford District High School and after played for Sydenham Football Club and Technical Old Boys in Christchurch and College Rifles in Auckland, from 1919-29. He won Canterbury representative honours in 1925. The 1927 College Rifles team that he was part of included three All Blacks and a Maori All Black. He later received an invitation and coached North Shore Club to a good position in 1938 with Bert Cooke, a member of the 1924/25 All Blacks "Invincibles" team.

Here's a link to the article (which includes some of the information found):
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/sport/7947872/Mysteries-solved-and-treasures-recovered-through-photo-library

My publishing company HeadworX has just released a new edition of early New Zealand author and songwriter Robert J Pope's poetry, King Willow, a substantial edition with accompanying introduction, notes and bibliographical material.

Robert J Pope (1865-1949) is a Wellington poet of interest for his poems covering the two world wars and the All Blacks "Invincibles" tour of 1924/25 as well as suburban satires of Wellington city-life (fashion, sport, politics and culture 1902-44) that still ring true today.

See the book information page here for more details.

Copies can be purchased from me directly using the contact form on this website.

A report on the book launch was on Beattie's Book Blog, 6 December 2012.

The 10th issue of my poetry journal, broadsheet: new new zealandpoetry, features a tribute to the singer, songwriter and poet Mahinarangi Tocker (1955-2008). The issue celebrates Tocker's contribution to Aotearoa/New Zealand music and poetry. It includes unpublished poetry by Tocker and tributes by her friends Charlotte Yates,
C K Stead, Andrew Fagan, and Paula Harris.

Also included is new work by David Eggleton, Richard Langston, Jenny Powell, Laura Solomon, and Nola Borrell along with posthumously published poems by two poets of NZ's literary past: Robert J Pope (1865-1949) and Ivy Gibbs (1886?-1966). 

To read the online pdf of the issue, go to:
http://broadsheetnz.wordpress.com

After watching the Silver Ferns victory over England in Wellington last week, I wrote a poem for Maria Tutaia. There was a magic moment in the test match when Tutaia's shot rebounded twice and she got the goal third time lucky. She was cool and calm throughout, but after acknowledged the crowd with a smile.

I've been an admirer of Tutaia's role as Goal Attack over the past couple of years. Centre Langman and Goal Shoot van Dyk have a great understanding but so too does Tutaia with van Dyk. Tutaia is also good on defence. She showed her skills again in the final test match of the season helping the Ferns defeat the Diamonds with a great third quarter of shooting. I'm so pleased for Wai Taumaunu the coach.

Click on this link to read the poem. It was published by Joseph Romanos in The Wellingtonian, Thursday 1 November 2012.

As a boy I used to watch netball with my Mum who was a former player. My sister also played netball and hockey at school.