By Glenn McLean

Outgoing chairman Lindsay Thomson was one of three new life members honoured at the Taranaki Rugby Football Union’s re-scheduled annual meeting on Wednesday night.

Thomson, who was succeeded on the Taranaki Rugby board by John Dazley in March, becomes a life member along with long-standing board member John Eagles, while posthumous life membership was awarded to former union secretary Sue Mitchell.

The former representative lock played 104 games for Taranaki between 1983 and 1991 and was elected onto the union’s board in 2008 following a distinguished period as chairman of the Tukapa Rugby & Sports Club.

He was elected as chairman in 2011 after successfully leading Taranaki Rugby’s 125^th Jubilee committee the previous year, a season which was highlighted by Taranaki’s win over Canterbury in its official Jubilee match at New Plymouth’s Yarrow Stadium.

Thomson chaired Taranaki Rugby through arguably its most successful period which included an inaugural top flight domestic title in 2014 in front of a sold out Yarrow Stadium while the Ranfurly Shield was also won twice through his tenure.

“I’m incredibly proud of what the board and the TRFU staff achieved between 2011 and 2020,” Thomson said.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time, the people I have met, the friendships I have made, both locally and right around the country.”

His life membership also marks the first time a father and son have become life members of the union as he follows his father W S “Kai” Thomson to the honour.

Eagles’ life membership follows a 16 year unbroken period as an independent director on the union’s board after he was first elected in 2006.

Nominated by New Plymouth Old Boys, club chairman Roger Wells said Eagles had given “outstanding” service to the union, not only on the board but as a member of the Taranaki Community Rugby Trust from 2008 to 2020.

“During these periods John has provided his legal expertise and time to both boards. The establishment of the Taranaki Community Rugby Trust in 2008 took a significant amount of time and commitment and John was at the forefront of getting this venture up and running from a legal perspective.

“The benefits of the Trust are now significantly benefiting the community rugby game through clubs having rugby development officers and that is a direct result of people like John Eagles and the vision that they had for Taranaki Rugby.”

Mitchell’s posthumous life membership follows her death in April after more than four decades of service to rugby in the province.

As the union’s secretary through the 1980s and 1990s before the game turned professional, Mitchell was often described as “the glue” which held everything together.

“She did everything from looking after the clubs, ticketing, she was a secretary for the development officer, she liaised with sponsors, she kept all the records, she was a statistician, she just did it all,” former work-mate Ian Snook said.

“The key thing, though, was she was the person that all the clubs went to and she knew everything that was happening and she treated everyone the same.”

Former Taranaki Rugby chairman Peter Crawford, who was part of a sub-committee which worked on the nominations, believes all three life memberships were thoroughly deserved.

“Lindsay’s contribution speaks for itself,” he said. “He should feel incredibly proud for what he has achieved and what the union has achieved. While there has been a huge amount of turmoil over what has happened with Yarrow Stadium in between there have been some incredible moments, including winning the ITM Cup for the first time and the success associated with winning the Ranfurly Shield.”

Crawford said Eagles had been “an unsung hero” for the union since he was elected on to the board.

“His appointment heralded a new era with the election of an independent director and he has made a magnificent contribution which has been very, very telling.”

He also paid tribute to Mitchell and the countless hours she had worked for the betterment of Taranaki Rugby.

“It is so, so sad for her that she never got to pin that life membership on her lapel and it’s really difficult to find the right words to truly sum up her contribution.”

The TRFU board elected Andrew Thompson as the new chairman to replace Thomson.

Article added: Friday 03 July 2020