The friendship between Bill Bush and Tane Norton long outlived their rugby playing days, and today the legacy of their bond is still being felt through one of Canterbury club rugby’s most meaningful fixtures. 

On June 20, Belfast Rugby Club will host its annual Club Day, with the Premier Men’s side taking on Linwood for the Bush Norton Trophy in a fixture that represents far more than premiership points. It is a celebration of friendship, community and two of Canterbury rugby’s most respected figures, Bill Bush and Tane Norton.

Each season, Belfast and Linwood meet to contest the Bush Norton Trophy, a rivalry that’s built on mutual respect, shared values and the bond between two All Blacks who remained lifelong friends long after hanging up their boots. 

The front rowers first connected after Bush arrived in Christchurch in the early 1970s, before touring together with the New Zealand Māori side and the All Blacks. For Andrew Norton the connection between the two clubs is a direct reflection of the friendship his father shared with Bush. “They were the best of friends,” Norton said, and their bond remained just as strong for decades to come.

It is that sense of loyalty and connection to each other and their respective clubs which still links Belfast and Linwood today.

Belfast Premier Men’s player Alex McBratney, who has made more than 130 appearances for the club and has played each Bush Norton Trophy fixture since its inception in 2020, said the similarities between Belfast and Linwood are impossible to ignore. “They’re very much working-class clubs,” McBratney said. “A lot of our players have been scaffolding away or building and then we’re all back playing rugby on the weekends.”

McBratney said the fixture carries extra meaning because of the men it represents. “Those two guys are absolute legends of the game worldwide,” he said. “And then their passion for both of their clubs has just sort of made you really want to play for that club.”

The respect between Belfast and Linwood is evident well beyond the field. Norton said Linwood members are planning to remain at Belfast after this year’s game to continue building the tradition around the occasion, “There’s some clubs you like going to and there’s some clubs you love going to,” he said. “Belfast is a good place to be.”

The camaraderie and connection Bush and Norton instilled in their home sides has been the inspiration of Belfast’s special commemorative jersey for this year’s clash, brought together by club men Tim Macioce and Casey Delaney. 

Macioce said himself and Delaney agreed the centrepiece of the jersey had to be the famous Bill Bush and Tane Norton photo taken by All Black photographer Peter Bush, from the 1972 All Black test. The design also features both players’ All Black numbers and test records on the sleeves, alongside Māori elements honouring the heritage both men held close to their hearts.

“We wanted to not just make Bill and Tane's families proud, but to make the players who wear it on the day feel special and proud to be wearing it and make the club proud” Macioce said. “This whole project is really to show honor to Bill and Tane for everything they have done for NZ Rugby but also show Bill our appreciation for what he’s done for our club”. 

Bush still plays a vital role at his beloved Belfast, helping to keep the club’s traditions alive, particularly among younger players, “We really talk about that culture and what it means to the old guys,” McBratney said. “Making sure that you shake those boys’ hands because the club wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for those guys in the past.”

Even since his passing in 2023, Norton holds a similar role at Linwood. His son Andrew said his father always viewed club rugby as the foundation of everything he achieved in the game. “Club was always first for him,” Norton said. “I think he always had the view that was the place that turned him into an All Black.”

For Macioce, the jersey is about preserving the legacy Bush and Norton created, while inspiring the next generation and helping them to understand the connection between the two clubs.

The enduring friendship between two great Canterbury rugby players is exactly what the Bush Norton Trophy continues to represent today. “It just reflects their friendship really,” Norton said. “This is a great friendship between two clubs which started by these two”. 

If you love the idea of owning one of these phenomenal jerseys, all 23 will be up for auction after the game with proceeds going straight back into the club! Another fantastic reason to get behind Belfast’s club day on June 20. They may just need washing before framing…

words by Hannah Yates