City of Derry Rugby Club will welcome teams from Germany, England along with the Leprechauns from Limerick and Perennials from throughout Ulster to their International Golden Oldies Tournament this weekend at Judges Road. The Irish Teams will bring with them many former International and Provincial players who attended the last Oldies tournament at Judges Road during the Club’s 125th Anniversary year celebrations in 2006.
InTouch will be represented to capture the action
The English Teams are Old Pauline Football Club (OPFC) from Surrey who were founded in 1871 which was the same year as the Rugby Football Union in England was founded and OPFC were one of the twelve original founding members of the RFU. The are bringing sixty players that includes three teams with their 1st XV and 3rd XV’s playing against City of Derry 2nd XV and 4th XV on Saturday and their Golden Oldies in the main tournament. The other English Team participating is Bognor Regis from West Sussex who are bringing twenty six of a squad who will play in Ireland for the first time.
The Ulster Perennials have confirmed a number of former high profile players including Maurice Field who won seventeen caps for Ireland playing in the centre and is currently a TV pundit. Stuart Porter who played for Scotland is also in the squad along with blasts from the past like Willie Oaks and Ashley Armstrong. The oldest player among the Perennials squad is seventy four year old Denis Fusco who has played in Derry many times in the past.
The other teams are St Pauli Rugby Club for Hamburg in Germany who were in Derry in 2006 and hosted a City of Derry Tour to Hamburg in 2008. St Pauli are captained by Nils Zurawski who played for Derry when he worked at Magee College back in 2004 and has been planning this return visit for the last two years. The Leprechauns from Munster have been one of the strongest Golden Oldies Teams in Ireland for a number of years and won the Derry tournament in 2006. They will be travelling again with a number of former Musters and Ireland stalwarts and will be lead by their President John Fanning.
City of Derry will have a strong team themselves which will include many former first team players. The Judges Road men will be captained by Maurice Logue with James Allen leading the pack. Bob McKillop, Sam McAuley, Brian Prue and First Team Head Coach Mark Nicholl all fresh from an outstanding season with City of Derry’s 1st XV will be making their Golden Oldies debuts and will form the backbone of a strong pack.
The 150 visiting players to the city will be staying in the city for three nights to not only play rugby but flavour the Jazz Weekend as well. Friday evening starts with a tour of the walls at 4.30pm followed by a Civic Reception with the Mayor which should be a perfect introduction and welcome to the Maiden City. The rugby starts on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm each day. Everyone is welcome to Judges Road for what should be a memorable weekend on and off the pitch as the visitors are sent away on Monday with memories to last a lifetime and ambassadors for the city and its people.
International Golden Oldies Rugby Tournament
Over 35’s
Judges Road
Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th May
Commencing 14.00
Teams from
Ireland
England
Germany
Holland
And of course our very own vets from City of Derry
BBQ Food
Marquee and Club Bar
All visitors welcome & No entrance charge
Come and enjoy a day out with family and friends and see what our club and sport can offer.
Golden Oldies Tournament 4 & 5th May 2013
Tournament Itinerary
Participating Teams;
City of Derry RFC St Pauli Hamburg RFC, Germany
Bognor Regis, West Sussex, England Old Pauline, Surrey, England
Perennials Wallaby’s, Venlo, Holland
Friday 3rd May 2013
4.15pm All Teams – Assemble @ Guildhall Square, City Centre
4.30pm Guided Tour of Derry’s Walls
6pm Civic Reception with Mayor @ Badgers Bar, Orchard St.
8pm Dinner at Team Hotels
9pm Jazz Festival – City Centre
Saturday 4th May 2013
N.B. All Golden Oldies games today 10mins each way
2pm City of Derry V Bognor Regis Perennials V St Pauli
2.30pm Old Pauline V City of Derry Bognor Regis V Perennials
3pm St Pauli V Old Pauline Perennials V City of Derry
3.30pm Bognor Regis V St Pauli Old Pauline V Perennials
4pm City of Derry V St Pauli Bognor Regis V Old Pauline
1pm Old Pauline 2nd & 3rd XV V City of Derry RFC 4th XV
3pm Old Pauline 1st XV V City of Derry RFC 2nd XV
3pm – 7pm Barbecue
7pm Live Music
Sunday 5th May 2013
N.B. All Golden Oldies games today 30mins each way
2pm Golden Oldies Plate Final
3pm Golden Oldies Consolation Final
4pm Golden Oldies Final
3pm Old Pauline Rugby Club V City of Derry RFC
3pm – 6pm Barbecue
8pm Gala Prize Giving Dinner in Marquee @ City of Derry RFC
Note; Perennials + Some Old Pauline stay at Tower Hotel
Bognor Regis & St Pauli stays at White Horse Hotel
Old Pauline stay at Travelodge, Strand Road and are bringing 60 People including 1stXV & Oldies
