World Rugby Festival 2010 - Sydney, Australia

[Em-Forcer]

Perhaps we shoul arrange a 'meeting' before BBQ on Good Friday - if everyone's off work then people should be able to get to the Bowlo a bit early?

[fulvio sammut]

Barbeque? Good Friday? Heathens!

[Burgs]

Sounds like a good idea Em.
I am most likely not going to be down but still an outside chance, not that that should influence anything.

[Burgs]

Barbeque? Good Friday? Heathens!

Maybe...

[travelling_gerry]

Barbeque? Good Friday? Heathens!

Fishburgers


honest

[.X.]

I am still up for it - Sorry - wont be able to make the BBQ but I will be damned if I will allow some ageing hippy tell me what I can or cant eat at a BBQ -

EAT BEEF!

[Burgs]

It would seem some are a little more organised than us...

100 teams and counting for Golden

20 Apr 2009

Organisers of the 18th Air New Zealand Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival say they are bucking current tough economic trends as they have already signed up 100 teams for Sydney 2010.
With 18 months until the festival is held on September 26 to October 3 next year, organisers are confident that they will more than double that figure.
Up to 6,000 rugby patrons over the age of 35 from more than 18 countries are expected to head to Sydney.

Festival Ambassador and former Wallaby great Mark Ella said they are thrilled with the response.
“To reach 100 team entries this early on is brilliant news. We now think we could double this with still 18 months to the Festival. Our Sydney organizing team is well on track for delivering the world’s biggest rugby festival.”

The 100th team to enter is the French team, Jurassic Pack, who come from the Municipal Sports Club at Gennevilliers, near Paris.
They formed 12 years ago and formed a combined side with some Italian players for the Golden Oldies San Diego Festival in 2005, and are now regulars having attended Wellington in 2006 and Edinburgh in 2008.
“Rugby is definitely a growth sport and the Golden Oldies spirit is also growing,” said spokesman Henry Drake.
“We will bring a big party with us to Sydney – perhaps as many as 30 or 40 and we are very honoured to be the 100th team.”

Festival Director Allan Forno said that there’s been interest from around the globe so far.
“We’ve got teams already booked from Argentina, Canada, Cook Islands, England, France, Ireland, Japan, USA, New Zealand and of course Australia.
“And we expect many other rugby nations to be represented in Sydney. There’s been interest from Scotland, after they hosted the 2008 Festival, and other rugby strongholds like South Africa and the Pacific Islands.
“But there are excellent indications that we will also attract teams from the likes of the Bahamas, Germany, Russia, Switzerland and Spain.
“This will be a truly global event that appeals to a wide audience by combining a rugby festival with a vibrant and friendly party atmosphere.”

Most of the teams will be housed around the Darling Harbour area with the Parade of Nations commencing at the Sydney Town Hall and marching through China Town to the Welcome Party.

The midweek picnic day will be held in the Hunter Valley wine region and the festival culminates in the seated Grand Finale Dinner and Air New Zealand Awards at the Sydney Convention Centre.

This is the second time that Sydney will stage the Festival, which began in 1979, and previous Australian cities to have it are Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane.

[KenyaQuin]

Are we part of the 100?

[Burgs]

Negative KQ, not to my knowledge.
While, having raised the concept here, I fully support it and want to be involved, the reality is that for it to float we are going to need a Perth based figurehead, or at least very committed deputy if I am going to do it, to get the ball rolling and keep us on track over the next 18 months.
There are two home matches left and I would suggest that if we don't have some form of structure by R14 it is going to be very hard going over the off season.

[WaterBoy]

So is this still being organised as i am keen, how many have you got in?
I can prop/lock

[Burgs]

At this stage it is still a concept, waiting for someone with the time and energy to get the physical rather than virtual ball rolling.
It would seem like there would be enough interest at this early stage that the numbers could be met to make up a squad if we actually started getting serious.
I really hope that we can get it going and while I don't have the time at the moment, hopefully by the end of the year a few other commitments may have been met to free up some time for me to help drive it.

[normie]

I'm a bit too young and a bit too female, but I'm happy to organise the cheer squad for you!

Yeeeeeeehah!!! Cheer leaders!!!

(well, a cheer squad has to have a leader doesn't it?!!!???)

[Swee_82]

Yeeeeeeehah!!! Cheer leaders!!!

(well, a cheer squad has to have a leader doesn't it?!!!???)

hehe.. jokes on you there Normie.

Plenty of folks here would pay good money for me to keep my cheering to myself!

[normie]

At this stage it is still a concept, waiting for someone with the time and energy to get the physical rather than virtual ball rolling.
It would seem like there would be enough interest at this early stage that the numbers could be met to make up a squad if we actually started getting serious.
I really hope that we can get it going and while I don't have the time at the moment, hopefully by the end of the year a few other commitments may have been met to free up some time for me to help drive it.

Onya burgs! Can we get a list of willing/committed participants to give it a crack, and see if we can enough to get a Sunday arvo social/scratch match happening? If there is enough interest > see how it progresses from there.

I'll put my name down for sure!

---------- Post added at 23:45 ---------- Previous post was at 23:40 ----------

and a futher thought , even if getting a team together for the festival doesn't eventuate, we could still form a TWF (The Western Fossils) team to play 'socially' either amongst ourselves or against others...

[Burgs]

Sounds good to me Normie, there is a bit of an idea of commitment from the poll but maybe it's time to take the next step.
I think that player numbers will actually take care of themselves pretty soon after some organisation starts happening.

I will be in the East but would suggest that a meeting of those interested should be held at the Bowlo before the Highlanders match and a second before the Test match.

Fulv had some great guidelines he posted early in this thread to help out.

SO, even if you have indicated anywhere previously, please post below here now if you are prepared to help organise getting a TWF team together and over to Sydney next year.
This is not a call for players but an organisation group.

Once there appears to be enough names we can start a new thread with the list.