HAPPY EASTER - AND OUR 2025 SPORTS LUNCHEON!

17 April, 2025

The Waratahs Rugby Union Club wishes all its members and supporters a Happy 2025 Easter and we hope you enjoy the holiday break.

We are also taking the opportunity of providing details of our 2025 Sports Luncheon which will be held in early August.

In great thrill for The Tahs, our Guest Speaker is former Wallabies fullback and current President of the Board of NSW Rugby, Matt Burke.

Brief details of the luncheon are:

Function: 2025 Sports Luncheon
Date: Friday, 8 August
Time: Midday until late afternoon
Venue: Hamilton North Bowling Club
Cost: $50 for Old Boys members (subsidised part of the club’s 85th Anniversary Year); $100 for non-members
Bookings: Please make payment to Old Boys Account at Greater Bank - BSB 637000 Acc 715493713 (mark payment with your name and ‘Luncheon’ – payment becomes a booking)

The function, organised by the Old Boys’ Association, will acknowledge four Grand Final teams that are celebrating a special ‘anniversary’ this year. They are:

2005 First grade - Grand Finalists (20th year anniversary)
1995 First Grade - Grand Finalists (30th year anniversary)
1975 Second Division - Minor & Major Premiers (50th year anniversary)
1945 Third Grade - undefeated Minor and Major Premiers (80th year anniversary)

Full details about the luncheon can be found by clicking on the article in the right side column.

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OUR 85th ANNIVERSARY!

April, 2025

The Waratahs celebrate their 85th anniversary in 2025. Who has played the most games for the club? Here are the players:

400 Club Matches - Michael Tolhurst (417)

300 Club Matches - numerical order … Ron Howell (371), Steve Tolhurst (352), Ron Bell (about 350), Alan Waldie (349), Greg Tolhurst (337), Sheldon Hayden (331), Lindsay Dumbrill (about 330), Bill Baker (326), Matthew Dumbrill (326), Dave Callcott (312), Gerry Brown (311), Carl Diespecker (about 310), Tyrone Hayden (310), Dave Puddicombe (308), Chris Grieve (316), G. Bower (300+), Ian Johnson (300+).

Note: three brothers (Tolhursts) and the two brothers (Haydens); and father and son in Lindsay and Matthew Dumbrill.

In coming weeks we’ll have a look at the ‘200 Club’.

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NEWCASTLE HOSTS RUGBY SHIELD

4 April, 2025

Newcastle has been selected as host city for the 2025 Australian Rugby Shield (ARS) to be contested in October.

A total of 14 state and regional teams will converge on No.2 Sportsground between October 1 and 5 where Queensland Country will be defending the men’s title and ACT & Southern NSW defending the women’s trophy.

Men’s and women’s teams from NSW Country, NSW Suburban, Queensland Country, Queensland Suburban, South Australia and Defence Forces will be competing. ACT and Southern NSW will be sending a women’s team whilst Tasmania will be represented in the men’s competition.

The ARS announcement follows previous news that the Wallaroos play New Zealand at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday, 10 May and the Wallabies take on Fiji at the same venue on Sunday, 6 July.

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OLD BOYS - 2025 MEMBERSHIP

March 2025

The Old Boys’ Association has opened its 2025 membership and the benefits are immediately going to to the members.

The Old Boys committee has voted for a reduction in membership fees for 2025 - a big 50% reduction.

The committee has taken into account the strong financial position of the associated and voted for members to be the benficiaries. Fees for 2025 are:

Full Membership - $50 (reduced from $100 as part of the club’s 85th anniversay)
Social Membership - $20 (reduced from $40)

It’s a great offer that we hope many of our past players and members will take advantage.

Membership for 2025 is now open and payment can be made via the Greater Bank – BSB637000 A/c 715493713 – marking your payment ‘Membership’ with your name.

More benefits for members will be announced in the near future. Come and join the Old Boys and continue being part of The Tahs!

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BIG HUNTER RUGBY YEAR IN 2025

The 2025 Hunter Rugby season an interesting year with a number of ‘big ticket’ events.

Here is a brief run down of the regional rugby calendar:

Newcastle Beach 5s - Nobbys Beach - part of Australia Day celebrations on Saturday, 25 January and Sunday, 26 January
Summer 7s - Friday, 25 February to Friday, 28 March
2025 Season Launch - NEX - Friday, 28 March
Start of Wildfires season - Saturday, 5 April
Start of Hunter Rugby Union - Saturday, 12 April
NSW Country Championships - 17 May; Junior Country Championships - 6 June.
Wallaroos v New Zealand - McDonald Jones Stadium - Saturday, 10 May
Wallabies v Fiji - McDonald Jones Stadium - Sunday, 6 July
Hunter Rugby Finals - start Saturday, 23 August
Hunter Rugby Union Grand Final - Saturday, 6 September
Australian Rugby Shield - October 1 to 5 - 14 teams from around Australia will play in the tournament centred on No.2 Sportsground.

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2024 GRAND FINALS RESULTS

Hunter Rugby Union held its 2024 Grand Finals at No.2 Sportsground in late August, results being:

Premier 1: Merewether Carlton 41 d Maitland 25
Premier 2: Wanderers 29 d University 24
Premier 3: Southern Beaches 17 d Maitland 16
Women: Wanderers 17 d Hamilton 0
Suburban: Singleton Red 27 d Cooks Hill 5

The John Hipwell Medal for ‘Man of the Match’ was won by Merewether Carlton No.10, Sam Bright. In a popular decision, the medal was presented before a large crowd of supporters and onlookers by John’s nephew, Nathan Hipwell.

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