In a new game day initiative, Southern Districts Rugby Club will host its very first Surf Club Festival on Saturday the 12th of May 2018, featuring the inaugural ‘Harry Gibbons Cup’ against Eastern Suburbs in the Shute Shield, Sydney’s premier rugby competition.
Members and their families from Wanda, Elouera, North Cronulla, Cronulla, Garie, Burning Palms and Era are all invited to Round Six of the Shute Shield at Forshaw Rugby Park. The day is designed to bring friends and families from Surf Lifesaving Clubs together with members and guests of the Southern Districts Rugby Club to celebrate their community spirit and shared values.
The day is a significant moment in Southern’s history and a true commemoration to Harry Gibbons, who was one of the founding directors of Wanda Surf club and also the Port Hacking Rugby Club.
“Harry recognised the common values between Rugby Clubs and Surf Lifesaving Clubs. Both are ingrained in community and both provide a fantastic place for people to come together and unite for a cause. They celebrate the people that live in our great area and work hard to give back,” Paul Ridoutt, the rugby club’s community director said.
On the day, there will be two 20 minute Women's 7s games on main oval (2:40pm & 4:50pm) Nippers will be selling raffle tickets, the infamous DJ Smuggler is set to play on the hill and there will be half time activities from the Nippers, from all seven clubs.
At 5.15 pm the North Cronulla ‘Sea Lice’ Rugby Club who are returning to the Meldrum Cup after many years, will be playing a competition game under lights vs Burraneer for the 'Harry Gibbons Plate'.
“Lots of the rugby community grew up in the surf clubs and played rugby at Southern Districts. When you look around at our crowd, many of them are still active in the surf clubs today.”Mr Ridoutt said.
“With the resurgence of club rugby, particularly the Shute Shield and the growth of Women’s Rugby in our own club and beyond, we need to be working with the local community that have supported us since day dot, celebrate as one and continue driving awareness of great grass roots rugby.”
From 1:00pm entry is free for guests wearing insignia from any of the seven clubs. General entry is $15.00, students are $7.50 and kids under 16 are free.
This perpetual trophy will be played for every year at the Surf Club Festival and it will be awarded to the victor to put in their trophy cabinet for the next 12 months. As an added bonus, North Cronulla SLSC are donating the ‘Caringbah Hotel’ Surf Boat, to sit alongside the Harry Gibbons II on the Southern Hill, a boat that was donated in 2017 by Wanda SLSC.
