World Vintage Rugby Carnival - Honolulu - 23-30 Sept 2012

[rugbyskier]

The fifth World Vintage Rugby Carnival is taking place at Queen Kapiolani Park, Honolulu from Sunday week. Stephen Larkham and Greg Somerville will be attending the carnival, which features nearly 50 teams from around the world. More information about the carnival is at http://www.vintagerugby.com/

The ACT Veterans are sending a dedicated team for the first time but a number of club members have attended previous carnivals as members of the International Bustard Eagles, a Brisbane-based club with players also from the US, UK and NZ. The ACT Vets will be playing in a special carnival jersey designed by University of Canberra graphic design students.

If there are any other GAGR members attending the carnival, I'm looking forward to catching up on the field and in the bar.

 

[rugbyskier]

Just an update about the carnival. It was a great experience with a good combination of physical games and the camaraderie that comes when rugby players from around the world get together.

The ACT Veterans played matches against PacLantic RFC (a combined NZ/US team), the Samoa Golden Oldies, and the Canterbury Baa Baas from Christchurch. The Samoans had the oldest player of the tournament - a very sprightly 85 year old.

We also donned the Bustards jersey as subs for our Brisbane brethren for games against the Old Orcas from Argentina, the Moravian Eagles from the Czech Republic, the Creaky Ol' Convicts from Norfolk Island and the Upper Hutt Yellow Bellies.

Our first game against PacLantic was interesting, as the team was made up half of experienced Kiwis and half enthusiastic Yanks who didn't know the laws of rugby, which made for amusing breakdowns where players would come into the rucks at all angles and clean out our scrumhalf almost from behind. The game against the Samoans was awesome, they played a very physical game but were very fair and sporting. My personal highlight was running outside Stephen Larkham on one phase and getting a great flick pass from behind his back when I cut inside. In the final game Greg Somerville had a run with his Cantabrian mates and scored a great try when seagulling in the backs, putting in a Campese-esque goose step to outpace one of our guys.

If you're interested there are carnival photos at

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/....364145847000297.87439.120367564711461&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/....369093939838821.88894.120367564711461&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/....369098423171706.88895.120367564711461&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151083021877763.444490.657752762&type=3&l=a6c5470a23

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151108531117763.449532.657752762&type=3&l=ff0c796c28

 

[Rob42]

...My personal highlight was running outside Stephen Larkham on one phase and getting a great flick pass from behind his back when I cut inside. ...

Wow. That is living the dream.... Great to see Bernie still pulling the boots on.

 

[rugbyskier]

Wow. That is living the dream.. Great to see Bernie still pulling the boots on.

It's not every day you get to play alongside a World Cup winning flyhalf.

Both Bernie and Greg Somerville made sure they played with or against every team at the carnival. Bernie played a couple of full games with the ACT Veterans as he considers us to be his home team. One of the funnier incidents at the carnival came when Bernie had a run with the Brazilian team - he was told by their captain (who didn't recognise him) "you're tall, you can play second row".

 

[The Oldest Rat]

I was the team leader for the Southern Downs Raging Rodents Qld we teamed up with the Les Archieballs from Augusta Georgia USA, most of us were forwards with the exception of me who is a fat little half back that can't run, tackle or pass. So we didn't run too much ball what backs we had were stuffed by the last game as we only had about 4 of the them.

We had the best time, playing our first match against Suburbs Marauders from NZ it was a tough but fair game played in the right spirit. Then on Wednesday we played the Uper Hut Yellow Bellies and the Bay's Bullshitters both from NZ.

Well this was the toughest game I've had for 5 years they did what all NZ's do clean out fiercly at the rucks and did a Richie McCaw and layed on the wrong side of the ruck, played the ball on the ground all the things that NZers are good at. One of my teammates said to me coming off the ground "don't they understand its golden oldies and the rucks are uncontested", I said to him don't be upset they can't help it they are born that way that's the only way they know how to play. Greg Sommerville played with them against us and I was privelliged to tackle him on 2 occassions (living the dream), by the way I'm 67 years young.

Then on Friday we played the Burliegh Bodgies (Qld) and both teams were nackered so we played a fun game that all of us survived (Greg Sommerville played with us, got a good pass from him) the nicest bloke you would want to meet anywhere.

What a great carnival can't wait until Perth comes around.

 

[rugbyskier]

The Oldest Rat, good to hear that you had a great time. I heard that Bernie was interviewed by the Balls N All sports show on Mix106.3 Canberra and he told them about the carnival and what a great time he had.

I went through the photos on my camera (I got some of the WAGs and injured players to take shots when I was out on the paddock) and there's some great action shots of both Bernie and Greg Somerville and they've got the widest smiles. It's great to see all the players from different countries play for the sheer fun of it.

We'll see you in Perth in April 2014.