Old Collegians Rugby Club
Old Collegians Rugby Club, also known as Old Coll's, are a rugby union club in Adelaide, South Australia. The team was founded in 1937 and plays at Tregenza Reserve. The club's jersey is red and blue.[1]
History
Old Collegians was formed in 1937 as Prince Alfred Old Collegians Rugby Club.[2][3]
During World War II, the competition ceased from 1941 and the club was reformed on the renewal of the competition in the state in 1945. The club was then named Old Collegians Rugby Club.
OC's first home-ground was in the centre of Victoria Park race course; the club then moved to the dairy cow grazed pastures of the south parklands and then to its current location at Tregenza Oval in 1953. This location is one of the more picturesque grounds in the state.
In the early 1980s the club ran an U/18 team for three years and then formed the Junior Collegians in 1985. OC now competes in each junior age bracket.
OC is one of the two founding clubs (the other being Adelaide University) of the South Australian women's rugby competition and the only club to compete continuously since the first games in 1995.
Many OC players have captained or represented the state at senior and junior levels over the years and have taken out SARU individual player awards. The greatest achievement so far has gone to Rod Hauser, who was selected for the Wallabies while playing for OC. In 2013 D'arcy Sadler was contracted to the Australian women's sevens squad while continuing to play for OC between tournaments.
The Club Guernsey has changed colours from the initial maroon and blue jumper with a PAC crest, to broad maroon and navy hoops in 1955, to its current light red and blue hoops in the mid 1970s.
The club's 75th year in 2012 was celebrated with a gala dinner attended by over 550 people.
Notable past players
Brock James represented Australia as an under 16, 19 and 21. He played for both the Queensland Reds and the Western Force in Super Rugby before going on to be the top points scorer in the Top 14 in France with Clermont Auvergne, appearing in numerous grand finals and the Heineken Cup.
In 2013 Liam Gill played for the Queensland Reds and Australalia Wallabies, and currently the Australia sevens.
Notable current players
D'arcy Sadler is currently playing for the Australian women's sevens team but is still playing for the Old Collegian's women's team.
Mackenzie Sadler was in the 2014 Nejing Youth Olympics playing rugby sevens for Australia, but also plays for Old Collegian's women's team.
Alex Rokobaro is a former professional rugby player who played for the Melbourne Rebels and Rugby Calvisano.
References
- ↑ "Brighton defeats Old Collegians 22-19 in Rugby SA grand final". Sunday Mail. Adleaide. 21 September 2013. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ↑ "Rugby". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 23 July 1937. p. 17, col.2, "Rugby at Princes and Saints". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
- ↑ "Improved Rugby in SA". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 9 July 1937. p. 17, col.2, "Rugby in Schools". Retrieved 5 October 2016.