Clyde rugby players reunite

The Clyde Earnscleugh Rugby Club team of 1983, which toured Australia and Japan, poses for the...
The Clyde Earnscleugh Rugby Club team of 1983, which toured Australia and Japan, poses for the camera at a reunion in Clyde on Saturday.Photo by Rosie Manins.
They are not All Blacks, but Clyde rugby players who toured the world for their sport at their old clubrooms during the weekend gathered to celebrate their feat.

The Clyde Earnscleugh Rugby Club is proud to have raised funds for its players to travel on three world tours, which saw squads of about 30 visit three continents.

More than 90 players from the tours were invited to the weekend reunion, which was held to mark the 25th anniversary of the club's first world trip, to Australia and Japan in 1983.

More than 50 attended.

Club president Dave Gibson said the club also toured Canada and the United States in 1988, before returning to America on tour in 1996.

Mr Gibson said it was unusual for such a small rugby club to play internationally, and tour members remained proud of their involvement.

"It's been a great opportunity to get everyone back together.

Some of the players haven't seen each other since the tours, and a reunion was deemed a good idea, especially after some of the older team members passed away."

The group met at Clyde on Friday night, and gathered at the town's domain on Saturday for a midday barbecue and to watch local rugby.

Each tour group had a photo taken before dinner at Dunstan Hotel, where the All Blacks' game against Ireland was viewed.

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