This weekend the Owaka Rugby Club is celebrating its 125th jubilee.
It has not been plain-sailing for the club in past years; it has been struggling for numbers and at times defaulting games has been considered.
The Owaka club runs one premier team, and also has a junior system, consisting of under-7, under-9 and under-11 teams.
There is a strong community following behind the club and it is very rare not to see upwards of 100 people watching games throughout the season.
Club president Sam Landreth said the huge turnout of spectators at weekend games was due largely to the ''family atmosphere the club has created over the past years''.
''Everyone's wife, partner and children are made to feel welcome and a part of the club,'' he said.
The Owaka premier side has not won the South Otago competition since 1964 and in recent seasons even winning a game has become difficult. It has struggled to get the same team on the park each week and seems to have always been on the unlucky side of the injury list.
But one thing the team does not lack is heart. Many a time it has had just over the required amount of players and usually ended the game with fewer.
Opponents always comment that after the game they ''know they have played Owaka'' due to the fact that no Owaka side backs down and they play for the full 80 minutes.
Already this year there has been a change in fortune for the premier side. It has a roster of more than 35 players, and after recruting well during the off-season its pre-season form is promising. The club also has a higher number of juniors registered this year than in recent times.
The jubilee proceedings kick off tomorrow night with a meet-and-greet at the Owaka Community Hall. This gives a chance for everyone who is back for the weekend to have a catch up and tell their stories. Former All Black Stan Meads and Otago Rugby chairman Des Smith will be among the speakers at the get-together, and the team for Saturday's game will receive their playing shirts.
On Saturday, the Bill Mitchell Memorial Trophy is on the line as Owaka faces off against local rival Clinton in their first- round match.
This will be followed by a sold-out dine and dance at the Owaka Community Hall to celebrate the jubilee in style. About 200 tickets have been sold and that night the club plans to auction the retro playing jerseys.
On Sunday there are two exhibition games. The Owaka Women face off against an opponent from Tokanui. The women have been training hard and are raring to go.
The game will be followed by a Golden Oldies clash between Owaka and a South Otago Barbarians outfit. After that there will be team photographs, a barbecue lunch and a few quiet beverages.
Jubilee committee president Ben Peter expects there will be a huge turnout over the weekend.
''Numbers are looking great. Everything is in place to make the weekend one to remember,'' he said.
It is not every day a rugby club reaches 125 years. It is a huge achievement, especially for a club as small as Owaka. What it lacks in numbers it certainly does not lack in heart, passion and dedication.
''The Owaka and surrounding communities have been extremely generous over the past years. Without their help and continued support this milestone would not have been possible,'' Peter said.
-By Francis Parker