84 and 68-year-old Cantabrians show you are never too old to lace up the boots

Ian 'Blue' Walker (left) and Neville Carter led the golden oldies teams out at the club's 150th jubilee over Easter weekend. PHOTO: GILL HAPPER

Southbridge rugby stalwarts Ian ‘Blue’ Walker and Neville Carter led the players out ahead of the golden oldies match for the club’s 150th jubilee.

Walker, 84, was the oldest player on show at the fixture on Easter Sunday and was one of the original members of the golden oldies side in the 90s.

After not playing last year due to back problems, he came out of retirement for his final match at the jubilee.

“I thought, that'd be a good swan song, I’ll have my last game and hang my boots up after that,” he said.

Former All Black Dan Carter suited up for the golden oldies match, playing alongside his cousin and four uncles. Father Neville (behind) refereed the game. PHOTOS: GILL HAPPER

Carter, 68, refereed the majority of the game before joining his son, former All Blacks first-five Dan Carter, and his four brothers on one team for the final portion of the match.

Walker also changed teams to join them.

"They all played, a couple of them played a bit harder than they should have,” he said.

Former president Andy Bailey leads Southbridge's division 1 team onto the field ahead of their Coleman Shield clash with Darfield. Southbridge won 48-29. PHOTO: GILL HAPPER

"But everyone played in the right spirit and had a lot of fun.”

Said Walker: “It was pretty cool to be sitting in the back line with Daniel Carter and all the Carter family.

“They’re pretty good players, and they've been great Southbridge club players.”

Halfback and captain James Coull, left, led from the front. PHOTO: GILL HAPPER

Division 1 and 2 games against Darfield took place on the Saturday before the golden oldies game and a women’s match against Springston on the Sunday, alongside functions on Friday and Saturday night.

Club's jubilee joy

The Southbridge Rugby Football Club 150th jubilee over Easter weekend marked a major milestone for one of Canterbury’s oldest clubs.

Southbridge juniors with club legend Dan Carter. The junior sides were the first to take the field on the Saturday, kicking off a full day of rugby. PHOTO: GILL HAPPER

Festivities began on Good Friday with a Q+A session featuring guest speakers Andy Ellis, Wayne Smith and Waisale Serevi.

On Saturday, a full day of rugby saw junior teams take the field in the morning before Southbridge’s division 1 and 2 sides faced Darfield in the afternoon.

Southbridge president Luke Palmer (left) with guest speaker and former Fiji Sevens player Waisale Serevi and club manager Chris McMillan. PHOTO: GILL HAPPER

Darfield spoiled the party in the division 2 clash with a 36-30 win, but Southbridge responded by taking out the division 1 main event 48-29.

Celebrations wrapped up on Easter Sunday with golden oldies and women’s matches. Seven members of the Carter family – including former All Black Dan and his father Neville – took part in the golden oldies game.

Said Neville: “It was absolutely brilliant, everything went really, really well. The organising committee did a marvellous job with everything and, of course, we had a reasonably good weekend weather-wise too.”

The junior sides were the first to take the field, kicking off a full day of rugby. PHOTO: GILL HAPPER

Former All Black Andy Ellis (right) and coach Wayne Smith (centre) were guest speakers at a Q+A function on Good Friday. MC for the event was Michael Sheat, left, who played more than 250 games for Southbridge.

A women’s invitational match was held between Southbridge and Springston on Easter Sunday drawing players from several clubs across Canterbury. PHOTO: GILL HAPPER