A Brief History of The Bustards

Complied by Sir Robert Shiels, MBE

The Bustard Eagles RFC [the Bustards] was formed in 1988 to participate in a tournament for players over 35 years of age that was being held in conjunction with the World Expo 88 in Brisbane.  This tournament was organised by The XXXX Goldies RFC, a team that formed at Ballymore in early 1983 primarily to participate in a World Goldies festival in Sydney later in 1983.

Generally the Bustards play other teams consisting of over 35 year old players conforming to the international Golden Oldies laws which allow unlimited interchange, de-powered scrums, three 20 minute ‘halves’ and, unfortunately, no kicking outside ones own 22 meters line.  Players over 60 wear red shorts and are not to be tackled.  It is also desirable that games end in a ‘draw’ so competitive competition is downplayed.  There is not a season whereby finals are played at the end of the year.

The Goldies movement has an international tournament every two years in alternating hemispheres where over 150 teams participate, though New Zealand and Australia provide 60% of attendees.  The motto of the Goldies movement is ‘fun, friendship and fraternity’.

There is also a ‘Masters’ organisation that is played in age brackets of over 30, 40, 50 and 60, scrums are still de-powered and normal under 19 rugby laws apply  which allow for kicking skills to be bought into play.  There are ‘winners’ in this form of rugby however there is no formal domestic competition at present.  Both a World Master Games and an Australian Master festival are held every couple of years.

Timeline

The following is a chronological lineage of the Bustard Eagles. Information sources are indicated by the corresponding footnote references [x].

1929   Teachers Training College [TTC] Club formed [1]

1935   Eagle Junction Rugby Club admitted to A Grade Competition [1] Premiers for four consecutive years until 1938 [2] [3]

1946   TTC Club had faded out during WW11 but now admitted to lower competition. [3]  Won 3^rd Grade premierships in 46, 54, 55 and 58 and 4^th grade in 54. [3]

1952   Norths RFC formed from Eagle Junction RFC [1][3] ‘Eagle Junction had a proud record but all their players had grown old together and the club amalgamated with the young Northern districts club’ [4]

1953   Amalgamation of North’s Rugby Club and Commonwealth Bank Rugby Club [1] [3]

1954   Club became defunct [3]

1960   TTC Club wins 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th Grade Premierships [3]

1961   Teachers RFC admitted to A Grade  - formed from TTC Club [1]

1963   Premiership winners [3]

1966   Northern Districts Rugby Club [Junior revival movement] [1] [3]

1973   North’s RFC entered in 2^nd Division [1][3]

1974   Merger of Teachers RFC and Northern Districts RFC.  Eagle emblem from Eagle Junction RFC retained but Red and Green colours discarded with light blue and maroon colours of the TTC retained.  Now Teachers-Norths Rugby Football Club. [1] Teachers-Northern Districts RFC [3]

1976   Teachers-North’s RFC wins A Grade premiership title [3]

1979   Negotiations start for Shaw Estate to be the club home [3]

1981   20 year lease granted to Teachers-Norths RFC for use of Shaw Park and clubhouse [3]

1987   Meeting to form an over 35’s team to participate in the World Expo celebrations in 1988 from ex Teachers-Norths RFC players [5]

1988   The Bustard Eagle RFC formed [5]

1994   The Bustard Eagles win the World Masters Games in Adelaide

2004   Bustards win Inaugural Reef Masters Tournament in Cairns

Footnotes

[1]          1988 welcome letter to over 35’s players

[2]          Extract of unknown book title page 386

[3]          Programme Rugby 81 Vol 6 No 212 August 22-23 pages 1 to 5

[4]          Book Red, Red, Red 1997 by Ian Diehm

[5]          Bustard Eagles RFC minutes of 1987/88

About the Author

Sir Robert Shiels MBE (Member of Bustard Eagles) is a noted historian and prolific Author. Some of his greatest works include the February 2004 Newsletter and one of his more recent publications, the Mt Isa Bustards Touring Guide. Sir Robert was an inaugural member of the Bustard Eagles and has dedicated his life to chronicling the life and times of this esteemed club. Noted for his outstanding memory and highly organised document filing system, Sir Robert smells of authenticity when recalling even the most trivial aspect of Bustards history.