…….and then there was lunch with the Governor!
To set the scene: Rugby School in England, the very school where our great game originated from, celebrated it’s 450th year on January 9th this year. On that day a rugby ball (complete with GPS tracking!) left the school to make it’s way around the globe to countries that have significance to the school. Throughout it’s journey the ball will be passed 450 times before making it’s way back to Rugby School for Community Day celebrations on September 27th, 2017.
One of the “passing” destinations for the ball is Victoria and today the 296th pass of the Global Pass took place at Government House in Melbourne.
The Governor of Victoria, Governor Linda Dessau was invited by Rugby School to participate in this event and she extended the invitation to the VRU, who very generously requested the attendance of our three original Kiwi Hawthorn Junior Girls, Bella, Sunday & Alice, along with some of the Melbourne Rebels and a handful of other members of Victoria’s rugby community.
As part of the event, our girls got to line up against the Melbourne Rebels to showcase some of their rugby skills. I’m quite certain that you will see a few new moves from the Rebels in their final game of the season tonight at AAMI! Could this be the turning point?
At 11.30 am the players lined up with the Governor for “the pass”. The question on everyones minds was “who is the Governor going to pass the rugby ball to?”….and then…. Kiwi Hawthorn Junior’s very own Alice was selected by Governor Dessau and kindly asked if she would receive the pass!
As media, dignitaries and players gathered, the Governor and Alice stepped up, Governor Dessau declaring the relevance of the pass and before we had time to get the cameras focussed, the 296th pass was thrown…………and caught!
……..and just as quickly, the ball took off again, now heading back in the direction of Rugby School.
A great occasion, we can’t thank the Governor and the VRU enough for giving the girls this wonderful opportunity. We are very proud for our girls to have played a small role in something that is quite significant to Rugby School and we are grateful to Rugby School for creating this opportunity (and of course this game!)….and from the Kiwi Hawthorn Rugby Union Football Club in Melbourne, we congratulate Rugby School on becoming 450 years old and we wish them all the best for the rest of their celebrations.
Kiwi Hawthorn Junior Rugby 