Caernarfon rugby fest a “phenomenal” success

Jun 17 2010 by Alex Hickey, Caernarfon and Denbigh Herald

Caernarfon rugby fest a “phenomenal” success

EUROPE and a little part of South America arrived in style for a golden oldies rugby festival and the friendly 1,000 strong invasion force proved to be a smash hit on and off the field.

Caernarfon opened its arms and its heart to the 2010 European Golden Oldies Rugby Festival (EGOR) which kicked off in front of an audience almost every bit as diverse as the World Cup in South Africa.

Proceedings began with a spectacular opening ceremony in the grounds of Caernarfon Castle last Thursday where it was filled to the ramparts with the sight of kilt wearing Galicians from Northern Spain playing the bagpipes and Germans with traditional Prussian helmets and waxed moustaches.

The rugby was played on Friday and Sunday at Y Morfa, the home of Caernarfon Rugby Club and on the Ysgol Syr Huw Owen playing fields, to play the game they love.

Around 32 teams, from 15 nations from as far afield as Argentina, Russia, Israel and Romania took part in the jamboree which was expected to pump at least £500,000 into the local economy.

The host side, Y Gogs (Geriatrics O Gymru) raised the curtain on proceedings with a match against an Italian side from Trieste.

The Gogs were bolstered by the introduction of Wales’s legendary front-rower Garin Jenkins, who is the festival’s ambassador, playing at centre and Gwynedd Council leader Dyfed Edwards pulled on his boots – he even managed to score a try, while comedian Tudur Owen, of PC Leslie Wynne fame took off his helmet for a run out.

Officially all matches end in a draw to reflect the good-natured spirit of the oldies’ game but there were no punches pulled during the matches.

The big winners at the weekend were Rheinland Methusalems from Germany who collected the coveted Battered Relic cup as the team who best reflected the spirit of the festival.

Gimnasia y Esgrima from Argentina picked up the Caernarfon Herald cup as the furthest travelled team and 76-year old Michel Prudent from Rascasse was given the Jeff Butterfield cup for being the oldest player. Other big winners were Galicia Old Boys for the best dressed team, I Tandoi from Italy for the combined average age (49) and Juromenha from Portugal for being the “crocks” of the festival.

A delighted but exhausted Y Gogs committee chairman Emrys Jones summed up the event in just one word - “phenomenal”.

alex.hickey