waggawaratastg 19/11/2025

Preamble: The 1968 season commenced with Round 1 on 20 April 1968. There were 16 Rounds for the season proper followed by the semi-finals, finals and the grand final on the 21 August 1968. According to the Waratahs Rugby Club Player Register, nine clubs fielded teams in the 1st XV: Army, Cootamundra, Teacher's College, Temora, Wagga Agricultural College, Wagga City, Waratahs, West Wyalong and Yanco. Ten clubs participated in the 2nd XV competition: Albury, Army, Cootamundra, Griffith, R.A.A.F., Teacher's College, Wagga Agricultural College, Wagga City, Waratahs and Yanco. 1968 would be Dud Taylor's last year as President, a position he...

waggawaratastg 18/11/2025

Preamble: In the pre-season, Waratahs won the West Wyalong Knockout. The 1967 1st XV season comprised 18 Rounds games followed by the semi-finals and finals. The grand final was played on 16 September. Ten clubs participated: Army, Cootamundra, Teacher's College, Temora, WAC, Wagga City, Waratahs, West Wyalong, Yanco and Young. Cootamundra continued to be a force during the season which culminated with Waratahs playing them in the semi and grand final. Nine clubs fielded a 2nd XV which included Griffith and Albury. Young and West Wyalong did not field a 2nd XV. The photo of Bill Hayes, Hugh Dodwell and...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 29/10/2025

Preamble: The 1965 1st XV 18 Round competition commenced on the 4 April and concluded with the Grand Final on 18 September. Cootamundra joined the competition bringing the number of teams to ten. Waratahs entered a 1st XV and a 2nd XV. Waratahs were the Byrnes Cup 1st XV winners and Wagga City the David Jones Shield 2nd XV premiers. Teacher's College retained the Wal Blake Club Championship for the 7th consecutive season.Twenty-four names appear in the Waratahs Rugby Football Club Player's Register 1959-1995 as having played in the 1st XV. In addition to the names listed in the article...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 29/10/2025

Preamble: The 1966 season commenced on 16 April and comprised 16 Rounds, followed by semi-finals, finals and the Grand Final which was played on 17 September. Nine clubs participated in the 1st XV competition and 11 clubs in the 2nd XV competition. Waratahs fielded a 1st XV and a 2nd XV. Twenty-nine players donned the 1st XV jersey, and twenty-four in second grade. Many 1st & 2nd XV players played both grades. Army were the 2nd XV premiers and Wagga Agricultural College the Club Champions. As the 1960s draws to a close, it might be timely to share some photos...

waggawaratastg 02/10/2025

Preamble: The competition was expanded to include West Wyalong Rugby Club, bringing the number of teams to nine. The season comprised 16 Round games and commenced on the 18 April and concluded with the Grand Final on the 19 September 1964. Waratahs won 13 matches and lost three: once to Wagga City and twice to Teacher's College. Waratahs played Army in the first and last Rounds, in the semi-final and grand final winning all four games. According to the Waratahs Rugby Football Club Players Register 1959-1995, twenty-four players donned the Waratahs jersey during the season for the 1st XV, and...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 30/09/2025

1962 Premiers With three premierships under their belt, Waratahs welcomed new players Frank Austin, Fred Horsley from Mundarlo, John Bull from Narrandera, Mick McLachlan, Dudley Taylor, John Walker and John Stewart. Waratahs won eleven successive games before being beaten by Army. During the season Jim Lenehan played four tests against New Zealand and captained NSW against New Zealand in an epic win. Beres Ellwood also played in this game as well as playing five test matches against New Zealand. Both players were away for the grand final but the team triumphed without them, defeating Wagga City in extra time. In...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 06/09/2025

1969 welcomed a new player Peter Cripps, a front rower, along with other players in the hope that the club could start to rebuild due to the loss of many of the original players. Waratahs missed the tactical prowess of the retired Jim Lenehan and the brilliance of Beres Ellwood when Agricultural College outplayed them in their first match of the season, 31-11. Scoring ten tries Aggies wiped the ground with Tahs. Army scored seven tries to none in soundly defeating Waratahs 28-3. The forwards were fairly evenly matched but the big difference was in the backs. In spite of...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 13/08/2025

Written by John Stewart While helping Libby Donelan with adding comment to her research from the Daily Advertiser over the period 1961 to 1969 she asked me to write a pen picture of those days. I graduated at the end of 1961 from Wagga Ag College and followed tradition in the footsteps of former Aggies before me and joined the Waratahs. Depending on who was about on a Saturday, we would go and have a full meal - usually of steak and chips - no pasta in those days. Gradually we would assemble at Romano's to have a roll call...