XVI Player at Large

Wes was kind in requesting that I capture some real old boy thoughts under a heading I once used while we still relied on typewriters and office copiers to distribute club news and information. Times and methods have certainly changed, but I believe real ruggers are still real ruggers.

At the beginning of every rugby season I vow that I am going to attend some Burbs matches and rekindle some long past due relationships. But, alas, before I know it the season has ended without me seeing one ruck. Why does this happen year after year? Alzheimer's perhaps? There are many who would definitely say this was the case. While this fate may certainly loom in my future, I think it is a direct result of just letting too many things get in my way.

In my 22 years as a player I was fortunate enough to be with three clubs during their embryonic years: Old White in Atlanta, NOVA and WSRFC. For differing reasons, each of those clubs are dear to my heart when I reminisce with other old farts who also paid their pound of flesh. Suburbs will always stand out in my memory because we did so many, many things wrong during those early days. We thought anyone that spoke with an accent was a rugby superstar and that his word was infallible. We believed so strongly in this that we even kept an Englishman as coach even though he rarely made it through a match without falling asleep (polite way to say passing out) on the sidelines.

But somewhere along the way we did something right because we started to attract players. Not necessarily good players, but men who tried. Suburbs began to develop a profile of pride that I think still exists in the club today. We took our beatings on the pitch regularly, and we often knew going into the match that we were going to get killed, but it never showed in our eyes. We were together and for that we felt much stronger. I believe that strength still exists in Western Suburbs today.

Oh, the uniforms may have changed over the years, the facilities improved, the numbers increased and maybe even the players got smarter, but you are still the men with whom I joined arms.

Look around you, young ruggers, and don't let too many things get in your way.

Pat Cunningham

April 2003

Note: Pat is one of the founding members of Western Suburbs RFC and was a stalwart member for many years.