ST Stanislaus’ College and Kinross Wolaroi deserve credit for taking strong action ahead of this weekend’s rugby match to avoid a repeat of the ugly scenes when the two sides last met in Bathurst last year.
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The two schools have enjoyed a long and spirited rivalry in the central west and their rugby matches, in particular, are always hotly-anticipated affairs.
The matches draw not only large numbers of current students who come along to cheer, but also a good contingent of old boys who might be reliving their glory days.
Shamefully, it was a handful of St Stanislaus’ old boys who created all the problems last year when a brawl broke out at full-time.
We’re told a small group of old boys spent the match sledging the Kinross players and it got worse after the final siren after Stannies had won a cracking game of rugby in the final minutes.
Some former students entered the field of play and taunted Kinross players as they left the field, sparking the melee.
It defied belief that adults several years out of school could sink to such depths, baiting students during a game of rugby.
There were also reports those involved had been drinking on the sidelines despite an alcohol ban being in place and their actions not only greatly shamed themselves but also greatly embarrassed Stannies.
The school issued a public apology to Kinross players and supporters in the days following the melee and expressed its regret over the old boys’ actions.
Since then the two schools have worked together to put in place the guidelines for supporters at Saturday’s clash to avoid a repeat and they should be congratulated for doing so. The real tragedy, though, is that they had to.
It’s a sad reflection on those involved last year that two schools should need to spend the time devising security measures for a rugby match – right down to bringing in security staff to monitor fans’ behaviour throughout the match.
It’s one thing for grown men to be proud of their old school; it’s another thing altogether for them to spend a Saturday afternoon baiting young men from a different college.
Stannies and Kinross rugby matches should be a celebration of sport and education in the central west, not a stage for drunken antics by men old enough to know better.
We hope all fans get it right on Saturday.