More than 250 guests donned suits and gowns to celebrate one of Australia’s oldest rugby clubs.
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Mudgee Wombats held their 140th anniversary dinner at Mudgee Racecourse.
The black tie dinner featured past Wombats rubbing shoulders with the current crop as well as life members and past committee members.
Special guest was Nick Farr-Jones and the former Wallabies skipper had some choice words for the crowd.
He is optimistic about the Wallabies’ Rugby Championship chances this year and leading up to the World Cup next year in England.
The first ever Wallaby to lift the William Webb Ellis trophy said the current group of Australian players remind him of the days leading up to the 1991 World Cup.
At that time, the Wallabies won the Rugby World Cup in the United Kingdom and France, when they defeated England 12-6 in the final.
It started a good run for the Wallabies as they won the Bledisloe Cup in 1992 and 1994.
The World Cup-winning skipper said the current Wallabies are building up to something special and with NSW Waratahs winning their first Super Rugby title this year, he was optimistic.
Farr-Jones also spoke about his playing days and how he was one of the last amateur Wallabies to have played the game before the sport went professional in the mid-90s.
But the highlight on the night was the presentation of a framed photo of Herb Daly – one of the first Wallabies.
The former Mudgee Wombat toured with the Australian rugby side on their first overseas trip to England, Wales and North America in 1908.
On that same tour were several players who defected to rugby league including Dally Messenger – the player in which the NRL’s Player of the Year medal is named after.
Daly is the great uncle of Mudgee’s Bob Kearins.
Mudgee Rugby president Greg Bartrim said it was a special moment for the club.
“That was absolutely awesome to receive that,” Bartrim said of the Daly presentation.
“It is also great to have a contact from that far still with us.”
The framed photos of Daly will be placed on the Wombats’ wall of honour in the club room.
The club also had auction items including a signed 2014 Waratahs jersey that fetched $4000.
Majority of the proceeds will go to the club but $1500 went to children’s charity Little Wings.
“The night was an absolutely huge success. It was a fantastic evening,” Bartrim said.
There are plans to develop a book on the history of the Mudgee Rugby Club.