Welcome home, Sydney Convicts

SYDNEY: Fresh from their triumphant campaign to reclaim the gay rugby world’s Holy Grail - the Bingham Cup - our very own Sydney Convicts will be co-hosting a special celebration party later this month and are inviting the whole community to join them.

The Midnight Shift will play host to the event on Saturday, July 21 that will also see the Sydney Rangers football club welcomed back from their recent successful trip to Mexico City for the Gay and Lesbian Football Association World Championship Cup.

With both Convicts A and B teams having “came, saw, and conquered” in Manchester, England only a few weeks ago, the boys are all keen to show their friends back home the coveted Bingham Cup and Bowl they now proudly call theirs.

Sydney Convicts president David Whittaker said the club was thankful and very grateful for all the help it had received from friends, fans and sponsors.

“The tour could not have been more successful. We are grateful to the Midnight Shift for their support of the Convicts and gay sport in general,” he said.

“We wouldn’t be able to take two teams half way round the world to the Bingham Cup without the support of the Shift and the people who attend our fundraising events like Rugger Bugger.

“We would love to see all our supporters at the Shift on July 21 so we can show them the Cup and Bowl and express our appreciation for their fantastic help and encouragement.”

This year’s Bingham Cup was the biggest ever making the Convicts achievements even more impressive.

The local mainstream rugby community has also taken note, with a number of Australian rugby legends such as Phil Waugh to help host an exclusive function in honour of the Convicts on the evening of Wednesday, July 25 at Darlinghurst.

The Sydney Convicts and Sydney Rangers 'Welcome Home' party is on Saturday, July 21, at The Midnight Shift (upstairs), Darlinghurst.