SWIEQI OVERSEAS RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB – THE NEXT CHAPTER
As from Season 2013/2014, the Overseas Rugby Union Football Club is proud to announce it will be representing the localities of Swieqi, Ibragg and Madliena. The club will be known as Swieqi Overseas Rugby Union Football Club.
This will be launched officially tomorrow 7th September at Swieqifest.
This event marks an important chapter for the club after years of nomadic existence and is the next step towards stability and growth. Apart from a new kit, new logo and a new philosophy, the club will remain at it’s core one based on an international character – with a core of Maltese players.
The original club was formed on the 11th of November 1946. Although rugby had been played before, the ‘Overseas’ was the first civilian rugby club in Malta and would compete against British forces sides and visiting teams. The name ‘Overseas’ derives from the fact that since its origins, it has seen people of different cultures and nationalities coming together into one team. The history is recorded in two books authored by one of it’s original members, and serve as a historical record of the development of the sport on the islands. A copy of the books is available at the National Library of Malta and on the club’s website. Since the inception of the MRFU as the Rugby Association of Malta in 1990, Overseas has won all the top honours in local rugby being crowned league champions for 8 times.
The club boasts several current national team players, namely Club Captain Clayton Cassar and Vice Captain Vince Stivala from the Men’s Section, and Sairita Cassar who is Captain of the Women’s Section. The club has also managed to attract experienced coaching staff including it’s new club head coach Tony Garrett, and Dan M. Moore who will head the Women’s Section. Both coaches have a wealth of experience and will be able to lift the skill level in the teams significantly and contribute to the culture of the club.
A Youth’s section is in the offing which will be used to launch and implement the ‘Get into Rugby’ programme under the auspices of the MRFU. Strong interest for the youths has already been shown and more announcements will be made in the near future.
In line with it’s philosophy to help the community, the Club will be adopting as it’s official cause the support of children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and orphanages.
The Committee would like to thank the Swieqi Local Council for it’s continued support especially Dr Justin Fenech. The Club would also like to thank its sponsors for the season; Green Energy Power Solutions Limited, Hell Energy Drink, Deal Today, and Guinness. The latter includes a deal covering three seasons. The official homebar is Black Gold Saloon in Gzira.
Chris Cachia
President
Swieqi Overseas RUFC