UniSport Nationals gold medallist Claudia Nielsen will headline a host of stars lacing up the boots as Calrossy's Red v Blue games get super sized this weekend.
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The Old Boys and Old Girls games will be the centrepiece of the school's reunion weekend festivities and see school-mates, and club-mates, go head-to-head in a blockbuster afternoon of rugby action at Scully Park on Saturday.
Nielsen is fresh from helping her Sydney University side be crowned national champions and will line up for the girls Blue side alongside former Wallaroo, and Narrabri co-coach, Kate Brown, and Quirindi coach Georgia Moore.
Notable inclusions for the men's game include Harry Snook, who is coming off a good Sydney first grade colts season with Eastwood, recently-named Tamworth Player of the Year Darcy Barker, and Pirates stalwart Bart Leach.
"We are so excited to welcome our alumni back to Tamworth this weekend and to see them run out on to Scully Park on Saturday afternoon," school development coordinator Michael Wilson said.
"The majority of our players are still playing competitively so the standard of footy will be great to watch for the whole family."
Something they have done for a few years now, the concept of the rugby clashes is the brainchild of 'unofficial' Old Boys coordinator Angus Hanlon.
"The whole thinking behind it was just to catch up with friends again, that we haven't seen for forever.
"And we all enjoy playing rugby together," he said.
But it hasn't been played on this scale before.
Previously pretty much just "an esky on the sideline", he said the intention was to turn it into more of an event for the 2020 reunion but then COVID intervened.
Still, he didn't envisage it growing into the spectacle it is shaping up to be this weekend.
"Last time we just had a blue and a red jersey. I thought why don't we make it into something proper and get a full kit and get some sponsors on board and just have a bit of a barbecue and they can come and watch and whatever," Hanlon said.
"And then Michael Wilson just took it to the next level."
Hanlon said the response has been amazing.
"It's been great, all the boys and girls have got behind it," he said.
Named in the Blue team, he is one of those who will be coming up against a few club-mates with Barker and Aaron O'Keefe both part of the Red team.
"It's all in good spirits," he said.
"But that doesn't mean that we're gonna hold back on each other."
The Old Girls game will kick-off at 1.30pm with the Old Boys at 3pm. Inbetween the under-16s boys and girls will showcase their skills.
Rugby fans are in for a treat with 1999 World Cup winner Owen Finegan the special guest at the Sportsman's Luncheon preceding the games.
Chair of the Calrossy Foundation Karen Madirazza is looking forward to the weekend.
"We are delighted this weekend is happening after COVID impacts and so thankful for the generous support of our local sponsors with all funds raised from the weekend supporting the Scholarship Fund," she said.
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