2006 Rugby Classic

Each year Bermuda hosts the World Rugby Classic - an Island holiday disguised as a tournament for past rugby players. Teams from NZ, Australia, Argentina, US, Canada, France, South Africa and the Lions contested the Classic with players such as Tony Daly and Matt Cockbain (Aust), Emile N'tamack and Philippe Bernat-Salles (Fr) and Steve McDowell, Charlie Reichelman, Junior Tonu'u and Frano Botica (NZ) featuring in the tournament.

Unfortunately NZ has a tradition of not taking any penalties or conversions and this counted against us big time. We lost our semi-final to eventual winners, the Lions.

Overall though it's fair to say the tournament is little about rugby and mostly about partying - the perfect example being a few years ago when the Aussies were banned from the Classic for running down Front Street naked after winning the tournament! The Classic is held over a week with big parties every night and probably more players being hung over than anywhere near peak physical fitness - not that anyone's complaining though. It's great times!

The 'Classic All Blacks' shaking off hangovers while performing the haka: