Saturday 3 December
NIST – 10:00-12:00 (Juniors 10:00-10:45)

Tuesday 6 December
Arsenal Grounds – 19:00-20:30

Saturday 10 December
NIST – 10:00-12:00 (Juniors 10:00-10:45)

Tuesday 13 December
Arsenal Grounds – 19:00-20:30

Saturday 17 December
NIST – 10:00-12:00 (Juniors 10:00-10:45)

Tuesday 20 December
TENTATIVELY ON – refer to the touch group email for this week to see if we have the numbers. If on, it will be held at Arsenal Grounds – 19:00-20:30

Saturday 24 December
NO TOUCH

Tuesday 27 December
TENTATIVELY ON – refer to the touch group email for this week to see if we have the numbers. If on, it will be held at Arsenal Grounds – 19:00-20:30

Saturday 31 December
NO TOUCH

Tuesday 3 January
TENTATIVELY ON – refer to the touch group email for this week to see if we have the numbers. If on, it will be held at Arsenal Grounds – 19:00-20:30

Saturday 7 January
NIST – 10:00-12:00 (Juniors 10:00-10:45)

Tuesday 10 January onwards
Arsenal Grounds – 19:00-20:30

Saturday 14 January onwards:
NIST – 10:00-12:00 (Juniors 10:00-10:45)

Saturday 28 January
Southerners Social Mixed Touch Tournament

We would like to invite you to join us in a fab night in Bangkok ~ one which has become one of the best ‘cocktail nights’ and ‘End of Year’ celebrations in Bangkok within the expat community ~ so lock the date in now!

This is the sixth year the Southerners have held their annual Club Ball – this year offers a chance to celebrate 17 years of Southerners sporting and social success with Club members and friends!

Date: SATURDAY 19th NOVEMBER
Where: Grand Millennium Hotel Asoke
Time: 7.30pm onwards ~ starting with drinks in the reception area before moving into the Grand Ballroom ~ where the party begins!
Tickets: 2500 THB Southerners members / 2700 THB Non-members

Inclusive of:

• International buffet meal ~ including Australian Angus Roast & all the trimmings!
• 8 bottles of wine per table
• Free flow beer
• Entertainment provided by DJ Russell Jay
• Door prize draw – BBQ up for grabs courtesy of Brad & the team at Barbeque Store on Sukhumvit Soi 39
• Raffle Draw Prizes to be won on the night!

**To reserve your tickets or book a table (10 pax) – please contact Dana Piggott or Mark Anderson.

Please find information for the Southerners International Touch Tournament. If you would like to enter a team, please download and fill out the registration form and email back to Linda by 24 November 2011.

For a tournament information sheet (PDF), please click here.

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Saturday 28 January
09:30 Captain and referee meeting at the pitch
10:00 First game starts
17:00 Planned finishing time
19:30 Prize giving dinner at venue (to be determined)
(Times are tentative and may change depending on number of teams entered).

Field Location
Patana International School, Sukhumvit Soi 105. This is away from the center of town. We will provide transportation to the pitch from a central Bangkok location.

Saturday evening dinner and awards
A dinner and prize-giving function will be held at a location to be confirmed. Cost for dinner will be 1,000 Baht per person. After that you’re free to roam Bangkok’s exciting night spots!

Rules and regulations
Games will be played according to FIT rules.

Teams
Mixed teams only. If you are short on male/female players, please let us know and we will try to find additional players for you.

Food and drinks
Food and drinks will be available for sale at the pitch. Water fountains will be provided. Bring your own bottle.

Medical service
We are working on having a doctor/ambulance on site.

Cost
7,000 Baht per team, plus 1,000 Baht per person for the Saturday dinner.

Transportation
Transportation from a central location in town to pitch will be provided.

Hotel
We recommend you book your own hotel, as Bangkok has a lot of choice and online booking is often cheaper than any special deals we can get!! Let us know if you need suggestions.

Contact
Linda Belonje
lindabelonje@gmail.com

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Tuesdays

Arsenal (Sukhumvit Soi 71, sub-soi 21 - Map)
1900-2030hrs
Paid members only (Not yet a member? Feel free to come try)
200Bt
Bring water

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Saturdays

NIST (Sukhumvit Soi 15 - Map)
1000-1200hrs
200Bt
Bring water bottle (free refills)

A crew of 11 Southerners descended on Singapore to take part in the annual Asian Champs Touch Rugby Tournament on 11 & 12 June. The mixed open competition included teams from Shanghai, Singapore and Bangkok, with all teams playing each other twice in the group stages on day one, before playing off for the silverware on day two.

The Southerners were quick to get into their stride against a youthful looking Shanghai team. There was no match for the experience and skill of skipper Mark Wood calling the shots from midfield – the damp conditions dictated a shorter passing game, the Southerners demonstrating great ball control and teamwork throughout the day. All teams in the group were very closely matched, which made for very competitive games.

Five games within day one left us second in the pool with 1 win, 3 draws, and 1 loss. This put us in the semi-final on day two against Bedok, in what proved to be the game of the tournament. Mark, Raphael, Linda, Kai Kim, Boyd, Sarah, Glenn and Duncan all crossed to keep us in the frame, but despite our efforts over 40 exhausting minutes, we fell just one short at 9-8.

We duly won the remaining play-off game to claim 3rd prize for the weekend.

A fantastic effort all-round from the Southerners, with all players performing at their best, and everyone boasting at least one try.

Thanks to Mark for all the coaching and to Linda for organizing the weekend. Some advice to some of the players:

Raphael – next time no veggie patties before the game…

Marco – great games, too bad your shoes couldn’t keep up with your pace!

Words: Duncan Falzon / Linda Belonje

At the most recent club AGM, Vaughan McClear stepped down as President of the Southerners Sports Club after several years of sterling service.  During his time as President, Vaughan led the club to financial and sporting success, ensuring each section was supported on and off the field.  Vaughan typifies the true spirit of being a Southerner, and thankfully, he is only reeling back his responsibilities, still being involved as Club Treasurer and Cricket Representative.  Big Daddy Vaughan will no doubt now have more time to work on his young fella’s cover drive!!  Thanks to Vaughan for all he has done for the club as President.

Dana Piggott was subsequently elected as the Southerners’ first ever female President, following in the high-heeled footsteps of Lithuania’s Dalia Grybauskaite, Germany’s Angela Merkel and Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff.  As a matter of immediate importance, Dee announced a number of key social events this year, including the Southerners Race Day, Khao San Road Tour and Southerners Ball (19 Nov), as well as club-wide drinks on the first Friday of every month.

Elected – 2011 Southerners Sports Club Committee:

Dana Piggott – President
Mark Anderson – Vice President/Secretary
Vaughan McClear – Treasurer & Cricket Representative
Jenny Hall – Netball Representative
Darrel Lintott – Rugby Representative
Linda Belonje – Touch Rugby Representative
Siam Sattayaphan – Social Coordinator
Steve Bell – Website/Communications
Kara Dowson – General Committee Member
Patricio Alban – General Committee Member

Click here to find a contact email for the President and section heads.

Where can I buy rugby boots?
The largest and probably most cost-friendly range close to town can be found in the sois on the Western side of National Stadium (off Soi Chula 5). Here you will find all the major brands including a few knock-offs from China, with prices varying and bargaining not uncommon. Socks, mouthguards, training gear and other items are also available in the area at varying prices.

To get to the area, this map may help – catch the BTS to National Stadium, get out on the MBK side and walk west along Rama 1 (in the same direction the Skytrain was travelling).  Soi Chula 5 will be on your left…just inside you will start to see a range of sports stores (most close by 6.30pm on weekdays).

Another alternative is in the sports stores nearby Sala Daeng BTS, or in the sports departments of the main department stores in Bangkok (Paragon, Central etc).   While these tend to be a pricier alternative, the stores offer the latest big-name designs and will make you look like a regular Quade Cooper, Brian O’Driscoll or Katy McLean.

What type should I buy?
Opinions vary as to the best type of boot for local conditions, however most members opt for molded boots as they are better on the harder grounds often played on across Asia. Some players also own screw-in style boots with longer studs for the wetter months, however it certainly isn’t a necessity.   It is generally quite difficult to find traditional-style screw-in boots in Thailand.

Londoner Brew Pub Batcave (Cnr Sukhumvit Soi 33)
Friday, 4 March (7pm)

Don’t know where the Londoner is?  Click here.

What a venue.

What a club.

What a hangover…

It was all happening last weekend at the Millennium Grande for the 2010 Southerners Ball.

The night kicked off in grand fashion, with many a thirsty Southerner whetting their whistle with a glass of the hotel’s finest – photos were popping off everywhere, with the lobby resembling a disco ball of flash.

And the fashions certainly didn’t disappoint. The Southerners’ ladies yet again led the way – one could be forgiven if they thought they had mistakenly stepped into a Fashion-TV Christmas party. It was also wonderful to see so many young men from the rugby section transform themselves from ogre to ‘oresome’, thankfully grasping the complex triumvirate of shower-shave-suit.

Linda Belonje took out Club Person of the Year, cited for her excellence as section leader (Touch rugby), organizing several international tournaments, promoting touch rugby in Thailand, and generally kicking ass all round with anything thrown her way.

Each section also recognized their Player of the Year – congratulations to:

• Jenny Hall – Netball
• Shane Thompson – Cricket
• Brad Coulter – Touch
• Steve Bell – Rugby

New dad Brad Coulter not only took out the top gong for Touch Rugby, but he also won the grand raffle prize of a four-burner BBQ, courtesy of our good friends at The BBQ Store (10% off for Southerners…get down there!).   Hopefully Brad’s young’n Tilly is on the steaks sooner rather than later as that thing is an absolute beast.

Thanks must certainly go to Dana Piggott, who pretty much organized the whole bloody thing – from the ticketing to the tables to the tunes and terrine. Her expertise in choosing a suite of wines that not only tasted good on the night, but also the next day, was similarly impeccable.

Good times!

The most affordable ball in Bangkok, it’s a chance to get your bling on…dress to the nines, savour a delicious international buffet, drink free flow beer and wine (Approx 6 bottles per table) all night and bounce about the ballroom dance floor to beats by DJ Russell Jay and Kanye West*.

Loads of great free door and raffle prizes have also been lined up, ranging from dining, travel and hotel vouchers, to a grand BBQ courtesy of The Barbecue Store.

Partners, friends and work colleagues are all very welcome to attend. To secure your ticket, contact your section head, or Dana Piggott.

Not sure what to wear?

For men – Black tie, no Lederhosen.

For ladies – Cocktail.

* Kanye West may not be in attendance.