Rugby Tour for Old Bill

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The flights are booked, the hotel organised, the playing kit ordered and the geriatric hospitals in the Greater London area placed on standby.

August 9 will become a landmark in the history of rugby in Hong Kong and equally a milestone in the number of daily admissions for injuries to old age pensioners. "On that day a team from the current Hong Kong Police Rugby Football Club (HKPRFC) will fly to the UK to take the field against former members of the Royal Hong Kong Police Association (RHKPA) Rugby Club. Sparks will be sure to fly - both emotionally and physically (as hip replacements grind together in the scrums)," said HKPRFC Vice-Chairman Mr Bill Smith.

The event is already a year in the planning with organising committees from both sides of the world busy in setting up this unique event. Gus Cunningham, Steve Quirke, and Graham Dainty have been assembling a team cobbled from the glory days of 1980s when the Police were considered the best in league rugby.

"We have put out the word through the RHKPA and the response has been fantastic," said Gus. We already have 40 players expressing an interest and hope to be able to field two sides in two separate matches. This will not only be a wonderful sporting event but also a great opportunity for families and friends to swap stories from an era in our lives of which we all still have very fond memories," he said.

Dave Grant, the current Chairman of the HKPRFC, was equally imbued with enthusiasm.

"It was an opportunity not to be missed with many of our players already in Europe taking part in another competition and UK being a short hop away. The rugby will be memorable and a talking point for many years to come. I fear, however, that the power of recall for the post match functions may be rather short-lived."

Anyone wishing to witness the event, regardless of any rugby connection, are welcome to visit the website at www.oldbill.com