!n 1993 a few rugby dads travelled to Dublin for the World Golden Oldies Festival, they had such a great time, when they came back to Terrey Hills they decided to form a Golden Oldies Team (over 35’s) to play at Terrey Hills Oval and to be known as the Stillbillies. This name came about because as Terrey Hills residents we are sometimes called Hillbillies or just Billies, and a Still was constructed which we used to take to all matches in the early years, hence the name Stillbillies. We now have a new Still which we take to World Festivals.
In the first year or so we combined with the CBOOBS, Christian Brother Old Old Boys and when we travelled to Christchurch in 1995 for our first World Festival we went under the joint name of CBOOBS/Terrey Hills Stillbillies. For the next few years we were known as the Terrey Hills Stillbillies, and in the late 1990’s this became simply the Stillbillies.
Each year we play about 12 matches most of them in Sydney, but we also travel to Port Macquarie, Nelson Bay, and Tathra. We have been to World Festivals in Christchurch, Adelaide, Brisbane, Wellington, Edinburgh, Sydney, Fukuoka Japan, Mar del Plata Argentina, Cardiff Wales, and Christchurch again in 2019, and are already registered for Denver USA in June 2020. World Festivals last for a week, a total of 3 games are played on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and off the field socialising has to be experienced, just simply fantastic!
IRB rules are slightly modified for Golden Oldies – no pushing in scrums, the side that feeds the scrum must win it, number 8 must stay bound in scrums and cannot pick up the ball at the base of the scrum, no lifting in lineouts or quick line outs, no kicking except in your own 22 and this rarely happens, no over vigorous play, no kicking for goal, and there are rules to protect players in coloured shorts, red, yellow, and purple, as players can only wear these shorts due to age or injury, and every match is declared an honourable draw. Above all, Golden Oldies is meant to be fun, and to be played and enjoyed in the spirit of Fun, Friendship, and Fraternity, the motto of Golden Oldies internationally.
The Stillbillies are a proud Club and will play our 27th season in 2019. Since 1993 there have only been 3 captains, Dave Ryan – 1993 to 2010, Burl Iles 2010 to 2015, and the incumbent, Gary Stewart from 2016.
A great way to spend a Saturday or a Sunday!