Goulburn, located on the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, has a rich rugby history. In 1872, Goulburn became the first country rugby club to be founded in Australia.
The city also has strong links to the Wallabies. Simon Poidevin and Bruce Bailey were born, raised and educated in Goulburn. Ken Tarleton and Phil Clements were born in Goulburn. Terry Casey, John Weatherstone and Adrian McDonald were each schooled in Goulburn while Geoff Richardson, John Klem, Frank McPhillips, Paul Southwell, Lars Hedberg, Peter Lucas, Poidevin and Bailey all played for the side now known as the Dirty Reds.
On Saturday March 12th, the Goulburn Rugby Union Football Club will officially open "Klem Oval", their second rugby field at Rugby Park
“Klem Oval” is a full competition size ground that, together with “Simon Poidevin Oval“, will give the club the opportunity to host both junior and senior Rugby tournaments including Junior State Championships and Sevens tournaments.
The Klem Oval name recognises the Klem family’s outstanding contribution to rugby in Goulburn, particularly tireless President Matt Klem, Matt’s father Dave Klem and his uncle, and Classic Wallaby, John Klem.
There's a host of fantastic events planned throughout the day including a Brumbies junior coaching clinic for kids aged 6-12, a formal oval opening, men’s and women’s trial matches and finally a “sold out” gala dinner at which nine life members will be formally presented.
Classic Wallaby President Simon Poidevin, after whom the club’s current main field was named when it opened in 1996, will officiate the “Klem Oval” opening on this Saturday commencing at 12.00pm with 20 members of the Klem family in attendance. Simon will also be the “Klem Oval” gala dinner’s special guest speaker and interviewer.
Ahead of the weekend’s celebrations, Simon Poidevin said, “The opening of the “Klem Oval” on Saturday 12th March is a fantastic achievement from a truly great country Rugby Cup that hails the honour of being Australia’s first ever country Rugby Club, founded in 1872.
The outstanding members of the “Goulburn Dirty Reds” have now added a second first class oval at Rugby Park that is named in honour of the Klem family, a family who have contributed so much effort and vision to the club over 60 years.
I am so proud to have played for the Goulburn Dirty Reds in 1977 and to be the Patron of such a dynamic and successful club on and off the field, including the establishment of the highly successful Fizzy Reds junior program catering for boys and girls across the Goulburn region”.
