Welcome Steve Meehan!
GPS Rugby Club is excited to announce the appointment of Steve Meehan as the Director of Rugby.
Steve has an abundance of coaching experience over the past 25 years – which started as our Colts 1 coach in 1995. He then went on to coach at Stade Francais and Toulon in France, Kintetsu Liners in Japan, was Head Coach at Bath in England where they won the won the European Challenge Cup in 2008, and has coached at the Queensland Reds and Western Force in the Super Rugby competition. He is currently Director of Rugby and Brisbane Boys College and will continue in this role.
Steve will now work with the club to appoint a team of coaches, including the 1st Grade Head Coach role, to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Elwee Prinsloo, who has given the club 4 years of service as the Director of Rugby, Assistant Coach of the Premiership winning 1st Grade side in 2018, and Head Coach the last two years.
We thank Elwee for his service and we welcome Steve for the next era of success at GPS Rugby Club.
Zoom Link for GPS Lunch #3
Join us at the Caxton at our GPS Lunch on the 23rd of October from 12:30pm and listen to Guest Speaker Trevor Gillmeister talk!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85379664973?pwd=UU9RU2dhL1ZMTFR5VTN3NkNiVnR2QT09
Meeting ID: 853 7966 4973
Passcode: CAXTON
Presidents Message - 15th July
It is pleasing to see all Senior and Junior teams returning to full-contact training under the approved Stage 3 Field Sort Industry Plan this week. It is also good to see that we will also be allowed to host spectators back at the Ashgrove Sports Ground under approved social distancing of one person per 4m2 and maintaining attendance record keeping. On coming down to the grounds you will see our staff have been busy with signage and hygiene points around the club.
Both Elwee and Matt have been busy with Coaches and Managers ensuring all are aware of the COVID-19 Plan in place for Ashgrove Sports Ground. If you have any queries at all here please contact the club on Ph 3366 1266.
The club with this year more than ever will need assistance from volunteers. Procedures in place for COVID-19 are labour intensive so if you have some time to assist with ground set up, canteen, merchandise please contact the club.
Our Under 6 to 9s Round 1 is on July 18 with our Under 10 to 16s having their first game on August 2nd. The last game of the Junior Season will be on the 12th of September.
Our Senior Draw was only finalized last week with our games as follows:
Some other dates to pencil in:
Friday 21st August
Sports Lunch @ Caxton Street – Jim Tucker and Michael Blucher Guest speakers
Friday 18th September –
Golf Day @ Keperra Golf Club
Friday 25th September
Sports Lunch @ Caxton Hotel – Ian Healy Guest Speaker
Friday 23rd October
Sports Lunch @ Caxton Hotel – Trevor Gillmeister Guest speaker
Friday 27th November
Sports Lunch @ Caxton Hotel – Guest Speaker TBA
Ashgrove Sports Ground Covid 19 Mandatory
Please note that under the Sports Industry Plan it is mandatory for us to maintain a ground attendance record. To make this easier for all, we (along with many other BJRU clubs) are implementing a QR code check-in process through EVA Check-In. Feel free to click on that link for more information.
There will be QR codes, and steps on how to do it upon entry.
I would especially like to thank all our exceptional Sponsors and Members who have been tremendous in their ongoing support in these difficult times. I would again encourage all families to join our membership program where possible and support our sponsors, many of whom are also planning their own roadmap to recovery.
I look forward to seeing you all again soon down at the Club.
Kind Regards
Michael Taylor
GPS Rugby Club President
COVID-19 March 19 Update
The following information has been provided to the club from Rugby AU.
INFORMATION FOR THE GAME REGARDING CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
Date: Tuesday 10 March 2020
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness caused by a new virus and symptoms can range from mild illness to pneumonia and people may experience fever, flu-like symptoms or shortness of breath. In Australia, the people most at risk of getting the virus are those who have recently been in mainland China and Iran or have been in close contact with someone who is a confirmed case of COVID-19.
COVID-19 is increasingly impacting the global community and is a rapidly evolving issue. The Australian Government’s Department of Health are currently monitoring COVID-19 and providing advice that is regularly updated:
https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert
Rugby Australia strongly recommends that member unions, associations, clubs and participants follow the advice issued by of the Australian Government and any additional advice that is issued by their State or Territory Governments.
Additionally, the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) are providing regular updates on their website: https://ais.gov.au/health-wellbeing/covid-19/_nocache#covid-19_and_sport_faq
The best way to prevent against the spread of infections such as COVID-19 is to practice good hygiene, including:
• regularly washing hands with soap and water;
• using a tissue and covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing;
• avoiding close contact with others if you are unwell; and
• ensuring public spaces/equipment (such as club changing rooms and massage tables etc.) are regularly and thoroughly cleaned.
Clubs should also be ensuring that safe hygiene practices in relation to food handling are followed in kitchens and dining facilities.
There is a risk of transmission of infections in team sport environments, therefore any participant who is currently suffering from any flu-like symptoms or is feeling unwell, regardless of their recent travel, should refrain from playing/training and should seek medical advice.
Participants should also follow the advice and restrictions set out by the Department of Health relating to isolation following travel or contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases. Any participant who is subject to the outlined travel restrictions or has been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case should not attend training/matches or any other club activities for 14 days following travel or contact.
There is not currently any advice that recommends those in Australia refrain from attending sporting matches, however everyone is advised to stay up to date with the latest Department of Health advice.
Vale Bob Armstrong
GPS have lost another member of the 1972 Premiership side.
Robert David Horne Armstrong passed away on 26th January aged 74. His friends are invited to celebrate his life at the White Lady’s Chapel at 270 Kelvin Grove Road, Kelvin Grove and afterwards at GPS clubhouse on Friday 14th February at 10:30am.
Bob played for GPS between 1970 and 1979 playing 148 games including 68 First Grade. He scored 18 tries. in 1975 he served on the Committee and has been a regular supporter of GPS from the sidelines for many years.
Bob at the GPS Rugby Sportmans Lunch in 2018