After 32 years of active service in the Central West Rugby Union, the Dubbo Rugby Club has certainly left a deep impression on the other older member clubs (sometimes a very deep impression on their players). After winning the Grand Final in the Far West Zone in 1966, the players decided in their wisdom to transfer to the Central West. This decision provided the club with more rugby over the year, which involved a lot less travelling.
1967 saw the grand entrance of the Dubbo Rugby Club into this Zone. To the existing member clubs they were an unknown quality at the beginning of the season, but their high standard of rugby soon made their presence felt. Their ability has been a major contributing factor in raising the overall rugby standard in this Zone.
This is also reflected in the club earning a berth in the Zone final the same year. 1968 saw the Dubbo Rugby Club reach even greater heights when both 1sts and reserve grade teams played in the grand Finals. The Reserves went on to win their match, but a powerful Molong XV narrowly defeated the 1sts. Undaunted by this the 1sts were back in the grand Final the following year. Again Dubbo would walk away from the decider empty handed. This would again happen in 1971. In recent times the late 90's has seen a similar pattern of Dubbo playing in 1st Grade Grand Finals and missing out on the silverware.
In 1971, the Dubbo Rugby Club commenced operating a licensed club, then the only rugby club in the west with licensed facilities. In fact Dubbo was one of the few cities in Australia that boasted a licensed rugby club. The club would operate for 16 years before being placed in receivership in 1987.
1972 saw Dubbo's first overseas tour to New Zealand, and again in 1974 the club visited Malaysia and Singapore. In 1975 the Kangaroos traveled to California to further their rugby experience. Since then, numerous excursions overseas have taken place - Ireland, Hong Kong, USA, Canada, The UK and new Zealand. These ambitious exercises have certainly paid off, as we see in our Centenary year the numerical playing and supporting strength the greatest it has ever been.
In the 1980's and 1990's the expansion of the game in Dubbo has been dramatic. A veterans team started in 1981 known as "The Old Dubbonians Gentleman's Invitation XV". This team played for around a decade. In 1998 another golden Oldies team was formed, this time known as "The Roo Teds". It's chapter being to continue the traditions of veteran's rugby established by the Old Dubbonians.
The Dubbo Junior Rugby Club was formed in 1990 and has grown dramatically every year. It is now one of the largest and most successful junior clubs in country NSW. The senior club now boasts more teams than ever before, with 7 teams entered into Central West competitions. The total number of players registered with Dubbo Rugby Club in 1999 is around 400. The flow on from this great expansion will ensure the continued growth and success of rugby into the second century of this great game in Dubbo.
