Welcome home for sporting heroes

The triumphant Sydney Convicts Rugby Club and their soccer-playing counterparts at the Sydney Rangers Football Club will host a welcome home party at the Midnight Shift on July 21.

The event follows the Convicts’ double win at last month’s Bingham Cup in Manchester and the Rangers’ recent trip to Mexico City for the Gay and Lesbian Football Association World Championship Cup.

As sponsors of both the Convicts and the Rangers, Midnight Shift will give over its upstairs space from 10pm on the night for the celebrations.

It was a resounding victory for the Convicts at the Bingham Cup, with the club winning both the Cup and the Bowl. The Convicts A team won the Bingham Cup 22-5 victory over their friends and rivals the San Francisco Fog, while the Convicts B defeated Dallas Diablos 11-3 to win the Mark Bingham Bowl for the second time running.

Community members are invited to come and congratulate the teams and welcome them back to Sydney. It’s an opportunity for supporters to meet the players of both teams and show their support for gay and lesbian sport in Sydney.

“The Convicts are thrilled to have won the Bingham Cup and Bowl in Manchester. The tour could not have been more successful. We are grateful to the Midnight Shift for their support of the Convicts and gay sport in general,” Convicts president David Whittaker told the Star Observer.

“We wouldn’t be able to take two teams half way round the world to the Bingham Cup without the support of the Shift and the people who attend our fundraising events like Rugger Bugger.

“We would love to see all our supporters at the Shift on 21 July so we can show them the Cup and Bowl and express our appreciation for their fantastic help and encouragement.”

INFO: Welcome Home Convicts and Rangers, from 10pm Saturday July 21, free before midnight.