I am delighted to have been given the opportunity of making a contribution to your Tour Brochure and perhaps there is no better contribution than telling something of our history.

The Old Boys’ Club was founded in 1936 with the first game against the School, which the School won 11 points to 9. Before the war the School rugby teams played in maroon shirts with grey collars and the founder members of Old Wirralians’ decided on the now famous maroon and white hoops to cement their old ties with the School.

The Club prospered quickly with a second team the following season but the outbreak of war saw most players joining the Forces. However, with the help of the School and under the guidance of the legendary 'Dippy Howarth’ we kept going right through the war, the only Old Boys side in the area to do so.

After the war the Club leased ground facilities at the old Hooton Park Golf Club and in 1968 the Old Wirralians’ Association Memorial Ground was opened at Clatterbridge by our most famous rugby Old Boy, Air Commodore R. H. G. Weighill. Since that date the Club has continued to progress with six senior sides, an under-21‘s, Colts’ and Junior Colts’ sides and a flourishing Mini Rugby Section.

All the achievements made possible by the early Wirralians have been most ably carried on year in and year out by their successors and perhaps one of the greatest gifts inherited from our School rugby playing days is that players came from School and stayed to administer the Club when their playing days were over. Our immediate Past President for 15 years, Keith Nichol, was a member of the very first side in 1936 and a signatory on the famous ball on display at School.

Our links with the School have always been strong; our first two Chairmen, Jock Crawford and J. P. Howarth, were original staff members. Two past Club Captains, Brian Thompson and Bob McCoombe. are still with the staff, together with the Head of the PE Department, Mike Briers, who was a 1st team winger for many years.

We continue to reap the benefit of the rugby grounding received at School down at 'Old Wirralians’, which is as it should be. We want all School leavers to come to the Club, rugby players or not, so that the friendships begun at School can be carried on for the rest of their lives.

Our congratulations to everyone connected with the arrangements for the Hong Kong Tour, which is a magnificent effort. We know that you will perform on the field in the best traditions of Wirral Rugby and that the memories of your trip will be with you for the rest of your lives.