A reunion of university social rugby side the Hardmen will take place in Dunedin this weekend, but it will not be all about reminiscing. There will also be assistance for some of our most vulnerable.
The side was started in 1997 when a group of friends from around New Zealand came together to start tertiary study.
Andy Smith, now of Brisbane, said the group of school leavers started talking about getting a rugby team together.
''We were wondering what club to go for and then thought 'why don't we go and form our own team?' So the team was formed and we went from there,'' he said.
The team was mainly made up of students living at Hayward House, so they called themselves the Hardmen.
Unlike many university social teams, the Hardmen have continued to play.
''There has always been someone wanting to take it on and keep it going.''
The team had a reunion after 10 years and this weekend will have players from all over the country and further afield celebrating the club's 20th anniversary.
''I think those years in Dunedin are pretty special to a lot of people. When you come over that hill and the city spreads in front of you it brings back some pretty special memories.''
The group is expecting more than 40 people back for the reunion.
Smith said the group also wanted to do something for Dunedin and a team member had suggested helping the neonatal intensive care unit at Dunedin Hospital. He is hoping to raise upwards of $5000 for the unit and already nearly half of that has been raised.
