Two of Thailand’s most popular sporting clubs have planned a bumper weekend of sport on the lush grounds of Horseshoe Point in Pattaya where a game of Australian rules football and a local grudge match of rugby will be played.   On Saturday June 26, the Thailand Tigers Australian Football Club and the Southerners Rugby Club will travel to Pattaya. The Tigers will play a hotly contested intra-club game where selection to represent Thailand in the upcoming Asian Championships will be on the line, while the Bangkok-based Southerners will play local club, the Pattaya Panthers.   The afternoon will kick off with the rugby game at 2pm, before the Australian rules match will be played. All three clubs are encouraging the local Pattaya community to come along and support a team and enjoy a barbeque and some ice cold and refreshing beverages.   Thailand Tiger’s President, Stephen Richards, said the Tiger’s have played at least one game each year at Horseshoe Point and each time a great group of supporters had turned up to watch the game.   “We hope we have a similar good response for sport lovers in Pattaya and anyone who might like a game of Australian rules or rugby should also come along and join one of the teams for the day,” Richards said.   “The Southerners and the Thailand Tigers are two pretty big clubs in Thailand who love their sport and the games are sure to be hotly contested. The rugby season is just about to start again so the Southerners will be looking to find some early touch while the Tiger’s players will be striving to make the side we will take to Shanghai for the Asian Championships against ten other teams.”

Southerners Head of Rugby Darrel Lintott said playing the Pattaya Panthers was always a big challenge and he was sure they would provide a great test as the 2010 rugby season kicks off in Bangkok.   “As a home game for the Panthers we are expecting a pretty tough game as they are always a very competitive outfit,” Lintott said.   “We have been doing plenty of work on the training track for the upcoming season and playing the Panthers will be a great gauge for us as to where we are at. Horseshow Point is a great venue to be playing at so we hope we can get a good crown down there for what should be a good game of rugby.”