Rugger Buggers
Kicking, stripping and rear end gripping - the Sydney Convicts are hard boys to penetrate, writes Andrew Georgiou
Plenty of off the field tackle
Gay rugby's golden boys The Sydney Convicts need little introduction on the international playing field. After bringing home the illustrious Bingham Cup in 2006, the rugger buggers received a hero's welcome complete with wolf whistles and booty gropes. "We get the sense that our community is very proud of what we have achieved," says the Convicts' Herculean poster boy Stuart Fenton.
Stuart's father Garry Fenton made his mark in the AFL annals playing for Essendon in the 1960s. Stuart didn't find his own studs until his late 20s and says he enjoys kicking goals and breaking stereotypes as a Convict. "Our mission statement is to break down stereotypes. It's annoying that people imagine that we scream when a ball flies towards us. That's not how we won the cup in 2006."
While the upcoming Bingham Cup in Dublin is predominantly an international competition for gay teams, the Convicts are the only gays in the village when they play in the mainstream competition the rest of the year round at home. For rival teams blinded by the stereotype, an ass-whipping by a team of gay boys can apparently be hard to cop sweet. "Sometimes we get called faggots when we're kicking the other team's arse," laughs Fenton. You'd think winning 12 out of 14 games last season would earn these boys more respect - however, Fenton is quick to note that the majority of the teams the Convicts beat are gentlemanly about being topped by the boys.
Marketing a team of hot lads in footy shorts is hardly rocket science. With the support of The Midnight Shift nightclub and the teams dragscot, Maxi Shield, the Convicts mouth-watering fundraiser Rugger Bugger has funded the team's upcoming tour. The Convicts bravely go where straight footballers fear to tread - by dropping their daks and flashing their tackle at the event, which sees their legion of fans donating generously for every inch flaunted. Judging by the size of these boys, that's a lot of healthy donations. "It's all in fun and we are always overwhelmed by the support we receive from our own."
As one of the Convicts' earliest supporters, team mascot and Oxford Street safety ambassador Maxi Shield has hosted Rugger Bugger since its debut and, like a scene from a bent Emily Bronte novel, will chaperone the convicts on their Dublin tour.
"The Convicts welcome everyone. Whether you're there to train and become a part of the team, to root for them on the touchline or just root them, you're met with a smile," says Maxi. "I have many close mates who play with the convicts, so to help them out was no stretch at all. I started working with them from their first Rugger Bugger so I feel like the old drag-hag of the group," Shield confesses. The team's latest publicity shoots sees the lads and Ms Shield stripped to the buff, with a digital breast implant on their mascot to boot.
"With my draw-on looks, tied up waist, and glued on hair, naturally I'm the most glamorous mascot to hit the Bingham Cup this year," boasts Maxi.
As for intra-team shenanigans, Fenton would neither confirm nor deny, leaving all the sordid details to the imagination."There are guys in the team who are in relationships with other team members, which is great to see. We are a close team."
A line you're unlikely to hear from Matthew Johns.
When it is suggested to Fenton that the Convicts should send a team member on a reconnaissance mission to the rival team's hotel room while on tour, he is eager to offer his services.
"I'll gladly put my hand up for that dirty job," he confesses.
The Sydney Convicts leave Sydney for the Bingham Cup on June 7. More on the Convicts at
www.sydneyconvicts.org