Eagles give club keys to homeless Knights

THE spirit of rugby is alive and well on the Gold Coast with a touching act of kindness between clubs.

Reigning premiers Griffith University College Knights have found themselves without a home this pre-season as renovations at their Heeb St base rendered their playing surface unsuitable for this weekend’s trial against the visiting Melbourne Unicorns.

With the Gold Coast Eagles away for a three-way trial with Helensvale Hogs and Brisbane Irish, the Southportbased club has offered use of its fields, bar and canteen to the Knights; a team teasingly labelled the competition’s villains after an extraordinary era of success.

“It was no decision at all for us,” Eagles president Jason Teren said.

“We want to facilitate rugby where we can if they have to use our ground when we’re not using it there’s no issue, we’re more than happy to accommodate them.”

Teren said relations at executive level at the Coast’s rugby clubs were closer than ever before with regular meetings between presidents fostering a culture of goodwill.

“I think all the clubs are a lot closer now than they have been previously, from the sound of things,” he said.

The Bulletin will launch its first online match centre for the weekend’s first grade trials, with live updates from every ground from Warwick to Casino as Gold Coast clubs hit the road before Easter.

PBC play Warwick, Pirates play Casino, Hogs and Eagles play Brisbane Irish and the Knights meet the champions of Melbourne club rugby.