Merriwa - Sandy Hollow Rugby Club. Located in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range in the Upper Hunter Valley Region of New South Wales.

The Merriwa Rugby Club was established in 1968. Wearing striped black and gold jumpers with a horseshoe crest the club enjoyed many sucessful seasons both on and off the field. Notable highlights were the 1981 grand final victory over the Singleton Bulls and the 1995 grandfinal victory.

The Black & Gold stripes quickly earned the club the nickname of "The Bumble Bees", which they have embraced and now carry as their logo and mascot.

In 1997, after continuing years of drought that forced many young people to seek work out of the district the club went into a period of hibernation.

In 2007, after a winter the previous year that sore no senior representative football of any code in Merriwa, a group of motivated individuals decided to reform the club.

In what was touted "The Resurrection", the Bumble Bees entered a team in the Newcastle & Hunter Valley Rugby competition. With a swell of support from the local community the Bumble Bees made an impressive return to the rugby arena, defeating all opposition teams, remaining undefeated at home and making the semi-finals.

More than just a force on the field the club embraces the social side of rugby and in 2007 was awarded "Most Sociable Club" in the Newcastle & Hunter Valley Rugby Competition.

The club is celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2008 and is looking to revive some of its traditions from the past and build on its success from 2007.

To get a taste of what we're about check out the photos on the link below or our videos which are in the "Links" tab.

Rugby 101: Video Explaining the Rules of Rugby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEQyCcageGg

Check Out Our Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/merriwa.rugby