Orange City Rugby Club held a special reunion long lunch on Friday, May 8, as the club celebrated 50 years since winning its first premiership in 1976. Eleven members of the 1976 winning side were in attendance, along with the coach Dr Geoff Mutton.

"It's a very nice return," said former Orange school teacher and captain of the 1976 Lions team, Mark O'Connor. "It's always a bit nostalgic and good to catch up with people after so long... It's a good club!"

In '76, Bathurst had gone through the entire season undefeated, Mark said, reflecting on the match.

"And they'd beaten us in the semi-final, although we should have won. They got an intercept try right at the end," he recalled. "Then we played him in the Grand Final and I think we beat them 15-3. They didn't score a try, so that was pretty rewarding."

To celebrate the anniversary, Orange City's 1st Grade squad ran out in replica jerseys on Saturday in their match against Orange Emus.