Bali Rugby Memorials – 20th Anniversary

This week, on October 12th 2022, marks the 20th anniversary of the tragic Bali bombings which took 202 innocent lives including 88 Australians and many from the rugby family (with hundreds more injured).

Several Asian and Australian rugby clubs were impacted that fateful day and will be remembering their fallen teammates and loved ones on Wednesday.

Australian Rugby Bali Memorials 2022

In Australia, several rugby clubs have announced their plans to commemorate the day.

• Kingsley Football Club – The club commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings with legends matches played this past Friday. The club from Perth won the club’s first premiership in 2002 and went to Bali to celebrate but they forever lost 7 players of the 20 that made the trip (there is a great read here).
• Forbes Rugby Club – The club had a squad of 25 in Bali, and three never returned home. The club will hold a memorial on Wednesday at the Forbes Rugby Club and remember Paul Cronin, Greg Sanderson and Brad Ridley (find out more here).
• Bali Memorial Association – will host a public commemorative service at Kings Park, supported by State Government held at the Bali Memorial at Kings Park at 5.30 am on Wednesday, 12 October 2022 (local time). A ‘Remembering the Bali Bombings: 20 Years On’ photographic exhibition will open at the WA Museum Boola Bardip from Wednesday (see this link for more).

Kingsley Football Club – The club commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings with legends matches played this past Friday.

Asian Rugby Bali Memorials 2022

Asian clubs were impacted too and HKFC, SCC, Jakarta Komodos and the Taipei Baboons lost 27 players and supporters between them:

• Taipei Baboons RFC – the club lost 5 members in 2002.
• HKFC – The club unveiled two wall placards in 2005 in memory of the 11 club members killed in the bombings who were playing for the Hong Kong FC Vandals in Bali. The club will hold a service at 18:30 (local time) on Wednesday and hosts the annual Walton Brunch on Sunday 16th October 2022.
• Jakarta Komodos Rugby Club – The club lost six members in 2002 and remembers them on their club logo which says “12.10.2002 LEST WE FORGET”. They will wear replica jerseys from 2002 when they play the Bali Tens this year.
• SCC – The Singapore club is marking the 20th anniversary (in which they lost 8 members) with a Dawn Memorial Service on Wednesday 12th October 2022 followed by Bali Memorial games on Saturday 15th October 2022.
• The Pattaya Tens Rugby tournament also remembers the losses annually and is named the Chris Kays Memorial Rugby Tournament in dedication to the memory of the Pattaya Panthers RFC former captain who was killed in 2002.

Image Credit: SCC

We have reached out to all clubs to let us know if anything is planned and we would be happy to update the information from any other clubs or associations holding events this week to remember the 20th-anniversary occasion.

Asian Rugby Tournaments 2022

• Asia Rugby Sevens 2022 – Can Sri Lanka Rugby Play?
• Saigon Geckos 30 Years Rugby 10s Fest 2022.
• Chiang Mai World Flair International Rugby Tens 2022 (25-27 November 2022).
• Bali Tens (October 15-16 2022).