FORMER Wallaby Clyde Rathbone is set for a Port Macquarie visit on the June long weekend to help a local club celebrate a special milestone.
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Rathbone will be at Rydges for a ball as part of the Hastings Valley Vikings' massive 20th anniversary.
Rathbone captained the South African under 21s team to World Cup success before playing 26 points and scoring 40 points for the Wallabies.
He will be part of a special double act: Rathbone's comedian brother Dayne will join him at the function.
Former Vikings president and ball organiser Mark Hill was lucky to snare the pair. He locked in Dayne Rathbone, and during a conversation with the comedian, Rathbone suggested Clyde would also be interested.
"I'm pretty chuffed with how it all fell into place," he said.
"We're pretty lucky. It's a unique thing having two brothers [for a function], one completely different to the other one."
Hill predicted Rathbone's comedy would be a hit on the night.
"He's got a completely different style than most other comedians," he said.
The ex-Wallaby Rathbone's rugby-related stories will keep the sport's enthusiasts at the ball happy.
There is plenty planned for the Vikings to celebrate the big weekend in fine style.
There's a meet and greet set down for Friday afternoon at Port City Bowling Club where former and current players will mingle.
Then there's the first and reserve grade matches on Saturday before the Rydges event, and another function could go ahead on Sunday.
Vikings president David Barnes has been involved with the club for "15 or 16 years" of the 20 which the club has been in operation.
"It's good to see how it's changed and grown in that time," he said.
Barnes paid tribute to Coffs for allowing that game to go ahead.
"We're very happy they've accommodated our plans and allowed the game to go ahead," Barnes said.
A massive match against Vikings' biggest rivals, Port Pirates, was impossible to organise because the Pirates had already agreed to a match with Kempsey Cannonballs for that club's 40th anniversary on the same weekend.
Barnes couldn't wait to see the Rathbone brothers in action together.
"It's good. One's a comedian and the other has a serious side to talk about," he said. Tickets to the ball will go on sale soon.
