On 29th October, 2004, a changing of the guard occurred when the RSBS Soccer team won the final of the ANU Soccer (Purple Shins) Competition, bringing the purple shins trophy home to RSBS for the first time since 1975.

The lead up to the final showed RSBS defeating the 4 year reigning champions F&S, followed by RSC in a close semi-final resolved through a penalty shootout.

In the final, RSBS played their trademark defensive/fast attack game and were able to spring ahead at half time with two quick breaks, both resulting in goals. Despite a late comeback in the second half by the favoured and top of the ladder team Real Physics, RSBS were able to hold on and win convincingly 2 - 1.

The win (despite mismatched uniforms, some of which had to be recycled from the 1975 match) was the result of solid commitment from the whole team all year round. The team was comprised of the following players:

Monir Farhadi, Oliver Mueller-Cagar, Regan Ashby, Randal Donohue, Nijat Imin, David Collings, Riccardo Natoli, David Hayward, James Fong, Derek Collings, Bryan Rodgers, Tim Windsor, Mick Defranchesca, Michael Davies, Martin How and Jingara Hart.

The team would like to thank the RSBS community for their unprecedented crowd support and for donning their team colour, orange, to cheer them on. An early happy hour, and inspirational speech from Team Captain and organiser of the RSBS soccer team, Monir Farhadi, in catcheside court consolidated their victory, and created a common ground for the diverse groups within RSBS. He commented that, without such united spirit from spectators, their win may not have been possible.

Perhaps the greatest victory of the day was not the bringing home of The Purple Shin Trophy and the win of the soccer match, but the spirit shown by all members of RSBS.

Congratulations once again, and best of luck next season!

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