Darby and the Damsel Dash

By Angus Hayman

After a week blanketed in grey skies and constant down pour, Woollahra Oval delivered a postcard-perfect Saturday, with golden sunshine and crisp autumn air, the day had ticked its first box. With Ladies Day in full swing, the stage was set not just for celebration, but for chaos, drama, and some truly electric footy.

Across the grades, the weekend had it all. Eight cards were dished out, completing a full rainbow of disciplinary flair that only added to the theatre of the occasion. Tensions simmered and boiled over, yet somehow, through all the whistles and marching orders, the Beasties found their rhythm. 

All week, the buzz centered around the return of some big names from the Waratahs, set to pull on the Beasties jersey once more for the hallmark occasion. When asked if they knew it was the renowned Easts Ladies' Day fixture, both Fergus Lee-Warner and Jack Grant allegedly replied; 

“Oh, is it? I swear we didn’t know”, as their noses grew noticeably longer.

But it was 1st Grade winger Darby Lancaster who turned the afternoon into his personal highlight reel. With five tries to his name, Lancaster lit up the scoreboard, playing like it was a game of touch footy on Bondi sand. Quick feet, clean heels, and an even cleaner jersey, Darby was untouchable.

East vs Manly Highlights

The only real challenger to Darby Lancaster’s five-try heroics was the hotly contested 50m Damsel Dash. During First Grade half time, all eyes turned to the center of the field for a clash of a very different kind. Heels were flung aside, dresses strained at the seams, and the oval echoed with a glorious mix of cheering and uncontrollable laughter. It was club day in its purest form, a celebration of community, colour, and just the right amount of chaos.

This trademark day wasn’t just a celebration off the field, it was a full-throttle display of club rugby at its entertaining, unpredictable best. 

From the fence, it was classic Easts: fast, fiery, and all in an attempt to impress the ladies.