SHELFORD RUGBY CLUB WEEKEND PREVIEW 168
WHAT A FEELING! FRIDAY 31st MARCH 2023
PRESIDENT’S NOTE Welcome to the 168th edition of The Weekend Preview Tomorrow sees the launch of our campaign in the inaugural Papa John's Community Cup. This promises to be an interesting venture after a foreshortened League season, with three Pool matches to be played over consecutive Saturdays. Our Men's 1st XV's strong Runners-up League finish sees them straight up into the Cup tier of the competition, rather than Plate, Shield or Bowl. This is already a feather in their caps and it is fitting that our Community Club has earnt the right to contest this Community Cup trophy and we have the advantage of starting with a home match, right here at The Davey Field. Our opponents, Havant, haven’t! They'll be travelling 125 miles to pit themselves against the Peacock family and that's who I'd like them to meet and hear, not just on the 3G, but in the stand and right along the touchline. With plenty of noise and supporters en masse, you know you make a difference, as all our players have attested all season. I really look forward to seeing how this interesting team selection performs tomorrow against unknown opposition. We'll have more unknown opposition tomorrow when touring French visitors, Centrale Supelec, play our Men’s 3rd XV. On Sunday, our Women's League season continues with the 1st XV travelling almost as far as Havant do, over 100 miles to Sutton Coldfield! I wish them well.
We're bound to cross paths and have plenty of opinions to share over a beverage or two. Come along tomorrow and enjoy some great rugby in great company at Peacock HQ. I understand there's even going to be an extra one-off raffle and you won't want to miss that! Until tomorrow. Rory Finlayson – President
PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE ILLINGWORTH
See all of his rugby match and event galleries here: https://www.stevenilling worth.com/Sports/Rugby
ST MEN’S 1
XV PREVIEW
Shelford, having completed their impressive League season as Runners-up 3 weekends ago, now embark on the first of their three ‘Papa John Cup’ games tomorrow. This is their only home game of the three pool stage matches of the competition, hosting Havant before travelling away to Camberley and Harpenden respectively. If we top the pool, we are into the semi-final round, to be played on 22 April, with the final - at Twickenham no less! - one week later, on 29 April. Havant also finished Runners-up in their League - Regional 1 South-Central - with a playing record of P22 W18 L4. They may have finished 14 points adrift of Wimbledon, who will return to National 2 Rugby, but scored a total of 16 try bonus points from their 22 games, losing only one home game all season. Their three away losses were against Wimbledon, the only team to achieve the double over them, as well as Camberley, our
next opponents, and Brighton. Note that Camberley, in turn, were only one point behind Havant! It goes without saying that they will travel in confidence, on the back of an impressive League season. Shelford’s Runners-up spot in Regional 1 South-East gave us our highest League position since we were relegated from National 2 South, way back in the 2013-14 season, a pretty impressive statistic. We have followed up well on our promotion and League Title from London 1 North last season. Well done to DoR Will Cotterill and his coaching/physio team and playing squad, as well as to all others involved in securing our highest League position for 10 seasons! This really has been a great achievement, with more to come!
Steve Cracknell Men’s 1st XV Manager
st MEN’S 1
XV SELECTION
After a couple of weeks' rest, the Men's 1st XV are looking forward to starting their Papa John's Cup campaign against fresh opposition from Havant RFC. It's the only pool match they'll play at The Davey Field, travelling to Camberley, then Harpenden for the following weeks. Player availability is good, but selection is also aiming to give players who have trained and played well for the Men's Nomads some action during the 3 Cup pool games. It's a great opportunity for some of our wider squad and younger players to get some 1st XV
experience. Yujian Zou will start in the front row with Miles Anderson and Oli Emsley, while Will Ramply packs down with Jake Prier in the second row.
st MEN’S 1
XV SELECTION
Isa Sloot gets another start in the back row alongside Ollie Walker and Joe Allison.
Tom Duffy and Harvey Taylor link up at 9 and 10 while Tom James, who will Captain the Men's 1st XV for the first time, moves into the centre with Joe Gill. Jack Biard makes his long-awaited comeback at fullback, joined by top try scorer, Louie Tang and top points scorer, Lewis Cracknell, on the wings.
Owen Miller, Miles Huppatz and Harry Chater make up the bench and all three will be looking forward to helping the Mighty
Peacocks finish the game strongly. There's no doubt about it, tomorrow's game is going to be a real challenge for this group of players, but I know they will all step up and give everything to try and get a home win at The Davey Field Let’s Go Peacocks!
Will Cotterill Director of Operations and Head Coach
MEN’S 1st XV TEAM SHEET Men’s 1st XV vs Havant Papa Johns Community Cup, Pool Match 1 1st April 2023, 3pm KO 1. Miles Anderson (182) – Sponsored by The Old Red Lion, Horseheath 2. Yujian Zou(2)* 3. Oli Emsley (35) – Sponsored by Bob Barnes 4. Will Ramply (22) (VC) – Sponsored by Transport Planning Associates 5. Jake Pier (4)* 6. Isa Sloot (2) – Sponsored by Greene King
7. Ollie Walker (13)* 8. Joe Allison (4)*
9. Tom Duffy (24) (C) – Sponsored by Robert Hayden & Co 10. Harvey Taylor (7) – Sponsored by Shaw Sports Therapy 11. Louie Tang (56) – Sponsored by Robinson Manufacturing Ltd 12. Tom James (38) – Sponsored by John Penny Woodworking Machinery Ltd 13. Joe Gill (9)* 14. Lewis Cracknell (120) – Sponsored by J.L.B Electrical Contractor 15. Jack Biard (60) – Sponsored by Pringle Farm
16. Owen Miller (20) – Sponsored by Active Aura Soft Tissue Therapist 17. Miles Huppatz (47) – Sponsored by DNA Recruitment 18. Harry Chater (D) – Sponsored by The White Lion, Sawston *player sponsorship available
WOMEN’S 1st XV TEAM SHEET Sutton Coldfield vs Women’s 1st XV Championship Midlands 2 2nd April 2023, KO TBC 1. Fabia Howell – Sponsored by Robinson Manufacturing Ltd 2. Georgie Harris – Sponsored by Robinson Manufacturing Ltd 3. Emily Hogg – Sponsored by Salon 38, West Wratting 4. Verena Zyka – Sponsored by Adcock
5. Sylvaine Rols – Sponsored by Greene King 6. Perach Ittiel* 7. Ellie Stirk* 8. Jody Yandle* 9. Rebecca Clough* 10. Ella Gibbs* 11. Kat Hanlon* 12. Siobhan Pebody* 13. Lauren Poppit – Sponsored by Thomas and Birch Cabinetry inc.
14. Ellie Marlin* 15. Ellie Ratfliffe* 16. Alex Scarpulla* 17. Ella Duffy – Sponsored by Pringle Heritage Developments 18. Bea Cornwell* 19. Anni Sharp* 20. Charlotte Hazel* 21. Abena Asante-Sakyi* 22. Poppy Shortmoor* *player sponsorship available
MEN’S 3rd XV TEAM SHEET Men’s 3rd XV vs Centrale Supelec, France Friendly th 11 March 2023, 3pm KO 1. Stephen Crisp 2. John Clements 3. Steve Sheath 4. Stuart Melvin 5. Nick Sutcliff
6. Ben Whiddett 7. Tom Berry 8. Sam Till (C) 9. Ali Paterson 10. George Dean 11. Tom Bundock 12. Nathanial Littler 13. Henry Welham 14. Sanjay Mistry
15. Nathan Harbinson 16. Tom Rose 17. Josh Putland 18. John Curtis 19. Rob Wilson 20. Tom Rossor 21. Jason Barrett 23. Adam Hodgkisson - Sponsored by Stephen Collinson
M&Y RUGBY PITCH PLAN
Pitch allocation for training & matches on Sunday 24TH October:
Pitch plan for our Mini & Youth section, Sunday 2 nd April: AGE GROUP
PITCH
TIMINGS
OPPOSITION
U6 mixed
3 near
0930-1055
Training
U7 mixed
Away
0930-1055
6 clubs at Cambridge
U8 mixed
Away
0930-1055
Saffron Walden
U9 mixed
Away
0930-1055
Saffron Walden
U10 mixed
Away
0930-1055
Saffron Walden
U11 mixed
4
0930-1055
Norwich & Cambridge
U12 Girls
1&2
0930-1055
Cluster event
U12 boys
Away
0930-1055
Saffron Walden
U13 boys
4
0930-1055
Sudbury
U14 girls
5 near
1100-1230
Training
U14 boys
Away
0930-1055
Sudbury
U15 boys
3
1100-1230
Sudbury
U16 girls
5 far
1100-1230
Training
U16 boys
2 & away
1900-2100
Woodbridge & Sudbury
Colts boys
1
1100-1230
EC Plate Colchester
U18 girls
tbc
1100-1230
tbc
U12 BOYS MATCH REPORT A fortnight ago, on a lovely Spring morning Sunday, 19 March 2023, our U12s welcomed Sudbury to The Davey Field. Having been beaten quite comprehensively by our visitors when we played beneath a deluge earlier in the season, we knew this was going to be a good test.
Another good turn-out from our squad meant we could field 2 strong sides against Sudbury’s one team and we played four quarters, with Shelford teams swapping over after each. The Shelford Maroons kicked off the morning and were straight into one of the most physical games of our season.
Sudbury had some strong ball carriers and were aggressive at the breakdown. Earlier in the season we had struggled to contain their big lads, but this time we put them under pressure and prevented them being so influential.
32 Cheddars Lane Cambridge CB5 8LD
The whole team tackled tenaciously but it's worth mentioning Alfie, Oscar, Pablo, Thomas and Zach, for being fully committed and not taking one step back. Despite this, Sudbury’s power through for a handful of tries.
broke
Back we came. Ball in hand, we ran hard and strong, with Teddy, Hump, Ralphie, Bay, Will Hatchett and Ben often getting well over the gain line. Our handling generally was good and we moved the ball to space on several occasions. However, our support play was too often slow catching up. But we turned the ball over on several occasions, denying Sudbury precious scoring opportunities. Our best opportunity of the first quarter came when Jack took a ball on at pace and carried three or four Sudbury defenders over
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U12 BOYS MATCH REPORT the tryline, to only just lose the ball as he reached to touch down.
In the 3rd quarter, the Maroons returned and really took the game to Sudbury.
The 2nd quarter saw our Whites team take over where the Maroons had left off.
Better handling put the ball into space.
Committed tackling and physicality at the rucks made them very competitive. Again, our strong ball carriers made good ground George Midwood, Max Jonas and Flynn in particular.
Powerful and pacey running from Humphrey, Ralphie, George Stone and Bay found gaps and this time we had tireless support on hand from Luke Swaysland and Ralphie, to complete a number of scores.
Gio set up the Whites' first try with an aggressive carry.
In defence, we kept closing down Sudbury’s space and getting bodies in front of their runners, to limit them to one try.
Straight through one Sudbury tackler he ran, drawing in several others.
Although comprehensively beaten in the 3rd quarter, Sudbury rallied for the final quarter.
Antos then spotted an undefended blindside and raced in unopposed.
This was very competitive, with the Whites again fully committed. Anton, Flynn, Will Sweeting and Tom Parr all made some important tackles.
Harris and Alistair distributed the ball well and we kicked intelligently with an excellent chase, putting Sudbury’s receivers under lots of pressure. Beau, Jasper and Duncan tackled well and Max Jonas was a constant threat at the breakdown.
The Whites also worked hard to keep the ball during rucks and create turnovers on a number of occasions. Notable here were Jasper, Gio, Flynn, Samuel and Max Jonas.
U12 BOYS MATCH REPORT The work rate was reflected in our last try - a great kick into space combined with an excellent chase, resulting in the ball dropping into Tom Parr’s hands. He stepped his way around 2 or 3 defenders to score. In all, this was an excellent performance from our U12s, really impressive for the levels of commitment, teamwork and effort. They remained competitive for the whole match.
I think this was the first time that, as a squad, they realised that they have to take the game to the opposition, put them under pressure in defence and support each other in attack. What’s more, everyone seemed to really enjoy competing hard for each other! This is a really good place for the squad to be in as we near the end of the season, looking to next year as U13s. As the boys mature, their games will become more physical.
We hope to keep that momentum going for our final fixtures. Big thanks go to Sudbury for travelling over at short notice to give us such a competitive fixture. It was all change last Sunday morning, when seventeen stalwarts of the U12s made the trek to Hitchin in pouring cold rain. They faced two organised and committed Hitchin teams in what were two very even contests.
In the first game, we were a little slow to get going and slightly disorganised. However, we stayed in the game through some committed tackling. Jasper and Thomas showed growing mastery of technique to make some strong tackles, whilst Flynn, Humphrey, Bay and Ben showed their usual physicality. Hitchin moved the ball well into space and managed to break away for a couple of tries. However, we stayed right in the game and, once we got to grips with the slippery
U12 BOYS MATCH REPORT conditions, we piled loads of pressure onto Hitchin’s try line. Despite fierce efforts, we just couldn’t quite score until finally, Humphrey managed to cut through their defence for a welldeserved try. Our two F’s, Finlay and Flynn, took some stopping! We could have made more use of that, by moving the ball away while the opposition defence was still disorganised. The second game was more of a muddy wrestle! The pitch churned up a little worse and the ball became slippier. We were far more organised and aggressive this game and our defence pinned Hitchin on their own tryline for long periods with our pressure. The boys put in a huge amount of effort and their work rate was really pleasing, so a big shout out goes to Connor, Thomas, Tom, Oscar, Antos, Anton, Beau, Samuel, Jack and Duncan for being such nuisances! Not once did they give up, but just kept on getting
stuck in! They chased back to field Hitchin’s kicks, supported our runners and made several important tackles. Bay, Ben and Humphrey felled Hitchin’s ball carriers to prevent them scoring. Zach showed his great pace to chase back and bring down a runner who was surely going to score. We then turned the ball over and managed to stop them doing so. Really good heart was on show from everyone! In general, when we worked together and implemented what we work on in training, the momentum really swung in our favour. When we took our foot off the throttle in attack or defence, Hitchin caused us problems. However, what was most impressive was that the lads turned up, worked hard and enjoyed themselves after an early start - and in pretty harsh conditions! Well done to all involved over the last fortnight! Mike Harfoot – Lead Coach U12s Boys
U14 BOYS MATCH REPORT After a week of wet weather that saw Shield Final matches cancelled for our other U14 team, due to waterlogged pitches, it was no real surprise to arrive at St Neots with the windscreen wipers working hard. Although pitch conditions were good, the rain and strong chilling wind were always going to make things tough. The best way to warm up would be to stay in the changing room! This final was to be a three-way event between Cambridge, St Neots and ourselves. Cambridge and St Neots were up first, which gave us a chance to observe our opponents. Cambridge we know - and they set their stall out early, showing their intention to put the ball through hands despite the conditions, with their 8 and 10 running the show. St Neots were resolute in defence and also played with ambition when in possession. In the end, Cambridge won 10-5. The second game saw us play a 'Must Win’ match against Cambridge.
Only a few weeks ago, they had kept us playing for long periods without the ball - and in our own half. This was very much on the Shelford players' minds in the build-up. However, Shelford started with good energy and the Tuladhar brothers tackling strongly to keep Cambridge from dominating, especially after they'd created a few turnovers from isolated Shelford players early on. As the game progressed, good work at the breakdown - especially from Magnus Medcalf meant that we were able to stop Cambridge getting fast ball. Ultimately, we created some turnovers of our own! In attack, our forwards drove on well, building a good platform for our backs to play from. Several chances went untaken, with the conditions contributing to a number of handling errors.
After a period of sustained pressure, the breakthrough came, with quick ball from a
U14 BOYS MATCH REPORT well-resourced ruck, flashing out to Alexi Demetriou-Foale who touched the ball down for the first score of the game. The next period of play saw Cambridge getting back into the action, using the strong wind to their advantage and spending a long period in our 22.
Eventually, this resulted in them scoring a try, passionately celebrated and very close to touch on the right-hand side. Now came a tense final 10 minutes. Play continued in our half of the pitch and it seemed inevitable that if we could not exit our 22, we would lose the game. Kicking was not an option with the wind against us. Yet, slowly but surely, our boys worked their way into the Cambridge half, with some great pick-and-go work from the forwards, pecking away at the fringes of the breakdown.
A Cambridge knock-on set the stage for the final play of the game, a scrum on their 22.
After a couple of phases of play where we failed to make any real ground, the ball came to Eddy Burton and, with his signature strength and physicality, he was able to battle his way over the tryline for our second score of the game. The kick was taken, the whistle went and Shelford won 10-5. Our celebration was really a sigh of relief!
After a short break, which was just enough time to catch breath and refocus, we kicked off against St Neots. We started with real energy and enthusiasm and St Neots soon stopped competing at the breakdown, choosing instead to try and set their defence to stop us breaking the gain line at each phase, despite some very strong tackling.
U14 BOYS MATCH REPORT By this time the rain had stopped and the backs were able to move the ball though hands with more success. Not to be outdone, our forwards demonstrated what they had been working on during training, with a great driving maul from a line-out.
Sam Norton and Albie Evans called the shots to keep it trundling forwards, well into the St Neots 22. Within 10 minutes we were 2 scores up, with tries from Charlie Smith and Oscar Robinson A third was soon added by Sam Bishop. Cutting inside from his left wing and looking for space, he used his pace to move outside a narrow St Neots defence and did well to keep control of the ball, touching it down to the right of the posts. Ben Bullen converted well, on a day that really wasn’t meant for kicking!
A final try by Jack Tilley took the score to 22-0, which is how it finished. If the feeling after the first game was relief, the feeling after the second game was euphoric! It’s been a long season for the U14s - starting as they did, struggling to field a team and finishing our first game with 11 players - to this weekend when we were planning to put two teams out. It was great to see our boys run over to a team-mate on crutches on the sideline, therefore unable to play. It was also good to see the number of players who weren’t involved in games braving the conditions to support their team-mates. As Coaches, we were proud to see a collection of individuals starting to become a squad and to hear other Clubs' Coaches compliment our players on their conduct. Our players can be proud of their victory, but we are just as proud of them. Jim Norton
U15 BOYS MATCH REPORT It was upon us, right here at Shelford on pitch 1!
We beat them on their home ground in last year's Final and this year, in the lead-up pool games, Cambridge had beaten us, so this was always going to be a tough and competitive fixture. The entire U15 squad had played a part in getting Shelford to this point and every available player had played in at least one of the pool games. For this game, there was some uncertainty around selection, with several players coming back from injury and others on school trips.
forward pod runs. The defence was strong, so we tried a little grubber kick down the line, which was picked up by Cambridge's fullback. At this point, they launched into their own pod runs. To gain territory, they kicked long, resulting in a Shelford scrum, back at halfway. It was tit for tat over the next few minutes and a Cambridge break away saw us pinned on our line in the corner, leading to the first try, a pushover from a line-out. The conversion was missed but down 0-5, we knew we had a game on our hands. From the restart, we managed to pin them back deep in their half, forcing them to kick.
Unfortunately, we simply could not play everyone, so some of our squad had to sit this one out. However, in great team spirit, virtually all the non-playing squad stayed in support!
Our fullback, Reuben, picked up the ball on our 10-metre line and took a straight running line all the way back, just beyond their 10metre line, setting it up for our next attack. A strong, penetrating run from prop Luc, and then a great offload to centre Thurston, saw us deep in Cambridge's 22. Into our pod structures we moved. Flanker, Connor, took the ball up first to reset, with Alex, our no. 8, having a go, followed by fly-half, Will Cullen, and so we edged to the five.
Shelford kicked off into the wind and the game began, with some robust defence to win a line-out just off the halfway line. We then moved into our game plan and had a strong backline crash ball, followed by eight forward
The strong Cambridge defence was slightly unstructured at this point and scrum-half Farris spotted the gap. Through he darted between two defenders for our first try! 5-5, game on!
We even had some players coming back from Disneyland Paris the night before and others from Norfolk on the morning of the game!
U15 BOYS MATCH REPORT From the kick-off, we launched a ferocious attack and quickly forced Cambridge back into their half, winning a penalty just outside the 22m. We opted to keep up the pressure and our forwards continued with strong pod attacks. Unfortunately, we fumbled the ball and gave it back, with a scrum. After being unable to kick and escape on the last occasion, Cambridge opted to try and run the ball with quick hands to their wing, who knocked on in a hard tackle. Next came a lineout for Cambridge on their 22. Our strong defence forced them all the way back to their 5-metre line and again they kicked the ball out on their 22.
Our attacking line-out and following maul was stopped by strong defence, so we resorted to the backs. Again, we were stopped before another pod run and once again we knocked on. Some great pressure in the scrum followed by strong defence - and some sloppy passing resulted in Cambridge taking the ball over the dead ball line. Attacking scrum to Shelford! We won, attacking again and again, but Cambridge’s strong defence kept us out until we were awarded a penalty for offside. Fresh on, scrum-half Evan took the tap on the 5metre line, passing the ball to Alex, who barged his way over for our second try, converted by Will C. Score now 12-5. From the Cambridge kick-off, Alex caught the ball and set up a first pod attack. The ball came out to Connor for the second and suddenly, space opened!
He took off down the sideline, almost making it to their 22, when a dubious tackle took him out of play and off the field for 15 minutes. Next came a penalty which was kicked for touch, but in the ensuing line-out, we again knocked the ball on. Cambridge tried to play out from their 22 and a penalty, after an unfortunate high tackle, helped them back into our half. We fought back with a strong defence and forced a dropon. Immediately off the scrum, we were awarded a penalty and launched back into our pod attacks. The ball fed back to Will C, who put up a high kick. Chaser Thurston tackled their fullback and Will C pounced in with his trademark jackal, to won the ball back for Shelford. From here, the forwards stepped in and after six strong driving pods we won a scrum on the 5-metre line.
Off the scrum, an initial switch-and-crash ball from Will C drew in Cambridge's defence. Quick hands down the line, with far side winger Ben, then Reuben joining in, saw it fed to our other wing, Louie. Stepping back in, he ran past 5 defenders to score our 3rd try, well converted. Half-time score, 19– 5. The second half was much tougher. Shelford managed to contain Cambridge for about 15 minutes, with attack after attack being repelled. There was then great defence by Cambridge, who eventually escaped with their own strong pod and backline crash ball. Now they edged up field, until once again attacking Shelford’s line, culminating in the ball being held up. A big drop-out by Will C relieved the pressure and we fought our way back into the Cambridge half.
U15 BOYS MATCH REPORT Now, both sides had some fumbles and strong attacks were foiled by equally strong defence.
Eventually Cambridge tried to kick it out, but our wing Ben used his pace, only to be caught by an equally quick opposition player, just before the tryline. The tackler was caught on the wrong side, preventing the ball coming out and so we had another opportunity to attack their line. We tried and tried, but again the rigid Cambridge defence kept us out. Evan resorted to a little chip through, which unfortunately bounced long and out, before our chasing player could get there. Cambridge regathered after the 22 drop-out and started another attack. Again the ball was fumbled. Connor grabbed it and almost broke free down the line, but once again, Cambridge managed to retrieve it and, this time, they kicked it deep. Ben was there first, but their chasers were quick and he was caught.
Now Cambridge started their next round of attacks and a fatigued Shelford hung on, with vital strong defence. The ball moved right to left and back again, then - all of a sudden - their nippy fly-half, who had been contained for most of the match, stepped through.
Racing downfield, he beat four of our defenders and fed the ball out to an unmarked wing, who beat our last man and crossed the line for the final score of the game, with a minute to go. Cambridge tried several more attacks from the kick-off, but a strong tackle on the wing resulted in a knock-on and the final whistle blew. A Cup Final win for Shelford, 19 -10! This was a great game, with good rugby played by both teams. Big thanks must go to referee John Hanlon, for controlling and managing what was always going to be a competitive and feisty fixture. Roll on next year! Russell Gould – Lead Coach U15s Boys
COLTS BOYS MATCH REPORT Last Sunday, Shelford Colts voyaged into the depths of Norfolk to face a strong Wymondham side. Armed with Mrs White's detailed calculations, the Cup team knew they needed to draw or win to secure top spot in the pool, in order to reach the semi-final round of the competition.
With this in mind - and the Plate team heading to a top-seeded Woodbridge side on the same day - the Coaches did their best to balance both squads. This they were only able to do with the involvement of a fantastic cohort of willing U16s, spread right across the two teams. A huge thankyou goes to those players, their parents and also their Coaches, for allowing us to incorporate them into our Colts' set-ups. This is of real benefit to both groups and something that proved invaluable when used last year. Wymondham had already found themselves on the wrong side of a few of their Cup fixtures unfortunately, which meant they had nothing to lose going into this one.
Certainly, they were keen to take a scalp from our young Peacocks and started the game in just such a manner, throwing everything at our Colts, who took a bit of time to defrost from the biting North breeze into which they were playing. As a result of Wymondham's forceful attack and the elements, Shelford found themselves spending a large amount of the first half within their own 22 but, despite the lack of territory, showed fantastic cohesion during their defensive sets. It was so good to see them demonstrating a sound understanding of the processes being asked of them.
As the half went on, Shelford warmed to their attack, led by young Jack Lawrence, who played the new systems as though he had been part of the group all season. His dynamic carrying meant he was able to punch holes through Wymondham and make a number of impressive line breaks.
These, in turn, ignited Shelford's attack, due to the front foot ball created. With this improved attacking dynamism, Shelford demonstrated good attacking shape and, had it not been for cold hands and a clear love of scrummaging, they may have found themselves a few more scores ahead. Instead, the first half finished 12-8 to Shelford. The first try went to Sam Nobel, whose fantastic finishing strength after shrugging off those mobbing him, was converted by Tui. The second came from Ollie Brown out wide, but the prevailing wind held the conversion attempt up short. The second half brought more of the same, with scrums the main focal point.
But, pushing that observation aside, Shelford did seem to find themselves with ball in hand a little more often and showed good variety in their attack. In fact, they were unlucky not to score from a well-placed chip and chase from young Isaac Astin. Shelford spent most of this period in Wymondham's half, but our attack was thwarted, either by simple handling errors or lazy processes in our attacking breakdown. We were simply allowing Wymondham too many opportunities to target and turnover our ball from promising positions.
COLTS BOYS MATCH REPORT This also exposed a weakness in our Colts' transitional play, which led to multiple linebreaks by the home side - particularly their 10 and 8 - who have, by all accounts, been involved in some 1st XV rugby as a result of their impressive Colts performances. What was an understandably disjointed showing due to the circumstances may - yes have seen patches of real potential marred by a large number of mistakes. But still we saw promising signs of what the future holds for our young squad. Fantastic heart was shown to see out the game, with Wymondham throwing the kitchen
sink at Shelford's tryline, but for little reward. The game ended with a classy finish from Tui, after a great build-up of controlled phases and a fantastic break from Olly Brown, who was formidable both on and off the ball all game. Final Score: 19-13 in favour of our young Peacocks.
Thank you to all players, parents and Coaches for your time and support with this group. What a great result for the Peacock family!
Bring on that semi-final! Mike Gillick – Lead Coach Colts Boys
MY RWANDAN RUGBY TRIP In May 2023 I'll be travelling to Rwanda with Friends of Rwandan Rugby (FORR).
They work in Rwanda to support the growth of participation in the game of rugby, encouraging a healthy, active lifestyle for children in Rwanda. FoRR focuses on teaching rugby to children and young adults in over 100 schools and communities across Rwanda. Their Rwandan rugby development officers (RDOs) are developing the sport at grass-roots level ensuring sustainable rugby development for the future. It is increasingly accepted that sport can play a big role in healing the personal and societal wounds left by social conflict and upheaval. The nature and culture of rugby mean that it is a powerful sport for building trust and friendship through shared experience and we believe that rugby can be used as a social-fabric building tool, especially in a country such as Rwanda which has been successfully rebuilding the unity destroyed by the events of the early 90’s.
Of course your monetary donations are fantastic, much appreciated and you can find my SponsorMe page here: https://sponsorme.charitiestrust.o rg/event/81d04b2c-a393-4fbcabfaa6b6e1a4c51c#.Y_9DkCYzejU.what sapp But there is another way to help... Any SOFT kit, please, old or new, that is not being used, can also be donated. This means NO BOOTS, thank you, but anything else is welcome. Just let me know and I can collect, or bring it along to Shelford Rugby Club. Many Thanks, Darren Darren Messenger Women’s Head Coach
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED As we expand the activities of our club, the basic requirements for good financial management and accounting take on greater importance and consume more time and effort. We need to strengthen our finance team and are looking for Club members as volunteers for the following functions: • Accounts Receivable • Accounts Payable • Budgeting and general financial support
We are also looking to appoint a Club Treasurer. If you have some basic financial experience and are interested in any of these roles, please contact Tony Roberts: •
[email protected] • 07753 941522
WORK EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITY Matchday Media Internship Shelford Rugby Club are seeking to bring on board a Matchday Media Coordinator to cover Men’s 1st XV & Women’s 1st XV. The fixtures typically take place on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, with travel to away fixtures provided by the club. The main role of the Matchday Media Co-Ordinator will be to manage the clubs Twitter feed during fixtures (posting of score updates, social media GIFs etc), carry out a basic post match interview with Men’s 1st XV coach, and produce a basic match report of the Men’s & Women’s 1st XV fixtures.
About Shelford Rugby Club & the role Shelford Rugby Club is one of the UK’s largest community rugby clubs, with 25 teams spread across Men, Women, Colts, Girls, Youth, Minis, Social, Disability, Walking and much more! While we have a huge community aspect of our club, this role will be focussed on our senior Men’s and Women’s teams.
You will work amongst a team of volunteers and full time staff, with support from external companies also.
Although this role is a volunteer/internship role, there is the opportunity to make the clubs matchday social media your own while also networking with local media contacts, club sponsors and other club staff. Key Skills will include - Ability to manage a Twitter Feed during a Rugby fixture - Ability to carry out a basic post match video interview with the head coach, including set up of camera and asking of questions (additional training & necessary equipment will be provided) - Ability to write a basic match report Ideal candidate For this role, we have no set ideal candidate, this role could suit a student looking to make their first step into a full time sports marketing/media career, a university student looking for a role to add to their CV, or a Rugby fan who wants to help a local rugby club continue to make a difference to their community! To apply, please contact Mikael Biard on
[email protected] with a CV and introduction.
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PLAYER SPONSORS
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PLAYER SPONSORS
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PLAYER SPONSORS
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PLAYER SPONSORS
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR PLAYER SPONSORS
st 1 XVs STATS CORNER NAME
TRY
J. Adamson J. Allison G. Anderson C. Baker D. Barber B. Bates J. Beswick J. Biard S. Chiwanga L. Cracknell C. Coyne (loan) T. Duffy O. Emsley J. Gill M. Gillick J. Gould M. Huppatz T. James L. Martinelli J. Nicholls E. Rees H. Rogerson L. Tang H. Taylor O. Walker
5 1 1 3 1 1 3 4 3 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 2 1 1 4 5 11
PEN
1
4
27
27
1 2
3 1
2 3
CON
4
TOTAL POINTS 25 5 5 15 5 5 15 31 15 135 5 5 10 5 15 7 20 22 5 7 20 25 55 14 15
TRY
M. Byrne
1
5
R. Clough
3
15
E. Gibbs
PEN
CON
TOTAL POINTS
NAME
1
2
G. Harris
1
5
E. Hogg
1
5
C. Houston
1
5
J. McEwen
2
10
J. Norris
3
6
L. Poppitt
9
45
E. Ratcliffe
1
E. Stirk
1
5
K. Welsh
1
5
1
7
MEN’S 1st XV LEAGUE TABLE Men’s 1st XV
WOMEN’S LEAGUE TABLES
Women’s 1st XV
Women’s Nomads
MEN’S NOMADS & 3RD XV LEAGUES
Men’s Nomads
Men’s 3rd XV
If you would like to support the club by sponsoring one or more of our senior players, and for more details, please contact Dawn on:
[email protected]
TRUSTED PEACOCK Company
Service Industry
Contact Phone Number
Contact Email Address gardens@hortiserv 01223 651652 ices.co.uk
HortiServices
Garden
JLB Electrical
Electrician
07713115888
Office@jlbelectrica lcontractor.com
Flowers by Pinky
Florist
07961804167
flowersbypinky@o utlook.com
Anderson Tree Tree Surgeon Surgery
07815446524
gkanderson1989@ gmail.com
Cambridge Environmental Environmental Services Services
07899927864
info@cambridgeen vironmental.co.uk
Cambridge Creative
Design & Marketing
01223 847667
Marketing@Cambr idgecreative.Co
First Avenue Wealth
Financial Advice
07717 803333
[email protected] .uk
Tayabali and White
Accountants
01223 843324
enquiries@tayabali -white.co.uk
JLB Solar
Solar Panels
07713115888
office@jlbelectrical contractor.com
If you would like to join our Trusted Peacock directory please contact Dawn on:
[email protected]
Membership Information about how to renew memberships is available on the Club’s website or by contacting
[email protected] Membership fees for the new season are: • Playing member £160 • Playing member with concession £80 • Non-playing/Social member £80 • Non-playing/Social member with concession £40 • Mini/Youth player (1st Child) £160 • Mini/Youth player (2nd/3rd Child) £55 • University Playing Membership £25 • Partner Membership £30 • VP member £160 • VP member with concession £80 • Life membership £1,000 Concessionary membership is available to members of the armed forces, to those older than 65 and to students. All current members should be able to renew their membership through the RFU’s GMS website and every email you receive from GMS will include a link to the GMS website and username. For any assistance with membership, our club’s registrars are: • Duncan Rhead - Adult •
• •
[email protected] Bev Small - Youth
[email protected] Fred Langevin - Girls
[email protected] Janet Willoughby - Minis
[email protected]
Sponsorship Shelford Rugby Club is one of the most active sports clubs in the region if not the country. Dedicated to providing its members, supporters and partners with an outlet for enjoyment, development and welfare. With so many members and an extensive range of offerings, we’re an inclusive club at the heart of the community we serve. As such, there are some fantastic partnership opportunities. We have many sponsorship & partnership opportunities available the would offer you & your company increased visibility, excellent hospitality and great opportunities to add to your corporate social responsibility portfolio. Not only this, but we’re also working in increasingly creative ways to help club partners achieve their individual objectives, so it’s truly an exciting time to join the Peacock Family. If you would like more information about sponsorship, or an opportunity to discuss possible options, please contact:
[email protected]
Shelford Peacock 100 Club The Shelford Peacock 100 Club is an opportunity to support the future development of the Club. For just £100 you will get two pre-match lunches and a unique Club tie. For more information contact Andrew Locke
[email protected]
Vice Presidents The Rev Nigel Abbot, Chris Atkin, Andrew Baron, Geoff Booth, Bridget Chambers, Tony Clarke, John Clements, Richard Cottam, Ian Coupe, Steve Cracknell, Dai Evans, Ray Fordham, Peter Foster, Stuart Gibson, Ian Giddings, Martin Green, William Hellyer, Rodney Herbert, Roger Howlett, Simon Kidney, William King, Mike Kenyon, Canon Michael Law, Geoff Maskell, Nigel Moore, Keith Noakes, Michael Norden, Paul O’Connor, Craig Peden, Richard Priestley, Peter Ramus, Duncan Rhead, Terence A Smith, John Stevens, Simon Taylor, David Thomas, Tim Thomson, Chris Timms, Barry Tiplady, Jeremy Tuck, Adrian Tucker, Alan Upex, Martin Walshe, Duncan Ward, Malcolm Watson.
Honorary Members Diane Arnold, Mr and Mrs Colin Astin, David Beck, Robin Boatman, Sue Boatman, William Bradford, Gilly Bradford, Jackie Burgoyne, Tim Cadman, Chris Collins, Annaleaza Finlayson, Rory Finlayson, Jim Foreman, Christine Jakes, Nick Kotschy, Richard Longdon, Mike B Mills, Hugh Mumford, Gill Palmer, Julia Perry, David Pimblett, Phil Prior, John Ringer, Keith Thomas, Jon Brown, Mr and Mrs Paul Wheeler.
Life Members Lindsay Anderson, Damon Astin, Kane Astin, Dick Barker, Andy Barnes, Bob Barnes, Larry Bennett, Richard Benson, Peter Brindle, Tim Buttimore, Sandra Collins, Lee Coney, Peter Cutmore, Chis Day, Nick Denton, Dave Dunnett, Paul Foster, George Franklin, Stephen Franklin, Thomas Franklin, William Grain, Paul Gray, John Green, Steven Hartley, Dave Hatter, Roger Impey, Huw Jones, Eddie King, Stuart Lingard, Andrew Locke, David Martin, Rob Mauchlin, Jim McNicholas, David Morgan, Alec Motts, Mike Nettleton, David Pearce, Benjamin Rayner, David Reed, Nick Reynolds, Tony Roberts, William Russell, Dave Southby, Brian Stevens, Renate Stevens, Rob Stevens, Robert Todd, Chris Webber, Cecil Wilcocks, Mike Wilson, Dr Ian Hodgkisson, Robert Benson.
period. They travelled to Norwich with very much an experimental side. Meanwhile, Norwich, with three games under their belt, were one of the strongest sides in the Eastern Counties.
Our club’s history It is important to remember the Club’s history and to remember all those players, administrators and supporters who have played their part in making Shelford Rugby Club the Club it is today. So where did Shelford Rugby Club come from? The date was 6th October 1933 and the Cambridge Independent Press announced ‘A rugby section of Shelford Amateur Sports Association has been formed. Club colours will be claret vests with white collars’ and the story begins for Shelford Rugby Club.
The first ground was loaned to the Club by Mrs Goldsmith-Martin and was close to Shelford Railway station with changing facilities at the nearby Railway Tavern. Captains and Vice-Captains at the time included R A Collard, R P Davey, whose father P L Davey became benefactor and long-standing President to the Club, and T A Arias, who went on to become President of Panama. Teams were put out for Thursday and Saturday games, and press comments reported good progress for the teams, although on one occasion the enthusiasm spilled over with a game between Shelford and Duxford RAF being abandoned after 15 minutes because of rough play. When World War II broke out Club members went their different ways – some never to return. Those who did come back soon got down to the task of rebuilding the Club. An Emergency Committee was formed comprising the following members: • P L Davey (President) • A A Seymour (Secretary) • G Hawes (Match Secretary) • L S L Brown (Team Secretary & 1st XV Captain) • L Baynes • D Webster
It is sad to report that the result reflected this difference in standard with Norwich easily winning 22-0. On the following Saturday the team travelled to Kettering and gave a better account of themselves, losing by an unconverted try and a penalty goal to nil. The Cambridge Daily News reported that Shelford were desperately unlucky to lose this match as it was they who had most of the play, especially in the second half.
Better news was soon at hand when, in their first home game of the season, Shelford drew with Letchworth with each side scoring an unconverted try. This was quickly followed-up by the Club’s first post-war victory against King’s College, winning 5-3. It was unfortunate that this first season was affected by one of the worst winters on record. Blizzards raged all over the country during early January and everywhere remained under a blanket of snow for virtually two months. The thaw that followed did nothing to improve the state of the pitch. After this long lay-off only four fixtures were left to play out for the remainder of the season. Considering the experimental nature of the team, the playing statistics were very credible; playing 19, winning 9, losing 8 and drawing 2, scoring 118 points and conceding 106. During the 1947-8 season the 1st XV, under the captaincy of Roy Davey, played 28 games, of which 11 were won, 14 were lost and 3 drawn, scoring 290 points and conceding 215. Although the side lost to the other two Cambridge Clubs (Cambridge Town and Old Cantabrigians) it made an excellent showing against such strong sides as Northampton ‘A’ and Norwich. This season to be the first one that the Club provided a really full fixture list for a 2nd XV. Of the 24 games they played, 13 were won, 6 were drawn & 5 were lost. The side was captained by George Hawes in their first season. One of the events of the season was an Easter Festival with three matches played on the recreation ground against Westminster Bank, Old Cytringanians & Gidea Park.
A fixture list for the 1946-7 season was drawn up and the Recreation Ground in Great Shelford, which had been the Club’s ground before the war, was re-equipped for the coming season. Coinciding with the new era, the Club acquired a new headquarters at the Peacock Inn adjacent to the recreation ground. An advertisement in the Cambridge Daily News to announce that Shelford RUFC was ‘back in business’ and would warmly welcome new players. World news was preoccupied with the Nuremberg Trials and, on the day that the Paris Peace Talks were due to end, Shelford played their first game of the post war
Shelford 1st XV 1949-50
by Mr N Stearn in memory of those players who gave their lives during the war. Sadly, the Stearn Cup disappeared from the fixture list and it was not until Mike Mills was captaining the 4th XV that efforts were made to reintroduce the annual fixture.
The opening of the new changing rooms in 1950
In the Management Committee report for the 1947-8 season it states ‘our younger players rose notably to the occasion and it promises well for the future of the Club when we such players as Sherman, Binns, King, Haddon, Patterson and Hatten’. 1947-48 saw the formation of the Cambridgeshire Rugby Football Union. This came about through the imagination of Jules Malfroy, Shelford’s representative to the Eastern Counties and Rugby Union. Since its inception members from Shelford have been influential on and off the pitch at Eastern Counties. 1949 heralded yet another stage in the in the development of the Club. For the first time in its history, Shelford fielded three sides. Life was beginning to settle down after the war and there was a sudden influx of members. With the increase in membership it soon became apparent that the Club was outgrowing its facilities at the Peacock and negotiations were started with the brewery – Fordham Brothers – with regard to expansion. The problem of where the 3rd XV would play home fixtures was resolved through the generosity of Doug Webster who offered one of his fields at Granhams Farm. A special sub-committee of the 3rd XV was formed whose duty it was to clear the field of cows before each game. Another step forward was a proposal by Jules Malfroy that the 1st and 2nd XVs play each other at the end of each season. The winners of this fixture would be presented with the ‘Malfroy Mug’. This game soon became established in the Club’s fixture card. In later years the competition was widened to include all Club members, playing 7-a-side rather than 15-a-side games. In the 1982-83 season steps were taken to revert to the original format. In 1950 the 2nd XV was narrowly beaten by a single point but in 1953 the 2nd XV won the Mug for the first time. It was not until 1962, under the captaincy of H Parish, that the Nomads regained the coveted Mug, defeating a 1st XV captained by Colin Royston. When the Club was in a position to field four sides a new domestic competition was arranged – the Stearn Cup. This was played for annually by members of the 3rd and 4th XVs. The trophy was presented to the Club
To round off the 1949-50 season the 1st and 2nd XVs were invited to play in Hendon RFC’s annual charity match, with proceeds in aid of the National Playing Fields Association Silver Jubilee Fund. Shelford were entertained in more ways than one when the Crazy Gang made a personal appearance. After shaking hands with the teams, as only the Crazy Gang could, ‘Knox’ went out to kick-off. Shelford went to Hendon knowing that the hosts had just completed their best season ever, having lost only three of their 26 matches. The 1st XV came away with a very credible draw after Reg Martin converted two penalty kicks. To complete a very enjoyable afternoon, the 2nd XV won their match against Hendon ‘A’ 8-0 with tries from Eldred and Bailey with Starte converting. The report on the match records ‘there is no doubt that this ‘A’ side of Shelford is too good for most ‘A’ teams it meets’.
The 1950-51 season was the Club’s most successful season since the war. The 1st XV scored notable victories against Cambridge, Norwich, Peterborough (twice) and Guy’s Hospital ‘A’. The first of what was to become an annual Boxing Day fixture against Old Cantabrigians was won 11-0. At the same time, the 2nd XV maintained their record of being unbeaten at home, a record that stretched back to the 1948-49 season. In 1950 Shelford went posh with the opening of new changing rooms adjoining the Peacock Inn. This development was entirely due to the generosity of Mr Herbert Fordham and his brother Mr Russell Fordham, the owners of the Peacock. Up until this time, the changing rooms consisted of an old tin shed on a wooden framework. Mr Fordham opening the new changing rooms on 1950 Reg Martin recalled that the arrangement for the Club to remove the existing facilities while the Fordham brothers would finance the building and equipping of the new accommodation. To quote Reg, ‘we had a sort of demolition squad and we pulled all the tin and framework down, so we all stood in a line, got hold of the wall and shook it and it just collapsed on the ground in a pile of stones’. The new facilities now provided sufficient accommodation and bathing facilities for 60 people. The building work was carried out by Messrs Baynes (Snowy) and Rayment. In officially opening the changing rooms, Mr Herbert Fordham said ‘that it had been a pleasure for him and his brother to have the opportunity of doing something for Rugby Football in Shelford’. In congratulating the architect and builder for overcoming the very serious difficulties caused by the limited site on which they had to work.
facilities. Another pitch was added from land provided by Mr Davey in 1972 and floodlights were added in October 1973. There was continued progress in the 1980s and 1990s with Shelford seeing the start of its hugely successful youth section in 1989 which has now provided a large number of players who have gone on to play for the senior sides. The Ladies team in the early 1990s.
Work finished on our Artificial Grass Pitch in 2018 The spirit within the Club at this time was very high. With the opening of the new changing rooms and the pitch in excellent condition, thanks to the tireless work of Messrs Webster, Baynes and others. Shelford now boasted some of the best facilities in the Eastern Counties. Although the 1st XV had not had a good season, the 2nd XV was very successful. The selection committee came in for some abuse and questions were asked as to why they did not promote some of the 2nd XV players. Their reply was that it was a deliberate policy not to throw some of their most promising young players into the hurly burly of 1st XV rugby until a stage of greater maturity had been reached. That time was now and the Club looked forward to a new 1st XV to compare with the side that represented the Club in the vintage years just before the war. In this period of its history everything seemed rosy for Shelford Rugby Club, apart from one small matter that demanded immediate attention. This was the fact that a considerable time elapsed between the post-match tea and the pub opening at 6pm, sometimes causing the visitors to leave early. It was decided to approach the landlord with a view to an earlier opening time. At the same time a letter was sent to the brewery respectfully requesting a stronger beer! Under the captaincy of Roy Hollings, the 1952-53 season saw the 1st XV reach new heights. The period between November and March did not see a single defeat and undoubtedly the highlight was winning the Eastern Counties 7s at Ipswich. Contemporary reports of this achievement record that it was a ‘rousing performance’ against the best teams in the Eastern Counties. The Club continued to grow during the 1950s and 1960s and in 1965 the Club reached a major milestone when Mr P L Davey honoured the Club by donating the playing fields on Cambridge Road, the Club’s present home. The fields became known as the Davey Field and the official opening of the ground and new clubhouse took place on 19th September 1966. The day was marked with a game against Andy Hancock’s star-studded XV from Northampton.
The Club continued to flourish through the 1960s and 1970s from their new home at the Davey Field. On the pitch there was a string of County Cup victories and off the pitch there was continued development of the
With the help of Shelford Parish Council, a fourth pitch, the allotment pitch, was added in 1995.
Into the new millennium and another milestone was reached with the opening of a new clubhouse with spectator seating. This development was only possible through the determination and hard work of members and with the support of sponsors. To cope with the growth of the Club, further land was bought to add another pitch. This pitch was called ‘Jakes Field’ after the Club’s long standing Chairman who sadly died in 2002. In recent times, performances on the pitch have gathered pace. The philosophy of introducing key players to add support and experience to local players brought on through the Club’s youth policy has paid dividends. The Club has progressed through the leagues achieving national league rugby. Most notable recent developments include the installation of a 3G artificial grass pitch (AGP) with financial support from the RFU. The new pitch, combined with further developments in the clubhouse, has created an environment for playing and watching rugby at all levels. The facilities at Shelford Rugby Club are amongst the best in Eastern Counties and Shelford is the only side in the region to regularly field five men’s teams. At the end of the 2017-18 season the 3rd, 4th and 5th XVs all won their respective county cup finals in back-to-back games in front of a large crowd on the new 3G pitch. A day that will live long in the memory. This has been only a brief history of Shelford Rugby Club and there is much is missing. This is a work in progress so please send information about anything you think should be added to the history and it will be updated between Weekly Previews.
End note
Thanks to all those who contributed to this week’s Preview. Special thanks go to Steven Illingworth, Mike Harris and John Kirkpatrick for their fantastic photographs. If you have any news, reports and photographs you would like to see in a future Weekend Preview please send to
[email protected]
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SHELFORD RUGBY CLUB est. 1933