SHELFORD RUGBY CLUB WEEKEND PREVIEW 169

EASTER EGGS... FRIDAY 7th APRIL 2023

PRESIDENT’S NOTE Welcome to the 169th edition of The Weekend Preview The rugby comings and goings of this season are far from over. Believe it or not, we have a good century of the Peacock family on the move today, tomorrow, Sunday and Monday, at least! Some have already left. Our U13s and U14s Boys, plus our U16 Girls, are en route to Heidelberg, already there, on the annual exchange tour. It’s a great tradition at our club and we know it is a special experience for everyone and we are already looking forward to hosting Heidelberg next Easter.

This century had just begun when the Peacock family were first involved, back in 2001! To all those who took part in the fundraising Quiz night to defray expenses, thank you. Meantime, our Colts hope to slay dragons this weekend, wearing their new Nantyffyllon tour shirts. The Gog Magogs are not Welsh hillsides, so we'll await their TripAdvisor reports along with the result. Tomorrow, our Men's 1st XV play their first Papa John's away match, at Camberley. A lot rides on this one and we wish them well. The collective noun for Peacocks is a pride and I know our Club will be eager to keep their tails up this weekend. 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 head to Surrey tomorrow to face Camberley in the Papa John’s Community Cup.

After suffering a home defeat to Havant last Saturday, Shelford hope to bounce back, to give themselves any chance of qualifying for the semifinals. Camberley also suffered defeat last weekend, 26-17, away at Harpenden. No doubt they’ll be itching to get back to winning ways, too. They finished 3rd in their Regional South Central League campaign, only one point behind Havant, with a playing record of P22 W17 D1 L4. Unbeaten at home through their League season, Camberley won every game bar one at Watchetts Recreation Ground.

This was a draw against Brighton in their final League game. They even handed Wimbledon their only League defeat, 25-20, in the opening game of the season. Another very tough encounter awaits the Peacocks, but most of their standout results have actually come away from home this season. The most notable were against Tring, Colchester and Harpenden respectively - and we secured bonus point wins in all three! These victories were all over teams that finished in the top 5 and Shelford will be seeking to repeat this tomorrow.

Steve Cracknell Men’s 1st XV Manager

st MEN’S 1

XV SELECTION

Round 2 of Papa John’s Community Cup means another week of players putting their hands up to play for the Mighty Peacocks. Other teams are on a mission to win the Cup and although we would love to end up playing a final at Twickenham, we are more excited about showcasing the talent that makes up our Senior Men's squad. It's fantastic to see young players like Harry Calne, Harry Chater our Harry C pair! - Harvey Taylor and Kyle Harris step up into 1st XV rugby successfully, as well as Miles Huppatz & Lewis Cracknell taking on leadership roles.

It bodes well for the future of Shelford RC.

Will Cotterill Director of Operations and Head Coach

MEN’S 1st XV TEAM SHEET Camberley vs Men’s 1st XV Papa Johns Community Cup, Pool Match 2 8th April 2023, 3pm KO 1. Bradley Robinson (18) – Sponsored by Howdens, St Ives 2. Miles Huppatz (48) (C) – Sponsored by DNA Recruitment 3. Oli Emsley (36) – Sponsored by Bob Barnes 4. Will Ramply (23) – Sponsored by Transport Planning Associates 5. Jake Prier (5)* 6. George Newnham (D) – Sponsored by Cambridge Garage Doors & Remote Controls

7. Freddie Clark (2)* 8. Ollie Walker (14)*

9. Harry Calne (D) – Sponsored by Cambridge Environmental Services 10. Harvey Taylor (8) – Sponsored by Shaw Sports Therapy 11. Callum Traynor (6)* 12. Lewis Cracknell (121) (VC) – Sponsored by J.L.B Electrical Contractor 13. Kyle Harris (2)* 14. Harry Chater (2) – Sponsored by The White Lion, Sawston 15. Louie Tang (57) – Sponsored by Robinson Manufacturing Ltd

16. Dan Barber (32) – Sponsored by Newmarket Motor Company 17. Charlie Fitch (9) – Sponsored by Espria 18. Joe Allison (5)* *player sponsorship available

U11 MIXED MATCH REPORT What a great start it was to the Easter teams, so that all 3 fixtures could go holidays for Shelford’s U11s last ahead. Sunday - their first ever fixture against a touring Norwich team! Progress is definitely being made, with some exquisite off-loading and link-up Cambridge also came across to join in play. the fun. It was also very evident that our players With numbers slightly lower than usual have been working hard on their because of the holidays, Shelford rucking body position in training. loaned players to both Cambridge Norwich definitely wanted to make an impression on their first visit to Shelford and, after their initial apprehension coming up against bigger players, they remembered rugby's core values of supporting and working hard for each other. They soon got right into their stride, working out our strengths as a team and never giving up.

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U11 MIXED MATCH REPORT They soon got right into their stride, working out our strengths as a team and never giving up. Jack Biard, from the Men’s 1st XV, joined the players for the traditional post-match presentation of laces, given to players who displayed those RFU core values. Then Shelford presented both Norwich and Cambridge with laces. Perhaps a new tradition will emerge for both Clubs? Ceremonies over, hotdogs and Easter eggs were tucked into and enjoyed by all players in the clubhouse, rounding off Norwich's first tour weekend. Ellie Harnwell – U11s Mixed Coach

U14 BOYS MATCH REPORT Last Sunday, the U14s faced Peterborough in the first match of the County Plate Final. It was less a case of "Have you packed your boots?' than "Where are your wellies?', as we turned up at Peterborough Pitch 4. Boggy Marsh would have been proud of the conditions that greeted us! At least the rain gods held off and we faced a sizeable Game One Peterborough vs Shelford. We all know the phrase 'a game of two halves'. Well, this was a game of 5 mins, 18 mins and a final 2 mins. Needless to say, we started slowly, conceding 2 tries in the first 5 mins. It's worth understanding how and why.

Peterborough were not just big, but big all over! - and they stayed powerful up front all day, in tight and scrum. Their back line wouldn’t have been out of place as their front line and they used this advantage from the start. It was this greater energy and urgency which saw them run in both early tries. So, the portents, like our footwear, were damp.

And then it happened, as it often does with our teams. We arrived. We showed up! Whether or not brains, hands or feet had been dawdling in the changing rooms, Peterborough’s 2nd try seemed to trigger us into starting our version of the game.

U14 BOYS MATCH REPORT From minute 5 to very nearly the last set phase, we were in it, in every sense.

Manful in the tight against a much heavier pack, we gained some kind of parity at the ruck and - at times - our scrum held, with considerable skill and technique. Phases were completed and, in both territory and possession, the stats were all Shelford's way. Peterborough were now limited to manful defence. Their tidy boot at 10 kept using touch as an old friend for some much needed respite. They were desperate to keep holding on... and hold on they did. Having suffered the torpor of the opening 5 mins - we’d played almost the whole time in Peterborough’s half now came the cruellest of full stops to this first fixture. The home side broke away for a final minute try. The score may have read 17-0, but it didn't feel like there was a huge difference between the sides. Game Two saw Shelford take on Saffron Walden. Spurred by their growing confidence towards the end of the Peterborough game, Shelford tried to take SW on, on their own terms. Our scrum worked better and our forwards were more competitive. Some good scrummaging laid the foundation for forward shenanigans from Bruno. Rucks also saw Rhys going forward, assisted by either Alexi or Magnus, but

slippy ball conditions resulted in lost ball and scrappy breakdown on both sides. Despite this, Shelford put up a spirited display and for a good 10 minutes pinned SW down on the 22, with Jim's solid performance as scrumhalf allowing Zane, Seb and Bertie to try and make ground against wellorganised opponents. However, despite some heroic Peacock tackling, SW exploited our mistakes,, getting the ball out to their wings and running in three tries, converting one. This was a great and lively game from all on the pitch. Shelford fought to the end and could walk off, knowing they had done their best. Overall, we showed admirable spirit and effort and it was a shame that we didn’t manage a score in either game. In part, this was down to some sturdy defence; in part, down to the stodgy conditions. A certain lack of directness on our part did not help. However, none of this should negate or ignore some truly worthy individual efforts and one big team effort. All in all, we can carry much hope and positive expectation into next season. Ade and Mark

U15 BOYS MATCH REPORT With 24 hours to go, heavy rainfall and a potentially waterlogged Pitch 3 meant a possible switch to Pitch 2 for our match against Sudbury. However, come Sunday, the weather was perfect sunny, dry and the pitch was perfect underfoot.

It wasn't long before quick hands saw the ball reach Conor Kraman on the wing. He broke free of his opposite number, beat another couple of defenders and used his pace to run almost half the pitch for our first try, converted by halfback, Jack Woods.

Sudbury were something of an unknown quantity, as we had not played them this season. They had advised they would have only 16 players, so we offered to share our subs.

From the restart, we launched another attack with some fierce moves forward and back in defence following - both ways from both sides!

Unfortunately, with many of our own players away, some resting and a couple of last-minute dropouts, we ended up with a squad of 18 and a few people playing in new positions. The game began really well, Shelford dominating play with some great defence and strong forward attacks.

A couple of good forward pod runs set the ball up for quick hands down the line to left wing, Alfie Russell, who crossed the line for try number two, again converted by Jack. Unfortunately, Sudbury then lost two players to injury in quick succession and Shelford sub, Reuben Gould, normally a back, stepped in to help them out in flank.

U15 BOYS MATCH REPORT Sudbury’s defence grew stronger and it took us another 10 minutes to cross their line again. This was probably the try of the day. Sudbury were trying to kick out of their 22, but our no. 8, Harry Salisbury, took a great catch. Sidestepping a fast-approaching defender and breaking through the defence, he passed the ball out to Alfie, who crossed for his second for the day. The score moved to 19–3, after we gave away a silly penalty in front of the posts. We finished the half with another great individual try from Jack Woods, which he converted: 26-3.

A new Sudbury injury meant Shelford sub. Thurston Edwards joined them in the centres. The second half started fast and Shelford, possibly overconfident, faced a revitalised Sudbury who really hammered our defence. It was not long before they had scored

two tries, converting one. Now, a strong run from our centres saw Bailey Pitt cross the line to get one back. Next, an individual weaving run from flyhalf, Evan Jarman, saw him beat several players and scurry over the line for our sixth try.

Prop, Luc Scutt-Maury, had been driving through Sudbury’s defence all game, only to be stopped by some great resistance. This time, he managed to find a gap, run over a player and drive through again, scoring Shelford’s final try, converted by Jack. 43-15. Unfortunately, we let our guard down in the last minute and Sudbury managed to cross the line for the closing points of the match. FT 43-20. This was a tough game and it was great to play against opposition who kept pushing us, right to the very end!

MEN’S 345 MATCH REPORT Last Saturday was the final game of the season for the Squadron. Hopefully, we would add to our League-topping triumph with a win over a French tour side. With a big turn-out of players, it looked like we would have a fun day! Knowing the French had brought 50 supporters, but that they'd all been out on the town very, very late on Friday.....

Well, hopefully this would mitigate against those sorts of numbers. They kicked to us and Shelford used the pod system to move up the pitch, retaining the ball well, right into their 22. It was then that we realised we had to be sharp in our attacking rucks, or they would jackle the ball. Through a turnover, they moved the

ball with effortless grace to the wide channels and scored.

Uh oh! The loud contingent of French on the sidelines let us know it was going to be a long day at the office. This moving the ball quickly from the set piece and breakdowns was their game plan - and it was working. With no actual scrums to slow them down, they always seemed to have plenty of men! On several occasions when they would pass the ball behind the next player, they still managed to pull it out of the air! Half-time couldn’t come quickly enough and we agreed to use our bulk to make it more difficult for them. This meant we would use the pick-and-go

MEN’S 345 MATCH REPORT from the base of rucks. Et voilà, it worked and we were on the board after great offload to Adam Hodgkisson, who finished off our try! The rest of the 2nd half saw several pick-and-go's from the Squadron, working up the pitch. We either ended up scoring, or dropping the ball, which meant they sped down the pitch. This was headed off by Tom Bundock corner-flagging several times, but they got through another couple of times. They stopped kicking to touch, because young Ben Whiddett was making it very hard for their hooker to hit his mark. Positives: we stopped them around the rucks, with tackling being led by Stuart Melvin and John Clements. It turned out that CentraleSupelec were finalists in the French university competition!

Our scrummage, so effectively used to win the League was just not part of this game. At one point, our pack's age was more than their entire team's, including subs!! The game was played in fantastically good spirits and we definitely won the drinking contests for Man of the Match and Dick of the Day! Our opponents were out to enjoy their victory and sang and drank and drank and sang again, with gusto and to huge appreciation. Final score? 20-something to 60something and I'm sure someone will supply the missing bits, if really necessary... John Clements

RAFFLE REPORT How many Last Raffles of the Season can there be before the Truly Grandest Final Draw of 2022-2023 is done with? The Raffle Harridan begs forgiveness. She'll even kowtow...very, very slightly. She really believed her last Raffle Report for the season had been written three weeks previous. Everyone was caught out by the late decision re: the Community Cup challenge. Be assured that if any of the RFU Committee ever visit the Davey Field, they will be buying more raffle rickets than they've ever had hot dinners or Papa John's pizzas. In their absence, you were all - yet again - extraordinary in your magnanimity, your kindness, your generosity.

Let's not beat about the bush on this. Spectators and regular supporter numbers were well down last Saturday, as were those of guests and diners, despite the glorious cinquantaine from CentraleSupelec, playing our 3s. Do read John Clements' match report! Many people and families were away on breaks long-planned. But you all came up trumps, as you have all season. A mighty drumroll goes to our Peacock family prize winners: Will Ringrose, James, Noel Griffiths, Sam Godfrey and Jim McNicholas.

President Rory proved to be an expert ticket stub scrumpler, a natural! - but a special mention goes to touring visitor, Thibaud. Thibaud was curious about one of the prizes. HRH explained. Her home-grown figs had been minding their own business in rum and secret extras since summer '21. Thibaud has a fig tree chez lui and he longed to win these. The first 3 ticket holders, having left, were contacted by phone. Out came the 4th no. and, unbelievably, mais Oui! Thibaud it was! Up he rushed to claim his prize and the large 3 litre jar was lip-smackingly emptied in short order. He interrogated the Harridan thoroughly and intends a similar figgy fate for his next harvest.

But most magnificent of all is a figure exceeding ten thousand pounds. Yes, over Ten. Thousand. Pounds! That is the astounding amount you have raised for our Club this season. How can any thanks of mine be remotely adequate? Will you accept them anyway, humbly given? I thank you, every single one of you, until next season, when we begin again. Barbara

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 1 4

PEN

CON

1

4

27

27

1 2

3 1

3

6

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 26 20

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]

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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