BRIDGWATER & ALBION RFC V CREDITON RFC SATURDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER 2022 KO 3PM Sponsors Lunch
Bridgwater and Albion Rugby Football Club salutes the reign and life of Queen Elizabeth II with particular reference to her national leadership; considerable guidance; and her enduring spirit which has prevailed through the many personal, national and economic traumas which have prevailed through her life.
CREDITON ON EARLY ROLL – ALBION RETURN TO HOME BASE TO TRY AND GET OFF THE MARK
In 2019/20 Albion were narrowly successful in both games winning 27 22 here and 19 17 at Exhibition Road. After the void 2020/21 season Crediton produced a rousing performance in the corresponding September game last season winning 35 15 at home. However Albion countered this with a 17 3 home win in January 2022 in somewhat grimy and mucky conditions. Crediton finished in tenth spot in the league on 46 points in 2019/20 and advanced one place to ninth with a 10 14 record and 47 points in 2021/22.
Her Majesty has had a significant input and interest in the sporting attributes of this country and in particular she and the late Prince Phillip had been Patrons of the Rugby Football Union. Her pride in this being highlighted with her appearance in a photograph of the 2003 World Cup winning squad complete with stray Buckingham Palace corgi. As matters turned out the Queen’s interest and knowledge in Rugby Football has no doubt been enhanced by the fact that Mike Tindall a member of the World Cup winning side became the husband of Zara Phillips, her granddaughter.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II
Today’s teams and spectators will be honouring her life and mourning her death with the appropriate period of silence before the start of today’s match.
This season Crediton have set out there stall early with two wins against promoted Clubs from Western Counties West, firstly winning 22 18 at Truro and then 29 17 at home to Wadebridge Camels last week ensuring that both of those Clubs area aware that stepping up a level can be a difficult thing. They arrive in third place on 9 points equal with both St Austell and Wellington and will be looking to enhance that record for their first win at Bridgwater today. We wish them well and hope that they and their supporters have an enjoyable time.
After our double away whammy with the first two weeks of the season Bridgwater and Albion return home to face Creditor who have started the season in excellent form.
We welcome the Creditor players, Committee and supporters to College Way for this third season encounter between the Clubs which started in September 2019. Crediton just three years younger than ourselves and founded in 1878 have plied their skills mainly in Western Counties West during the span of leagues when in 2018/19 they were promoted as runners up in their league and won their play off again Midsomer Norton to join this level 6 now known as Regional 2 Tribute South West.
Next week we visit Newton Abbot who made a quick return to level 6 and then we return to face our local rivals North Petherton on 1 October.
Our United XV was also somewhat beleaguered in 2021/22 when they played they did well and ended with a 8 12 record in Somerset 1 but unfortunately with several concessions. This side now finds itself in Counties 3 Tribute Somerset South but with much more local emphasis on fixtures.
Unfortunately that win marker at Wellington on the last day of last season may have been a false promise as we have stumbled in both our opening fixtures this season ironically firstly at Wellington going down 11 20 and a game which could of gone either way but then being outgunned at Chard last Friday evening failing to respond to Chard’s 27 points. There were several new faces in our teams for these matches and other new players were fielded in our United XV last Saturday. It is early days but there is nothing like a home performance to get the spirit moving in the right direction.
Bridgwater and Albion’s league campaign of 2021/22 was disappointing with 7 wins and a draw from their 24 matches and scoring only 1 point short of 400 and finishing in tenth place. It was certainly a topsy turvy season with a poor start losing the first 7 matches on the trot and then picking up with wins over fellow strugglers North Petherton and Old Patesians and then a draw at home to Sidmouth. Into the New Year the win against Crediton buoyed the anticipation but then a further 5 consecutive losses re dampened spirits only revived by the old chestnuts wins over the aforementioned North Petherton and Old Patesians before perhaps the highlight of the season a 30 26 home victory against high riding St Austell which may well of cost the Cornishmen promotion. A close game at Thornbury followed and a win at Wellington nicely rounded off the season with some optimism perhaps for this time.
Last year our 1st XV squad encompassed some 50 players of which 17 were debutants.
LEAGUES RESTRUCTURING
After difficulties in fielding a structured side for our opening game against Wellington we managed to get in the field last week at home to Somerton and despite a bright start taking a 7 0 lead we were overwhelmed by a strong Somerton squad which can boast 51 registered players for one side and went down 12 51. However several of our United XV were making their debuts and some promising players are amongst them and the side should naturally be given time to settle and we look forward to better results in the forthcoming games. Today we visit Chard II and receive Wiveliscombe II here next week.
We have lost Thornbury; Keynsham; Newent and Old Patesians to Regional 2 Severn and Lydney and Devonport Services were promoted to Regional 1 SW.
The geographical irony is that having made one visit to Cornwall last season we can now contemplate three but someone will say “well Devonport have gone up”. None of our new opponents are new in league terms and we will look forward to welcoming them here and visiting them alike.
UNITED XV GET UNDERWAY
This women’s game topped off a weekend of Rugby Football on a Friday night, Saturday afternoon and again on Sunday what entertainment a Rugby Football Club can provide.
Ourselves; North Petherton; Crediton; Sidmouth; Wellington and St Austell remain from last season and we are now joined by Wadebridge Camels the unbeaten winners of Western Counties West; Truro; Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Chard all from the same league are promoted and Sherborne come in on a level transfer from what was SW1E. This now means that Bridgwater and Albion is the most northernmost club in the league.
The much anticipated league restructuring promised for several years has finally come into being for this 2022/23 season. The RFU emphasis particularly at levels below National is on “local fixtures”. However, insofar as this league is concerned maybe the RFU geography is somewhat amiss. Accordingly there is a considerable change in the team personnel from what we have enjoyed in the last few seasons.
WOMENS XV SUCCESSFULLY OPENS ACCOUNT
Playing matters were rescued by our women’s XV last Sunday when in a preseason warm up game against Yeovil II the Albion side won 37 24. In a game played in four quarters Albion were in the ascendancy throughout the first three periods with Yeovil coming back at the end but not sufficient to deny our team the spoils. This was a good work out for last seasons champions of the women’s NC3 South West (West) and the team is looking forward to the sterner fixtures from the next league above and which commences on 25 September with a home match against experienced Hornettes.
SIDES AND ASIDES
TODAY’S GUESTS
Women’s XV v Hornettes
Kick off 2.00 p.m.
Kick off 3.00 p.m.
United XV v Yeovil II
Friday 14 October
Saturday 1 October
Kick off 3.00 p.m.
Sunday 25 September
1st XV v North Petherton
Saturday 15 October
Kick off 3.00 p.m.
Saturday 24 September
United XV v Wiveliscombe II
The Club welcomes its sponsors and loyal supporters to lunch prior to this match together with the Crediton Committee with grateful thanks for the continued support which is the life blood of this Club and indeed all such Clubs throughout the Country. We hope that our guests have an enjoyable afternoon and will come again.
NEXT MATCHES ON THIS GROUND
1st XV v Sherborne
Members should note that the weekend of 8/9 October is a spare week and Sherborne visit on Friday 14 October having requested a reversal of fixtures so that we will visit them in January instead of on the originally appointed date of 15 October.
Kick off 3.00 p.m.
19
WOMENS SOUTH WEST (WEST) matches conceded
9
XV 12 11 - 1 364 103 (CHAMPIONS WOMENS NC3
1 R
MENS (including those as GS KNIGHT JW HILL GW SLUMAN K URBONIS O WHITE J KNIGHT* O DAVIS* SC HEAL T CROAL* T HOPKINS MR RANSON J OWENS WJ MONRO E TREBBLE WESTLAKE M SAUNDERS S ADCOCK TL BULLER K DEVITT R DRABBLE G SLORANCE SA MAHONEY J PALMER* L PHILLIPS L PLECE R BRIGHT A PAYNE* W SPRANGLE STAPLES* S BUCK* J BULLER R MARK* JAMES* DA LANG J ROBERTS* A ROBINSON* J BRAKES W KERRY AJ KING* G CLWYD JONES D PAGE* N PARRY* C TONG* L VIALA* BARNETT GF BASSON R HOBBS* DJ KEMMISH A NEWMAN PHILLIPS O TREGENNA
20
18
* includes 4
16
17
15
11
8
5
12
50 PLAYERS * = debut in 2021/22
BRIDGWATER & ALBION RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB CLUB STATISTICS 2021 22 P W D L F A MENS 1ST XV (SW1 LEAGUEWEST)(10TH) 24 7 1 16 399 757 SCRFU CUP 2 1 1 47 52 26 8 - 17 446 809 MENS UNITED XV 20 8 12* 463 302 (SOMERSET 1)
14
replacement/substitute) 24
4 R
2
1ST XV APPEARANCES 2021 22
O
22
13
10
6 L
3
7
15
145
PENALTY TRIES (2)
14
R BRIGHT (2T) GS KNIGHT (2T) R MARK (2T) W SPRANGLE (2T)
XV
41
5
S ADCOCK (T) J BULLER (T) O DAVIS (T) AJ KING (T)
BRIDGWATER & ALBION RFC MENS2021/221
TL BULLER (4T) SA MAHONEY (3T) G SLORANCE (3T)
J OWENS (T) J ROBERTS (T) GW SLUMAN (T) E TREBBLE WESTLAKE (T) L VIALA (T)
ST SCORERS SC HEAL (33P 23C) O WHITE (5T 5P 3C) K DEVITT (2T 7P 5C) WJ MONRO (8T) JW HILL (5T)
20
40
46
10
25
18
UP AND COMING O TREGENNA R BARNETT J OWENS SA MAHONEY J BRAKES S ADCOCK W SPRANGLE JW HILL W KERRY K URBONIS B WEBB O WHITE T HOPKINS R BRIGHT M SAUNDERS JH HILL G MUSGRAVE J KNIGHT L PLECE O DAVIS G SLORANCE J BULLER T CROAL G CLWYD JONES DA LANG J PALMER A PAYNE L STAPLES S BUCK R MARK R JAMES J ROBERTS A ROBINSON AJ KING A NEWMAN D PAGE N PARRY O PHILLIPS C TONG L VIALA R HOBBS
35
413
134
43
21
19
3
(Players appearing in club XV’s this season)
55
104
113
20
255
117
62
34
1
4
5
128
42
76
53
36
92
82
109
47
28
BADGED SC HEAL R DRABBLE E TREBBLE WESTLAKE GF BASSON GW SLUMAN TL BULLER GS KNIGHT J BUSSELL L PHILLIPS K DEVITT WJ MONRO
CAPPED DJ KEMMISH MR RANSON
123
66
177
22
7
6
25
32
MENS CAREER 1ST XV APPEARANCES UP TO 23 APRIL 2022
11
10
2
The Friends Luncheon – Saturday 11th March
Luxury Christmas Buffet Dance the night away to LIVE band The Haus Band Then party on with a disco! £26 per Ticket. £10 deposit required per person.
Dirt trackers Sponsor – Saturday 28th January
Bridgwater and Albion RFC Forth coming events
Ladies Day – Saturday 18th March
Christmas Party Nights
Meet up with everyone from this era with a buffet lunch and match £12.50 per ticket.
Boxing Day Family Party
Friday 16th December and Saturday 17th December
The Stuart Woodward Reunion Saturday 22nd October
Our amazing Ladies Day is back. Book your table now with a deposit of £10 per ticket.
Presentation Evening – Friday 5th May
Tickets from the club office
Let off steam after all that turkey and Christmas pud and let the children have a run about. All welcome. Ticket information to follow.
Weddings at Bridgwater and Albion RFC
We have had some gorgeous weddings at the club over the summer. Call us on 01278 423900 or e mail bookings@barfc.co.uk for more information.
13 Richard Bright (Vice-Captain)
7 George Sluman (Capt)
15 Danny Mahoney
9 Jake Knight
8 Jack Perry
Kindly Sponsored by HM Electrical
Kindly Sponsored by Neil Owens
Kindly Sponsored by Jane Heal in memory of John
1
Michael Saunders
6 Karolis Urbonas
16 Cameron Modley
Kindly Sponsored by Cora Heal
Bridgwater and Albion RFC Team:
Kindly Sponsored by Connect Electrical
3 Graham Slorance
14 Roger Drabble
12 Jay Owens
4 Leigh Parker
2 Jordan Buller
Kindly Sponsored by Hannah Symes of Riverside Health www.hsmanualtherapy.co.uk
5 Bryan Webb
11 Nick Parry
17 Rowan James
18 Will Kerry
10 Stuart Heal
Crediton RFC
