Match Day Programme 26th March

BRIDGWATER & ALBION RFC V ST AUSTELL RFC SATURDAY 26 MARCH 2022 KO 3PM

Match Sponsor Warm Welcome to Bridgwater and Albion RFC Ladies Day Raising Funds for Cancer Research UK

ON LADIES DAY ST AUSTELL SEEK TO MAINTAIN PROMOTION CREDENTIALS AS ALBION SCRAP TO SALVAGE PRIDE Today we welcome high-riding St Austell to College Way for only their third visit. Mind you, they may not be too perturbed as they have been victorious in 4 of the 5 matches between the clubs in league history.

St Austell arrived at this Level 6 after being Western Counties West champions in 2012/13 and they played two seasons at South West One West but were relegated in 2014/15. After several years of reconsolidation in WCW, they were in the frame again in 2019/20 being runners up but were awarded the promotion place having the better record than their WCN rivals Matson. Alas the void 2020/21 season kept them lingering but they have more than made up for it this season with an impressive 15-5 record and 76 points sitting just 4 points and a game in hand behind the league leaders Chew Valley. Next week’s clash between these two clubs at St Austell should be worth waiting for and the Cornishmen have the benefit of an away victory at Chew earlier in the season. They have only lost once at home to Sidmouth in early February 16-18 and in their last two matches they have beaten both Thornbury and Lydney who were also vying for the promotion spots. Of course, RFU rescheduling of leagues for next season probably means that the top three of this league will be at Level 5 in 2022/23. We wish St Austell well in their quest.

In 2013/14 St Austell won 22-17 here and 41-12 at home and finished 4th in the league; in the next season whilst we succumbed 17-25 away, we turned tail and won 31-14 on the last day of the 2014/15 season which saw St Austell relegated. Earlier this season, The Saints were not to be denied on their own ground when they raced to a 52-0 interval lead in rather blustery conditions. However, a tremendous rear guard from Albion in the second half curbed the scoring and the game ended with a score line of 66-14 in favour of the home side. In difficult conditions The Saints produced an excellent all-round display and will now need to continue this in their last few matches as they will meet Devonport Services in their last game having lost 533 at Devonport on the first day of the season.

Bridgwater & Albion – having upped their game to defeat North Petherton and Old Patesians in successive weeks – went down to a narrow 19-25 Webb Ellis Somerset Cup defeat at Wellington and then were heavily beaten in their last outing at Sidmouth two weeks ago 3-42. The contrast between two consecutive Saturdays there was significant and Albion - having leapt off the bottom on the table – now look to salvage some pride for the season with good performances in the remaining three matches. However our next and last home opponents for this season Thornbury on 9 April will undoubtedly be difficult before we visit Wellington hoping to prevent our Somerset rivals from completing the treble.

Albion have endured a disappointing and somewhat disjointed season caused by considerable disruption to the starting XV almost every week when there have been a multitude of changes preventing overall consistency. Fortunately other clubs have been in the same boat and at least we have managed to achieve some wins against those. The promise of some considerable improvement in the two wins against North Petherton and Old Patesians both home and away was particularly nullified in our next outing. Despite these

setbacks, the players and coaching staff have stuck manfully to the task and will be looking at the revised Level 6 league suggestions with some interest but at present, we can expect to be visiting two Cornish clubs (as opposed to just one this season) but going no further north than the top of the Somerset section of the M5 with plenty (and more) local derbies.

Several players have reached notable landmarks in their careers during this season and it is that experience which we will need to carry us forward into 2022/23 and recent celebrants are Jay Owens having achieved his 50th appearance in the Cup match at Wellington and Stuart Heal now up to 175 appearances in the Sidmouth game – see their profiles in this programme.

SIDES AND ASIDES UNITED XV FALTER IN TERMS OF PERSONNEL Our United XV – having put together three excellent consecutive wins – sadly faltered and were unable to fulfil their next three Somerset I matches due to calls by the 1st XV with particular reference to the mid-week matches at North Petherton and Wellington – thus dissipating our front row resources in particular. We hope that this side will be back on the road this week at Old Sulians and conclude the season with away matches at Wellington II – 8 April and rearranged at Cheddar Valley on Easter Saturday – 16 April.

LADIES DAY Once again, the club will be graced by a considerable band of Ladies enjoying their usual Day. We hope that they enjoy themselves and enter into the spirit and support the team on the field. This has been a very popular event over many years and a good crowd is naturally assured. Funds raised from this wonderful event are split between the club and Cancer Research UK

NEXT MATCHES ON THIS GROUND Sadly very few games. After today’s match, the 1st XV meet Thornbury here on 9 April kick-off 1500 supported by The Friends. Next week is a void week as Stroud have withdrawn from the league and we would have been at Formhall Park; the originally United opponents – Taunton – have also withdrawn from Somerset I leaving us with a complete void. As indicated above, the United XV will be away for their last two matches. Yet another season gone but we can always look forward to next September.

FURTHER PLAYERS CHALK UP SIGNIFICANT LANDMARKS IN THEIR BRIDGWATER & ALBION CAREERS

JAY INCREASES APPEARANCES MOMENTUM Jay Owens – our utility back – made his 50th 1st XV appearance in the Somerset Cup match at Wellington on 2 March. Jay showed promise from the early days in our Mini and Junior Section and graduated to the Colts and made his 1st XV debut in another Cup match at Taunton in November 2013. His 1st XV appearances over the next few seasons were somewhat spasmodic – partly due to injuries but he assisted our United XV to an unbeaten season when they gained promotion to Somerset Premier. Jay is capable of playing in most of the back positions but appears mainly in the centre and occasionally at standoff where he has come to our aid on several occasions – notably in the match at Crediton in 2019/20 when he took over the goal-kicking mantle and secured 4 penalties and a conversion in a narrow victory. He has proved to be a sound defensive centre with a good tactical nous and after upping his appearances to 15 in 2019/20, he has added a further 13 this season to go past the magic 50 mark. Approaching the age of 27, he has plenty of time to develop his skills and be the mainstay of our teams over the next few years. The next target is naturally the 75 badge appearance and we wish him well in that quest.

JAY OWENS DOB 12.5.1995

APPEARANCES 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2021-22 (up to 25.3.22)

Debut 13.11.13 v Taunton SCRFU Cup

1 (debut) 2 2 1 13 5 15 13 52 A

SCORES

T-5 4 PC - 14 T 4 PC - 19 L 11-33

XV on debut:-

JH Hill; Basson Honeywell Allen Francis; Heal S Knight; T Buller Dunn Kemmish Blundell Northey Bussell Hastie Chawatama.

Reps: Bryant Spellisey Owens D Steward O Steward Drabble GW Sluman.

50 2.3.22

v Wellington SCRFU Cup

L 19-25

STUART HITS 175 At the other end of the scales, Stuart Heal – our former captain and regular stand-off – made his 175th appearance in the 1st XV at Sidmouth two weeks ago – scoring our only points but that took him past the 1200 mark in his career to date – a significant return.

In three of his ten seasons with the club, he has passed the 200 mark with 249 points in 2018/19 being the highest and has scored over 100 points in six seasons.

Stuart made his debut at Exmouth in November 2010 whilst a Colt and then went on to complete his education at Cardiff Met University – gradually became a regular Albion player until duties at his employment at Taunton School curtailed his appearances in 2015/16. However he returned with a vengeance scoring 204 points in the 2016/17 season and maintaining a consistent level of appearances over the last few years. During his career, he has represented England Colleges and also the Somerset Senior XV in the County Championship as well as through the age groups.

The club has celebrated a cap award to another player this season and Stuart is now next in line and we will all be hoping that he achieves that further landmark.

STUART CHRISTOPHER HEAL DOB 31.12.1992

Appearances

T

P

C

DG

TOTAL

2010-11

2

-

-

-

-

0

2012-13

14

-

14

14

-

70

2013-14

26

1

38

42

2

209

2014-15

27

4

6

29

-

96

2015-16

1

-

-

-

-

0

2016-17

25

4

30

44

2

204

2017-18

20

-

18

34

-

122

2018-19

25

4

24

77

1

249

2019-20

18

2

17

34

-

129

2021-22 (Up to 25.3.22)

17

29

18

176

292

175

Debut 12.11.2010 v Exmouth

15

N3SW

A

50

25.10.2014 v Clevedon

SW1W

A

W 28-15

75

1.10.2016 v Okehampton

SW1H

A

L 7-13

100

7.10.2017 v Drybrook

SW1W

H

L 8-37

125

8.9.2018 v Hornets

SW1W

150

30.11.2019 v North Petherton

WE SCRFU CUP

175

12.3.2022 v Sidmouth

SW1W

H

123 5

1202

L 27-43

A

W 42-31

A

L 3-42

W 34-20

XV on debut 12.11.10 v Exmouth N3SW A L27-43 Topps; Austwick Osborne House Hancock; Dom Griffin Kohler; Kemmish H Brown Burnell Hunt (c) Blundell Bryant Hastie P Triggol. Reps: HEAL Brooks Northey.

Bridgwater and Albion RFC Team:

1. Matt Ranson – Kindly Sponsored by Godfrey and Shirley Stacey 2. Jordon Buller – Kindly Sponsored by MRB Properties 3. Graham Slorance 4. Olly Davis 5. Tom Hopkins – Kindly Sponsored by MRB Properties 6. Karolis Urbonas – Kindly and cryptically chosen as one of the Presidents Men 7. George Sluman – Kindly Sponsored by Jane Heal in memory of John 8. Taylor Buller 9. Jon Hill - Kindly Sponsored by MRB Properties 10. Stuart Heal – Kindly Sponsored by Connect Electrical Services - 652190 11.Thomas Croal – Kindly Sponsored as one of Badgers Boys 12.Jake Knight – Kindly Sponsored by Mike Morgan Electrical Services 13.Jay Owens – Kindly Sponsored Neil Owens Carpet and Vinyl Fitting – 07917 886009 14.Will Monro – Kindly Sponsored by Richard Preece Mortgages – 07545 860805 15.Oskar White – Kindly Sponsored by Britannia Lanes of Bristol and Somerset 16.Michael Saunders – Kindly Sponsored by Ian Stone 17.Rowan James 18.Ross Mark

St Austell RFC

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Dan Job Miles Davey (Captain) Brandon Haque Tony Knight Mark Vian Andy Inch Zach Morley Adam Kellow CJ Boyce Chris Ashwin Alex Welland Ben Plummer Konnor Ewudzi Cavan Boyer Matt Shepherd

Replacements 16. Archie Rolls 17. Joe Maunder 18. Archie Bees