Bridgwater and Albion RFC v Thornbury RFC Saturday 9th April Match Day Programme

BRIDGWATER & ALBION RFC V THORNBURY RFC SATURDAY 9th APRIL 2022 KO 3PM

Match Sponsor The Friends of Bridgwater and Albion

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THORNS STILL IN FRAME AT THIS LATE STAGE OF THE SEASON AS ALBION LOOK TO BUILD UPON INSPIRED VICTORY LAST TIME OUT We welcome our old friends Thornbury to College Way for the penultimate league match of the season and our last home game for the 2021/22 campaign. The clubs have been battling it out at this level – South West 1 West – for the last eight seasons and both may be thinking that it is about time that they made a move upwards as Albion are in their 10th season at this level 6. The Thorns reached the play-off a few seasons ago but unfortunately missed out, whilst Albion have only breached the top 4 on two of their 10 seasons. Who knows what will happen after these last two matches of the season as the leagues restructuring proposals will dictate. At present, Thornbury is still in with a shout of finishing in the top 4 of the league as they trail Lydney by 8 points and all four of the teams below the leaders Chew Valley have a game in hand. Still exciting stuff at the top. It appears that the top four will find themselves at level 5 next season whilst the remainder of SW1W will be fragmented into a north and south western regional set up and if Thornbury do not make it to the top 4, then they are likely to be in the northern section of the revised league whilst we will be joined by several sides from the south and also have a most northerly point of Gordano but with two visits to our Cornish brethren. Confused? – All will be revealed soon but let us get on with today’s match first.

This series has been evenly played throughout the time during which the clubs have been in competition and in 2017/18 Thornbury achieved the double but Albion turned that around in 2018/19 with a similar achievement. In 2019/20 the clubs met on the opening day of the season here and Thornbury were 33-20 winners. Lockdown meant that we did not get to play the away match. With the void 2020/21 season, both sides were kicking their heels but just before Christmas in 2021 Thornbury won 43-17 at home in a match where Albion competed well during the first half but fell away to a strong Thornbury effort in the second half. Thornbury sit in 5th place in the league and will be hoping that a victory today and at home to Chew Valley next week will put them in the upward frame. It will naturally be sad to lose them as opponents simply by dint of geography but we wish them well in their future quests.

Bridgwater & Albion set the league tongues a’wagging with our excellent victory at home to St Austell. It shows what we can do. We took the game to the Cornishmen in the opening minutes and secured the first score and although St Austell naturally came back with some aplomb and took the lead, we kept in contention and trailed 15-19 at the interval; kicking our goals when required kept is in touch and whilst St Austell extended the lead, we hit back firstly with a deserved penalty try and then with Will Monro’s late winner (he celebrates today – see later). Add to that, at least 3 disallowed tries for the ball being held up over the opponents’ goal line and you will see the effort and perhaps the superiority on the day. However, not to be denied, St Austell bounced back by beating the league leaders in Cornwall last week. Albion will therefore be cock-a-hoop with this earlier win and we hope that this will stand us in good stead for today’s encounter.

In two weeks’ time we conclude the season at Wellington where the home club will be seeking the treble – having won here on the opening day of the season and also defeated us in the Somerset Cup a few weeks ago.

During the season, several players have celebrated notable landmarks in their careers – we have had a cap (250); 100; 75 badge awards; 50 and of course many debuts. Today Will Monro celebrates his 75 th appearance in the 1st XV and will be awarded his club badge – see his profile later in this programme.

Already Bridgwater & Albion and indeed other clubs will be rallying their players for next season’s endeavours where pastures new will no doubt abound. This has been a highly disruptive season as perhaps we expected after the lockdown year and the knock on effect of the pandemic. Injuries, unavailabilities, disappearances, apathy and other factors have contributed to a continually changed XV being fielded each week and today may be no exception due to several of the unavailability type. It is no longer a question of just 15 men on the field – you need 18 anyway with replacements – but beyond that you need a large squad to back even one side – let alone 2 which we attempt to field although in recent weeks we have struggled with that requirement. Having fixtures and playing games is the only way to keep people interested. We have all seen the effect of the big squads in the premiership, championship and other national leagues where many of their players do not even get a sniff of a game. Whilst some are naturally ambitious and will hold on for the prospect of higher recognition, many will simply walk away from the game and this is what must be avoided. There have probably been many lessons this season and hopefully we and other clubs will take those to heart and ensure that our prospects for the future are in enhanced.

Bridgwater & Albion – despite the difficult season – can be proud of their efforts and many of our younger players have gained considerable experience which can only do them and the club good for the future. It is thanks again to our loyal supporters both at home and especially away who have stuck with the team through thick and thin. We wish you an enjoyable day and we will be ready to welcome you back in 2022/23.

SIDES AND ASIDES UNITED XV LINGER

Our United XV has struggled in recent weeks to field a side conceding the last four matches but hoped to be in action at Wellington last night to play their penultimate match with a rearranged game at Cheddar Valley due on Easter Saturday. As indicated, we need strength to fulfil these fixtures and to provide those who wish to play with a game. It is all very well training hard but the players need something to employ that effort on a Saturday. When in good shape, the side has performed well and that must be some encouragement for the remaining games and for next season.

FRIENDS OF BRIDGWATER

Today’s match is sponsored by the Friends of Bridgwater and the club is always grateful for their considerable support both in terms of numbers to the pre-match lunch and of course in connection with their financial support. The Friends have now been in business for the last 17 years or so and have provided considerable backing to the club through this period. We hope that they and their guests will have an enjoyable afternoon and sufficiently so to ensure that they return again next season.

UNDER 16 XV SHOW THE WAY WITH COUNTY REPRESENTATION

Our burgeoning U16 XV has been in excellent form this season and this was clearly demonstrated when 14 of their number represented Somerset at U16 level in three County matches in Cornwall two weeks ago.

This is a considerable achievement to produce this number of quality players and the coaches, parents and of course the boys themselves are to be congratulated. Hopefully this is the team which will now bridge the gap between U16 and 1st XV and to assist the resurrection of our Colts XV which has been redundant in the last few years. Well done to everyone concerned and let’s hope that we have other players who will follow in the footsteps of the likes of Olly Davis and Karolis Urbonis who are our most recent products from the junior/Colts progressions.

WILL MONRO REACHES BADGE AWARD Today Will Monro – he of the silky skills and considerable pace – makes his 75th appearance in the 1st XV. Will is in his fourth season with us and has therefore shown his consistency - although injury has restricted his appearances this year to 13 to date.

Will played in Somerset RFU representative sides up to U16 level before going to Hartpury College where he played in the 1st XV alongside the likes of Ellis Genge, Lewis Ludlow, Ross Moriarty, Billie Burns, Callum Braley and Jonny Hill – all of whom have achieved international status. No wonder that team went through the season unbeaten and won the AASE league. Will forsook Hartpury and a rugby scholarship to attend University of Bath for three years, playing in the 1st XV there in the BUCS league. During his time at Bath, he was in the winning 7-aside BUCS team. He is now completing his education at Bath Spa University undertaking a PGCE course to become a PE teacher.

Will has appeared for us mainly on the wing but is also extremely competent at either full-back or centre.

At the risk of offering today’s opponents some tactical suggestions, then Will is a player you would not wish to kick the ball to in your right mind. He has the considerable ability of making you pay for such loose errors – invariably returning the ball far up the field, mainly through his extremely balanced running skills and pace.

All of this is amplified by his 34 tries in his 74 appearances to date and twice he has hit 10 tries in the season in 2018/19 when he played all matches and again, in 2019/20 from 18 appearances. In his other two seasons including this he has scored 7 tries.

Will made his debut at home to Teignmouth in September 2017 and in the last game before lockdown in March 2020 secured a hattrick at Newton Abbot. He scored his first try in the match against Clevedon later in September 2017.

He has done us proud to date and we hope that we will see his multi-skills for some time to come.

WILL MONRO DOB 27.1.1995

2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2021-22 (up to 8.4.22)

Debut

2.9.17 v Teignmouth

50

16.11.19 V Newton Abbot SW1W

74

26.3.22 v St Austell

APPEARANCES

SCORES

17 26 (all games) 18 13 74

7T – 35 10T – 50 10T – 50 7T – 35 34T - 170

SW1W

H H

SW1W

W 41-21

W 29-22 H

W 30-26 (2 tries)

Bridgwater & Albion XV on Will’s debut:-

Devitt; Tregenna Plummer Barnett MONRO; Heal Fournier D’Albe; Talbot Sluman Kemmish Thompson Trebble-Westlake D Norman Dunn (c) M Ranson. Reps G Knight Saunders Owens.

Scorers: Talbot (2T) Barnett (T) Tregenna (T) Devitt (T) Heal (5C 2 P)

Members will probably have noted that Brad Talbot – the scorer of two tries in Will’s debut match – is now making great strides at Clifton in N2S where he is a regular appearer and scorer – having appeared for Bridgwater & Albion in 2017/18.

ALWAYS ON THE BRIGHT SIDE Your Scribe was interested in an article in the Daily Telegraph last Saturday which was an exclusive interview with the Championship’s scoring sensation – Mark Bright – at the age of 43.

Bridgwater & Albion members may recall Mark’s brief stay with the club between December 2004 and early April 2005.

This was of course the season at the end of which Albion were promoted after winning the league play-off game at Worthing – although Mark did not appear in our last league fixture nor the play-off.

The Telegraph article unfortunately did not refer to his stay with us – preferring to suggest that he arrived in England in 2006 signing for Redruth. That is indeed a fact. Whilst in Cornwall, Mark also played for the Cornish County XV.

We will remember him as an outstanding No. 8 who provided considerable ballast to our team – particularly in the run in to the promotion stakes. The article refers to his “scoring sensation” – well he did the same for us scoring 7 tries in just 11 appearances and those 7 tries were crammed in a run of 8 games.

He made his debut as a replacement against Keynsham on 18 December 2004 in a 25-8 win and his last full appearance was on 9 April 2005 against St Marys Old Boys. For the anoraks amongst us, the Bridgwater & Albion XV on Mark’s first full appearance on 8 January 2005 v Gloucester Old Boys was:-

Meyer; Burchell Leung-Wah Webber Hancock; George Woodhouse; BRIGHT Kemmish S Ranson Cormack Cox Stiling Hastie Bryant. Reps: M Ranson Whitcombe Salmon.

Mark returned to his New Zealand club Nelson Bays but then came back to the UK to play for Redruth and then Ealing, London Scottish and his present club – Richmond. At the age of 44 he is still proving a handful and although his team lost to Ealing 10-60 last week he was yet again on the scoresheet.

STILL AT IT AFTER 100 YEARS

Your Scribe also came across another interesting article in the Daily Telegraph earlier this year which was headed “The Rugby Game – Organised Obstruction – New Penalties Needed”. It highlights three particular forms of obstruction: (1) the loose head (2) the practice of covering a comrade and preventing him being tackled by an opponent and (3) the practice of defending three-quarters standing offside and thus obstructing the attack – well what has changed?

The begging question – and remember this is 100 years ago – what are we going to do about it? What have we done – probably not a lot. Times do not necessarily change!

Bridgwater and Albion RFC Team: 1. Samuel Adcock – Kindly Sponsored by Ian Stone 2. Gavin Knight – Kindly Sponsored Carl Turner and Tina Fincham 3. Graham Slorance 4. Simon Buck - Kindly Sponsored by Britannia Lanes of Bristol and Somerset 5. Olly Davis 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. Oskar White – Kindly Sponsored by Britannia Lanes of Bristol and Somerset 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.Lewis Pleece – Kindly Sponsored by Mike and Ryan Plece 15.Will Monro – Kindly Sponsored by Richard Preece Mortgages 07545 560805 16.Michael Saunders – Kindly Sponsored by Ian Stone 17.James Palmer 18.Dan Lang – Kindly Sponsored as one of Badgers Boys

Thornbury RFC

1- Luke Panting 2- Tom Ford 3- Jack Summerfield 4- Tom Constable 5- Chris Moseley 6- Jay Burley 7- Ollie Maher 8- Jack Hussey (c) 9- Jak Evans 10- Jack Pinker 11- Sam Garbett 12- Jake Wood 13- Mike Gaston 14- Mike Priday 15- Jack Pickles Reps 16- Sam Butcher 17- Kieran Sparrow 18- Will Beese