Merry Christmas to all Luctonians wherever you are in the world. We sincerely hope you are enjoying an excellent Festive Period with your families and friends.
There is obviously not loads to report on from this past week, with our senior and junior sides all having had the week off in terms of fixtures. The 1st XV and 2nd XV squads have been busy however, continuing in their training through this time of over-indulgence. The lads were in last night as per usual and will be training tomorrow as well as they prepare for the visit of Newport next weekend. Off the field though, the operational staff do deserve a big hand at the club for getting the Christmas Parties all off without a hitch over the past month, and these concluded last Saturday night, with their seventh party of December, bringing into the club much needed additional revenues.
Boxing Day saw the only sporting action of note to discuss from the past week, as a Lucs Under 21s side met a Lucs Exiles team. In total 44 players played, of which 43 were either products of our Mini and Junior section or are currently part of our Under 21 set up, with 40 players being 21 or under and with just one visiting guest player. The Exiles, lead by Dickie Davies, ran out 24-19 winners on the day, continuing Davies's excellent run of form in Boxing day ties, whether he is marshalling an Exiles side or a Bucknell Baa Baas team. The game itself was played in excellent spirits, with many a Jagerbomb sunk before kick off had even taken place, and in spite of that the players put on a very good spectacle for the sizeable crowd that came down to enjoy the annual festive treat. After a couple of seasons of diminishing attendances it was a pleasure to see the club so busy for this game again. Whether it was the unseasonably warm conditions, or the prospect of seeing some decent rugby, the change to a youthful fixture, containing so many of the products of our mini and junior section, whether still Lucs players, University students or lads plying their trade for other local clubs, seemed to go down a treat. There was certainly a sense of pride from many on the touchlines of just how much quality our little production line has manufactured over recent years. Here's to many more coming off the conveyor belt and here's to the Boxing Day fixture continuing to grow into a pinnacle for displaying all of the local talent that we continue to nurture. Thanks to those who supported the day and particularly to Dickie Davies and George Small for their organisation of the teams.
Looking forwards then, once the New Year is upon us we are back into full swing at Mortimer Park the following weekend, with three senior games, the RMS Colts and all Mini and Junior age groups training across the 5th and 6th of January. On the Saturday we host VP and Sponsors Lunch, sponsored by Thomas Carroll, with a capacity 260 guests confirmed in the marquee on the patio, before the 1st XV take on Newport in a top of the league battle. Our 2nds and 3rds will meanwhile be on the road in Shropshire against Newport 2nds and Ludlow 2nds respectively. The Sunday will see our RMS Colts host Stourbridge after 300 plus of our youngsters embark on their first training session of 2019.
If our senior sides can continue their form of the last three months of 2018 we should be looking forward to a fairly exciting New Year. With the three senior sides, the U21s and the Colts enjoying a combined 75% win ratio through that period, the 1st XV having won their last six games, the 2nds having not lost since January 2018, the 3rd XV going on tour in April and the RMS Colts set for a National Colts Cup 3rd Round fixture in February, 2019 could be a cracker for Lucs. Let's hope it is and let's hope it is a fantastic year for all Luctonians.
Smithy
And Finally
Have a great New Year!!
The views expressed in Lucsline are those of the contributing authors and may not reflect the opinion of Luctonians Sports Club.
