Staring out of the window at another beautiful Spring morning at Mortimer Park, it is very reflective of the current state of mood about the place given yet another set of excellent results to cheer in from the weekend.
Saturday saw our first team go toe to toe with Burton at 1st and 2nd XV level and return two more victories for the senior section at the club. The 2nd XV continued their unbeaten streak, now stretching to 25 games (32 if you include the games where opponents couldn't turn up), with a 34-43 victory up in Staffordshire. It was a tough game, in which our much vaunted defence came under sustained pressure at times, but the boys got through it to churn out another victory on this incredible run. Back in beautiful Herefordshire, after another brilliant Orchard Valley Foods Hospitality lunch, in which guests were entertained by speaker and Gloucester Centre Henry Trinder, our 1st XV put in a magnificent first half display to put Burton to the sword and go in 42-0 up at the break. A final scoreline of 54-14 reflected a release of the pressure upon the visitors in the second period, but there is no taking away from just how good that first half performance was (Nigel Mee's photos are available from the game here, for non-commercial use). The scoreline would suggest a fairly hefty difference in ability between the two sides, but that would be wholly disingenuous to a Burton outfit who came to play. They were hugely physical in defence and in their ball carries and possessed some very capable individuals, but the ruthless qualities of our premier side really shone through across that first period, taking almost every chance to score that was presented, whilst stifling the threat posed by the visitors on their forays to our 22.
It is a team game and will always be reflected as such at our club with the sum of our parts always greater than the individuals on their own, but it is hard not to give a mention to the contribution of our two try scoring machines this season in the back three. Josh Watkins and Drew Cheshire have amassed 46 tries across a combined 43 appearances so far this season, which is pretty good going in anybody's assessment. Drew has 19 from 19 and Josh 27 from 23 league games. What is really good to see as the season has developed, is how the rest of the group have learned to ensure these two get the space and quality of ball required to keep racking up statistics like that. Saturday's game saw the pair add five more to the tally for the season thanks to a combination of individual brilliance at times, but a huge amount of hard-work and execution from the other blokes on the pitch to get them into the spaces they required. This season our defence has taken a lot of plaudits and rightfully so, but as a team the 1st XV have scored 746 points already in 23 games and are on course to break the club's greatest ever number of league points for in a season (754 in our first season in National League 2 North - 2010/11). To put things in perspective we have already surpassed the 743 accumulated when we were promoted to the National Leagues in 2009/10 with three games still to go. All this is obviously for nought if we do not end up getting the results we need to succeed in the goal of returning to the level above, but I highlight it, one for stattos of the club to appreciate, but two so that people do not take for granted what we are currently witnessing. These are exceptional times for us all to be supporting Luctonians and we should all enjoy it while it is happening in the present.
On Sunday last week the good news continued, as the RMS Colts came through a nail-biter 20-19 at home to Wolverhampton, to assume control of the North Midlands Colts League. The lads were not at their best, but after the extreme high of the week before in Norfolk, it was always going to be a challenge to back up that performance (Roger Sweetman's photos from the game are available here). The lads amazingly still continue to fight on three fronts with the National Cup Quarter Final this weekend and the North Midlands Cup Final the following Sunday.
The Ladies Touch side were also in action last Sunday. Results were mixed but the Lucs ladies were the only side to put two teams out and all enjoyed the fine weather over in Brecon. They host their home tournament next up, later on in April.
Yesterday saw a picture-perfect day for the Avara Foods Tag Festival, and what a brilliant day of rugby the club played host to. 40 teams from primary schools across the surrounding counties turned up and did battle in our annual celebration of rugby. Local schools Shobdon, Pembridge and Leintwardine all ran out respective winners of the Vase, Bowl and Plate competitions respectively, whilst Burford Primary won a tight Cup Final against Trinity Primary to be crowned 2019 Avara TagFest Champions. Thank you to all the volunteer referees, helpers, first aiders and coordinators, as well as the many Luctonians parents who we saw down the club in support - great day!
Dates For the Diary
Saturday March 30th - Derby v 1st XV - 3pm Kick Off
Sunday March 31st - RMS Colts v Sheffield - 2pm Kick Off (Nat U18 Cup QF)
Saturday April 6th - 1st XV v Doncaster Phoenix - 3pm Kick Off (Final Home Game)
Sunday April 7th - Old Halesonians v RMS Colts - KO TBC (North Midlands Cup Final)
Saturday April 13th - Lichfield v 1st XV - 3pm Kick Off (Final League Game)
Sunday April 14th - Anglo-Welsh Mini Festival
Saturday April 20th - Memorial Day - Lucs XV v President's XV
Saturday April 27th - Possible National League Playoff Fixture
as well as
2nd XV v Hinckley/Towcestrians in Midlands Reserve League Cup Final at Sutton Coldfield - KO TBC
Sunday April 28th - U14 & U16 in North Midlands Cup Finals at Dudley Kingswinford
We discussed it last week but there really are some cracking weekends coming up so get yourself freed up to appreciate some of the above action. One date not mentioned there is Monday 8th April where we are having a Sponsors' Breakfast. If you are reading this and have thought about becoming involved with sponsorship at your local community club before then this would be a good morning to come down and find oout more about what we are up to as a club. If this sounds of interest to you, please email Charlotte Brown - events@luctonians.co.uk to find out more.
This weekend then and we have both 1st XV and 2nd XV on their travels to Derby, with what I know is going to be a shed load of supporters travelling up by various forms. The 2nd XV look to finish their league season unbeaten with their final test before the Cup final later in April. Whilst the 1st XV are looking to continue their run of 25 points from the last 25 available in the league, as they look to keep up the pressure on Scunthorpe. The battle for the top is now a three way affair and looks like this, after Newport failed to pick up the four-try bonus point last Saturday in victory at home to Broadstreet:
Scunthorpe travel to Bournville and Newport visit Burton in the other two games of interest in the promotion chase this Saturday.
After a week off the 3rd XV start their run-in of three successive home games to finish the season, as they host Malvern 2nds this Saturday at Mortimer Park. On Sunday there is varying mini and junior action, but the one place we will all have our attentions focused is when the RMS Colts take centre-stage in their National U18s Cup Quarter Final on the 1st XV pitch against Sheffield at 2pm. The boys are looking to make history for the club in becoming the first team to make it into the last four of this competition. It would be a fitting tribute to the entire group of players, coaches and support staff who have put so much in over the course of the season if they were to progress but this will be a tough encounter against a good Sheffield outfit. It maybe Mother's Day but you should be generous to your mother all year round not just one day of the calendar, so you really need to find a way to get lunch done with early and come down to support the boys in the black and white - they deserve all we can give them!
Hoping to see you at Derby Saturday and Mortimer Park Sunday.
Smithy
Rugby This Week
Friday
Team
Opposition
Competition
Venue
Kick Off
1st XV
Derby
League
Away
3-00pm
2nd XV
Derby 2nds
League
Away
3-00pm
3rd XV
Malvern 2nds
League
Home
3-00pm
Sunday
Team
Opposition
Competition
Venue
Kick Off
U6, U9 & U11
Training
N/A
Home
10-30am
U7, U8, U10 & U12
Bromyard
Friendly
Away
11-00am
U13
Builth Wells
Friendly
Away
11-00am
U14
Builth Wells
Friendly
Home
11-00am
U16
TBC
TBC
TBC
11-00am
U13 Girls
Training
N/A
Home
12-30pm
RMS Colts
Sheffield
Nat U18s Cup QF
Home
2-00pm
Luctonians Golf Society
Fixtures 2019
Friday 26th. April Kington Tee off 12.30pm
Bacon Roll,Coffee, 1 course meal £36 Post Code HR5 3RE
Friday 17th. May Cleobury Mortimer Tee off 1pm
Bacon Roll, Coffee, 2 course meal, £30 Post Code DY14 8HQ
Thursday 20th. June Little Lakes Tee off 2pm
2 course meal £27 Post Code DY12 2UZ
Friday 19th.July Herefordshire Golf Club Tee off 2pm
Bacon Roll, Coffee, 2 course meal £35 Post Code HR6 8LY
Friday 16th. August Llandrindod Golf Course Tee off 1.30pm
Bacon Roll, Coffee, 2 course meal £30 Post Code LD1 5NY
Friday 20th. Sept. Burghill Tee off 1pm
Bacon Roll, Coffee 2 course meal £35 Post Code HR4 7RW
Friday 18th. Oct. Sapey Tee off 1pm
Bacon Roll, Coffee 2course meal £29 Post Code WR6 6XT
(Jim Preece Cup)
Please confirm with Robin East at least 4 days prior to fixture if you wish to play 01568 614436 email. robineast@hotmail.co.uk
And Finally
The views expressed in Lucsline are those of the contributing authors and may not reflect the opinion of Luctonians Sports Club.
