|
A Celebration of Biggy Rugby!
By adding more tables, a limited number of 17 tickets are available
for the club dinner on Friday, these are on a first come basis so
please contact Steve ‘Stan’ Matthews on 07971 650281 as
soon as possible
This is a great club night , made better by winning the County
Cup and Greene King Premier Cup
Biggleswade RUFC Awards & Presentations Dinner
Friday 17th
May at 7pm
Three Course Dinner
Guest Speaker: Tim Stimpson formerly England, British Lions
and Leicester
Awards to be presented are:
Players Player,
Player of the Year and Most Improved Player for Senior teams
The Malcolm
Carlisle Trophy (Minis and Youth Coaching award)
Clubman of the Year
Chairman’s Unsung
Hero
Honours Ties (if
awarded)
Biggleswade
XV 26 Chairman’s XV 5
The senior XV won the annual Chairman’s
match in the finale to the season.
The power and bulk told in the end
against the more youthful Chairman’s team based on the successful
colt’s side of 2009. Only the chairman raised
the average age!
The youngsters had the temerity to
score first in the opening five minutes thanks to a typical quick
tap from Dom Nott. Dom is expected to be back in contention for a
first XV place next season.
But this early reverse just served as a
wake up call and order was soon restored.
Winger Taig Norman swooped in round under the posts at the end of
the three-quarter line. Harry Worboys
added the conversion.
With Karl Marshall in at hooker the
senior XV took control at the driving mauls. Line outs were more of
a lottery.
In the backs the pace of the wingers
Taig Norman and Luke Haverly with the
elusive running of Sam Stock was a real handful for the former
colts although they tackled like demons.
When Sasha Heath finally made an
appearance he was soon on the score sheet taking a scoring pass
from skipper Jonathan Hamilton. It was Hammy who scored the third
try breaking away from the back of a lineout on the edge of the
“22”. Hammy started last season as a centre so has a useful turn of
speed for a second row.
As wintry squalls swept the ground
clear of all but the hardiest spectators the rugby became more of
attrition rather than flair.
The only score in the second half was a
try from Tom Worboys after a “chip and
chase” up the right wing. Hammy Hamilton allegedly drop kicked the
conversion but it was difficult to see that far through the driving
rain!
Thanks go to referee Pete Biernis for his sensitive handling of the game
and Chairman Stan Matthews for his cameo appearance at hooker in
his XV. Despite the conditions it was a competitive match played in
a good spirit.
Chairman’s XV: Stuart West, Tom
Harwood, Steve Matthews, Will Sale, Stuart Phipps, Ryan Shepherd,
Owen Thomas, Michael Haddow, Dom Nott,
James ‘Flash’ Gordon, Sam Joyce, Gavin Taylor, Gary Athow, Will Roake,
Will Priston, Charlie Darlow,
Kyle Loan, Tom Torne, Liam Price.
Biggleswade XV: Callum
Maxwell, Karl Marshall, James Caulfield, James Emerson, Jonathan
Hamilton, Damian White, Michael Hall, Ross Taylor, Harry Worboys, George Humberston,
Lawrence Hutchinson, Taig Norman, Luke Haverly,
Sam Stock, Sasha HEath, Ian Flack, Andy
Burke, Adam Fage, Liam Dunne, Nathan Thoday.
The 2012 / 13 First team player statistics can be found here – thanks to match
reporter Nigel Aldis
**********************************
Biggleswade RUFC
Annual General Meeting is on Thursday 23rd May
at 8pm.
This meeting elects club officers for all
sections of the rugby club and also agrees on future club policies.
A nominations board is on the club notice
board in the main bar, nominations are sought for all positions.
*********************************
Congratulations to
Tom Flather from Biggy
U16s: In addition to
winning the U16s Player of the Year award Tom received a further
accolade when he was nominated to represent Biggleswade RUFC Youth
players in the converted BMW Junior Player of the Year Award.
Tom will go forward to the final selection which looks to reward a
player with real promise for the future. Each of the Biggleswade
club youth coach was asked to nominate a player for consideration
with U16s coach Tim McGregor proposing young Flather
“He never tires and is exceptional in attack and fearless in
defence always getting back to put in the tackles no one else can”.
He added that Tom has blistering pace, pure strength, and presence
around the field. By winning the
club’s nomination Tom receives a personal endorsement from England
head coach Stuart Lancaster plus a gift from BMW…….sadly NOT a 1
series as would have liked!!!!!
******************************
More Biggy
News after the Awards & presentation dinner!
Chairman
names squad of Saturdays game.
Biggy Colts of 2008/2009
Stuart
West, Will Sale, Callum Maxwell, Tom
Harwood, Ryan Shepherd, Stuart Phipps, Michael Haddow,
Owen Thomas, Dom Nott, Liam Price, Kyle Loan, Ryan Hudson.
James
‘Flash’ Gordon, Will Priston, Sam Joyce,
Gary Athow, William Roake,
Gavin Taylor, William Franklin Charlie Darlow
and Tom Torne plus guest hooker!
Veterans
of the infamous Den Haag Tour to Holland and The Arras
International Tour to France
Team
Manager : Richard Phipps
Joined
by the stretcher Carriers, James Hamilton, Dean Bartlett &
Russell ‘Biggy Big’ Bonfield
Referee
for the day – (still haunted by his tour nightmares and ‘scarred for
life’ ) – ‘Pirate Pete’
Kick
off at 2..30pm – Barbie will be available as will the ‘outside bar’
Bedfordshire
Cup Final
Stockwood Park 8 Biggleswade 15
On Sunday Biggleswade won the County
Cup for the first time since 1991 when half the squad were not
born! On a warm sunny afternoon in front of a large crowd it was a
closely fought affair.
Cup games allow seven replacements so
Biggleswade had their full quota on the bench including James
Hamilton and Nigel Hutchinson the hero of the semi-final.
The game marked the debut for Chris Cowhig at flanker and no mean start either
according to club legend “Joe” Jordan who knows a thing or two
about back-row play. For younger readers Joe was Club Captain four
times and played in the golden years of Biggleswade rugby in the
late 1980s.
Biggleswade had a dream opening when
from a catch and drive at a lineout giant lock James Emerson
crossed the line for only his second try of the season. James has
great hands in the lineout and wins ball which others would miss.
The Biggy
pack had a series of powerful drives but they did not produce the
same result.
When infant Harry Worboys
increased the lead with a penalty Biggleswade appeared to be in
control. As always Harry distributed the ball well but just when it
was unexpected by the opposition he made a scything break that
almost led to another try.
But Stockwood
who beat Biggleswade two years ago in the final at Langford Road
refused to lie down and came back with a vengeance.
Quickly taken penalties and good off-loads
in the tackle meant that Biggleswade were often scrambling back to
make last gasp tackles. But Stockwood’s
only reward in the first half was a penalty.
In the second part Biggleswade rang the
changes rotating players as required. On a torrid afternoon in the
front row both replacement props Adam £Tink”
Fage and James Hamilton had a run out.
After a period of good play Biggleswade
scored their second try. A crisp handling movement along the
three-quarter line saw burly George Humberston
with space out wide. He pinned his ears back and brushing off three
defenders rounded under the posts for the touchdown. Harry Worboys added the conversion.
George is a powerful runner and given
room to move is a handful. But Biggleswade faced with similar
challenges from Stockwood always made
sure of their defence. Little Sam Stock at full back seemingly the
last line of resistance did enough to stop his man when a try
looked odds-on.
As the game entered its final quarter
Biggleswade suffered two major blows in quick succession. First
powerful centre Lawrence Hutchinson was sent to the bin for a
dangerous spear tackle although it appeared a harsh decision.
Then fellow centre Sam Fraser suffered
the same fate for dissent. But reduced to thirteen men Biggleswade
just worked harder. They did however concede a pushover try from a
five metre scrum. According to a seasoned former referee on the
touchline Stockwood should have been
penalised for standing up in the scrum as Biggleswade had been
earlier in the match.
There were a few more alarms as seven
minutes of added on time was played before the final whistle
brought jubilation to a weary Biggleswade and the celebrations
started.
Captain Jonathan Hamilton receiving the
trophy remarked that it had been a frustrating season with an awful
time before Christmas but winning the Beds Cup was a fitting climax
to the season. It is likely that Biggleswade will be playing Stockwood Park in the league next season.
Sunday’s squad: C Maxwell, S Heath, J
Caulfield, J Emerson, Jonathan Hamilton, M Haddow,
C Cowhig, M Hall, M Trigg,
H Worboys, G Humberston,
S Fraser, L Hutchinson, W Roake, S Stock,
James Hamilton, A Fage, A Borg, N Thoday, D White, T Norman, N Hutchinson.
Biggleswade Rugby News
Sunday
5th May
Biggy are the Bedfordshire COUNTY CHAMPIONS!
Against the odds,
Biggleswade First XV beat Stockwood
Park 8 – 15 in front of a large crowd on Sunday. Captain Jonathan
Hamilton collected the trophy from East Midlands
chairman Paul McGuckian after a tense game
in which Biggy seemed to have the upper
hand in the first half. See the full report from Nigel Aldis in the Biggleswade Chronicle on Friday 10th
and on BigglesFM on Saturday 11th
May. Biggy lift the cup for the first
time in 22 years! A fantastic end to a frustrating season! Thanks must go to all of
the players and coaching staff and to the mass of Biggy supporters who came literally in their
hundreds to support the boys.
**********************************
Biggy Annual Chairman’s Game
Biggleswade
vs The Colts of 2009 on Saturday 11th
May at 2.30pm, come along and watch the reigning county champions take on the ex Biggy Colts. The Biggy
Barbie will be in action as will the outside bar.
**********************************
Paula
completes Tough Mudder challenge! “Well I have finished Tough Mudder and I never ever want to be near ice
again! Mud was awesome I am completely spent but ready for beer if
I can move later! Thank you all for the support you have given me
it means so very much x hot shower needed! That was tough”. Paula is aiming to raise £1000 to
go towards the Target Ten Thousand fund. Paula will be coning for
the sponsorship money soon!
********************************
Biggy teams to change Leagues.
Biggleswade
Development and
Biggleswade Third XV are expected to join the Herts and
Middlesex leagues for the 2013/14 season. Having played in the
Greene King League for the past few years, the decision was
prompted by match secretary Richard Phipps and was based on the
lack of guaranteed games in the existing league. “We have enjoyed
playing in the leagues but were frustrated this season with the
number of league games cancelled at the last minute due to
opposition not having enough players” said Richard who added that
the change to the challenging Herts and Middlesex leagues also
brings continuity with the Youth section who are very successful in
the Saracens Herts and Middlesex leagues.
***********************************
Biggy Under 14s Presentations. At the end of season presentations the winners of the Club
awards were Ben Feltham, selected by the squad as Players
Player; Connor Wilson as Player of Year; Most Improved
Player went to Leo Green whose development as a brave
tackler was exemplified during the Leeds tour. The U14s own award of
Man of Steel went to Oliver Trudgill
for his blood and glory performance at Ely. The traditional annual
tour took the team to Leeds to take on the pride of Yorkshire
coming away with one defeat and one victory.
Fitness training this
summer will enable the squad as U15s to focus on improving the end
of season position in both leagues and aiming for promotion.
Biggleswade
Under 16s rounded of the season
having played 17 games, won 13 lost 3 and drew 1 and finishing a
very strong 3rd in the Saracens Herts & Middlesex
leagues
The U16s awards were:
Player of the Year: Tom Flather,
Players Player, Henry Cusak, Most
Improved Player: Joe Foster with Harry Fellowes
awarded the Grafter trophy and the Under 16s Clubman of the Year
going to Brian and Louise Cusak who
helped manage the side from Mini rugby through to Under 16s
**************************
Referees
Wanted
The East Midlands
Referees’ Society is responsible for the training,
development and appointment of local Officials.
Our Game is facing a
challenge! We need more Referees!!
Whether you aspire to
become the next Wayne Barnes or just want to exercise a couple of
times a month - the starting point is your local Society (EMRURS).
We offer a wide range of
match appointments from local Clubs’ U13 matches on Sunday mornings
through to adult matches in Midlands Division One. Obviously it is
more than just buying a whistle but it is not too daunting. You may
already have a refereeing qualification, be refereeing at your
local Club or an experienced player. In all of these cases our
training and development teams are available to you and we can get
you started.
We now offer the
following opportunities for those interested in joining the Society
and accepting local appointments. The RFU Entry Level Award Courses
are open to all:
On
Saturday & Sunday the 22nd & 23rd June, 2013 at Northampton
Casuals RFC
On
Saturday & Sunday the 6th & 7th July, 2013 at Ampthill RUFC
For the above two Courses
the Course Fee is £12.50 with booking online at www.rfu.com/takingpart/olcb/coursesearch
On
Saturday & Sunday the 17th & 18th August, 2013 at
Northampton Casuals RFC.
For the above Course the
Course Fee is £50.00 (with £37.50 being rebated when you are accepted
as a full Society member). Booking for this course is via HELEN
BRIDGEMAN (email: helenbridgeman@rfu.com)
For those lapsed members,
Club refs and those who wish to pick up the whistle and make a
start you are invited to join us at our Summer BBQ which
immediately follows the August course at Northampton Casuals at
4PM. You will receive a warm welcome. Ask for any of our Executive
Committee Members. .
SPECIAL
OFFER
Those
new members joining us and accepting appointments during season
2013-2014 will receive their first Society match kit and their
first season’s subscription FOC
*************************************
Annual
Club Dinner & Presentations Night.
The club are pleased to
announce that Mr
Tim Stimpson (England, British &
Irish Lions , Newcastle Falcons, Leicester
Tigers, Leeds Carnegie) will be guest speaker at the club dinner on
Friday 17th May.
Tim, who has a degree in anthropology
played for England 19 times, scoring 35 points and winning a place
on the 1997 the British Lions tour. Considered one of the best
kickers of his era he was only bettered by a certain J Wilkinson!
Tickets are available NOW from Stan Matthews priced at £35 each
***********************************
Biggy ‘Target Ten Thousand’ Progress.
We have now raised £8000
towards our 10K target! With more still to come in from various
projects including the Biggy Songbook and
the age groups who have devised ways of raising cash, from doing a
car boot sale (U12s) to sponsoring a game on the First Team Pitch
(U13s)……See the progress ‘thermometer’ in the clubhouse
*********************************
Nat
West Rugby Force weekend is on 8th and 9th June, Ross
Taylor is organising the weekend’s maintenance and improvement of the
outside bar and physio room. Please give
some time to help improve the club facilities. Details will be on
the massage board.
**********************************
Club host County Finals. The
county U16s final between Bedford and Luton
was won by Bedford in a dominant 70- 0 drubbing of Luton. The county U14s final was a closer
affair but again Bedford Blues were winners 52 – 12 over Luton. Our visitors were impressed by the
hospitality laid on buy the club, thanks
go to Karen for catering for the 2 finals as part of her Sport
Maker hours.
********************************
Biggy
Minis 2013 Awards…a few changes to the spelling of some
of the winners names!
Biggleswade Minis section held
its annual presentations following their games against Barnet
Elizabethans. The awards were presented by club chairman Steve
‘Stan’ Matthews and club captain Jonathan Hamilton:
Under 7s
Player of the Year: Sam Skirving,
Players Player: Matilda Thomas O’Keefe, Most Improved player
Amy Palmer
Under 8s Player
of the Year: Eldon Craven, Players Player: Cian Satterthwaite, Most
Improved Player, Daniel Chandler
Under 9s Player
of the Year: William Evans, Players Player, Kai Collisson, Most Improved Player: Roby Nocera
Under 10s Player
of the Year: Kye Barwell,
Players Player, Charlie Cox, Most
Improved Player: Charlie Stanford.
Under 11s Player
of the Year: Rohan Neal, Players
Player: Jack Whitfield, Most Improved Player: Ewan Watts.
Under 12s Player
of the Year: Thomas Smart, Players Player: Harry Kendall,
Most Improved Player: Jack Wright
**********************************
Biggy Senior Squad Tour is to the Warsaw Frogs & Co 10s Tournament on May Whitsun Bank Holiday
24th to 27th 2013 to Warsaw, Poland
“Eastern
Europe's Premiere Social Rugby Tournament”
*********************************
|
Biggy teams to change Leagues
Biggleswade Development and
Biggleswade Third XV are expected to join the Herts and Middlesex
leagues for the 2013/14 season. Having played in the Greene King
League for the past few years, the decision was prompted by match
secretary Richard Phipps and was based on the lack of guaranteed
games in the existing league. “We have enjoyed playing in the
leagues but were frustrated this season with the number of league
games cancelled at the last minute due to opposition not having
enough players” said Richard who added that the change to the
Herts and Middlesex leagues also brings continuity with the
Youth section who are very successful in the Saracens Herts and
Middlesex leagues.
|
|
|
