DINGS CRUSADERS v REDRUTH Saturday 1st September 2018

NATIONAL LEAGUE TWO SOUTH DINGS OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME CRUSADERS RFC www.dingscrusaders.co.uk

A CLUB WITH ITS HEART IN 1 A New Season Awaits

Today for our first Next week’s game will see the short journey home game of this to Station Road, and once again we have much awaited new laid on a fun bus to Clifton’s ground and season we welcome with a return trip and breakfast costing you the players and the pitiful amount of just £15.00. Please supporters from note that this does not include entry into Redruth RFC back to the home ground, A special prize awaits the Bristol and our new person who makes the most inventive way of home in , managing to elude the Clifton stewards on Shaftesbury Park. entry, but you older lads please be aware that Let’s hope they most if not all of your legs will need to move enjoy the visit, but not too much! a lot quicker than I’ve seen recently. Over the summer months much has been It’s been said many times but this splendid done, but not all aesthetic, it’s been more new ground will serve us in the best way if we about getting the place up and running can stay true to our proud history and that’s and ensuring bookings are being taken to where the supporters and sponsors can help maximise the full use of our new home. by sponsoring a player for the forthcoming Over the next 2/3 months you will start to season. I know the players appreciate all the see some more familiar pictures and other help they may get, so let’s get right behind memorabilia being installed around the walls them as I know a lot of you keep telling me and other surprising places. how we should be taking the club forward. The squad has trained hard throughout the So back to today, bit of an unknown with a summer in readiness for what we expect to Redruth sporting some familiar and some not be a stern test of our resources every week. so familiar face’s it’s been only three seasons However for first time in a long while the since we last played them but as we all know squad has been kept intact with the coaches lots can change in the short space of time. strengthening the areas and depth we know would be required to be competitive Please sign up to the newsletter via the every week. Our major priority is to bring clubs website for the new season, not only completive and regular games for all, even for memebership but also to be able to keep with the enlarged bench some may not make you all in touch electronically or for those the cut every week. without Internet. Our new media manager John White will endeavour to make contact With a strong series of summer trial matches either by letter or push a pigeon through your behind us and although not over confident letter box. we do arrive today with what is our strongest team based upon recent games, but the So back today, let’s get behind the Boys in dreaded Redruth peril awaits and I expect Blue & Black (not orange) and give them the them to be as strong as ever this season. I for edge, but my gut feeling is that the team will one even now look forward to the planned need no extra motivation. return fixture which has always been one of So c’mon on you Dings Boys. my favourite places to visit, still a long way to go before then. Steve Lloyd

2 DINGS CRUSADERS RFC Sponsorship benefits us all!

DINGS CRUSADERS RFC

If you are interested in sponsorship or supporting the club in any other way please contact Chris Lloyd for further information

Tel: 07377 791868 [email protected]

A CLUB WITH ITS HEART IN BRISTOL 3 Welcome to Redruth RFC

We extend a warm welcome this afternoon to our visitors Redruth hope that all players, officials and supporters enjoy their visit to our new Shaftesbury Park ground.

We are very pleased to entertain our very long standing friends Redruth who will be very fitting opposition for our first league game of the season at our new home here in Frenchay.

Founded in 1875 Redruth are a true traditional rugby club always been a very strong outfit and having spent several seasons in the past at level three they have spent the last seven seasons at this level. With fifty place finishes in the last two seasons, and two promoted from this league last term, they must start this season as one of the favorites for the title and they will be a strong test for our first game back in National Two South..

Current form is difficult to assess on the opening fixture but Redruth boast an unbeaten pre-season with wins over 24-14, neighbors St Austell 55-14 and Welsh Championship side Beddau 50- 38 so they look in pretty good shape.

Our last league games against Redruth was back in season 2014-15 when we were relegated and they managed to win at 29-20 and also win in 25-36, not sure how many of their players survive from those fixtures but Dings have a few Josh Lloyd, Joe Hawkesby, Jake Holcombe and Stean Williams.

Good luck to both sides may the best team win and all spectators committed or neutral enjoy entertaining afternoon’s rugby.

MATCH DAY SPONSORS

The Engineering Tel: 0117 938 0600 & Logistics Email: [email protected] Specialist Web: www.ies.co.uk The Engineering Tel: 0117 938 0600 & Logistics Email: [email protected] Specialist Web: www.ies.co.uk The Engineering Tel: 0117 938 0600 & Logistics Email: [email protected] Specialist Web: www.ies.co.uk

4 DINGS CRUSADERS RFC DINGS CRUSADERS v REDRUTH

BLUE & BLACK HOOPS RED WITH BLACK TRIM

15 Luke Arscott Full Back A Simmonds 15

14 Josh Trinham Wing Bond 14

13 Matt Smith Centre J Simmons 13 Hills Electrical 12 Marcus Brooker Centre Webber 12 Stan Thatcher 11 Sam Polledri Wing Flack 11 Premier Ground Work Soutions (PGS) 10 Ben Bolster Stand Off Kevern 10 Bishopston Property Development 9 Steve Plummer (Capt) Scrum Half Oulton 9 Dave Baker 1 Charlie Taylor Prop Hodge 1 Complete Bathrooms 2 Joe Hawkesby Hooker Brown 2

3 Ashley Challenger Prop Tomsett 3 Ink’d Creations 4 Shek Sheriff Lock Prisk 4 Schneider Electric 5 Gavin Curry Lock Clemson 5 Alpine Care Homes 6 Elliott Goodman Flanker Fox 6

7 Michele Canulli Flanker Grubb 7 Peter Williams 8 Jake Holcombe No 8 Howe 8 The Crown Pub 16 Josh Lloyd Replacement Gidlow 16 Alan Coles 17 Tom Anderson Replacement Salt 17 The Biltong Company Ltd 18 Dan Tooth Replacement Stevens 18

Referee – Ben Russell / Touch Judge – Jess Highcock / Touch Judge – Andy Coles

A CLUB WITH ITS HEART IN BRISTOL 5 A Picture From The Past

Herbert William Rudge, seated in the front of played for the club, as did his younger brother this group of Dings Crusaders players, founded Keith, standing far right of the back row. On and established the rugby club in 1897, as a part the reverse of the original postcard are written of the Dings Boys’ Club, one of the activities of the following names, all of whom attended the Shaftesbury Crusade. A prominent member the presentation and played for Dings in the of the Crusade, he was the original driving force 1930s:- Fred Payne, H. Ogborne, Albert Sperring, behind the rugby club and it’s first honorary G. Seward, Ernest Seward, Fred Pearce, William secretary; holding office for over thirty years, Hennys, W. Thomas, E. Llewellin, Tom Paul, then club president from 1930 to 1960. I. May, Thomas Oaten, Jones, Sainsbury, A. Raymond, Sidney Seward, Arthur Cork, Gilbert This photograph was taken at a party held at Tanner, D. Thomas, Joe Rogers, G. Knowles, and Henbury Hill House, in June 1931, upon his Budd. election as president of Dings Crusaders, and in recognition of his service as secretary he The H.W. Rudge Sportsman Cup inaugurated was presented with the chair that he is sitting in 1957 is awarded annually to Dings on. Henbury Hill House was the home of Percy Crusaders most outstanding senior player for Steadman and his family, and is where Dings sportsmanship. played their home matches from 1930 to 1935. Herbert William Rudge, born Bristol 1875, the To Rudge’s right is Jack Steadman, a son of son of Charles King Rudge, a physician and Percy and Mabel Steadman, who took over surgeon, and his wife Louisa Maria, died 28 the role of honorary secretary of Dings when January 1961, having served Dings Crusaders for Rudge became president in 1930. Jack also 67 years.

6 DINGS CRUSADERS RFC Far Touch Oracle

At last the foreplay is done with and we can “From hunger, you mean?” Kelly asked “No,” get to grips with the real action. Let’s hope that said the prop.”From all that skipping’.” we don’t suffer from premature acclamation There are a few changes in the club house too, as get down to the nitty gritty of the season there is a return for Props Corner, although this proper. Yes the new, eagerly awaited, season is has been renamed as the ‘Departure Lounge’, at finally upon us. The summer has flown by this is due to the fact that the 5 seats have and we are now back where we belong, mixing been sponsored by Thomas Davis, Funeral it again with our opponents today ‘Druth and many of our other long time adversaries, plus Directors. Anyone who chooses to sit on any a few new ones. What a summer it’s been, the of these will unbeknown to them have their two grass pitches just a few weeks ago weight taken by cleverly concealed digital scales looking like deserts, now beautifully and their inside leg measurement also green. Unlike previous years this taken, which in tern will help calculate summer has been busy with their height! much activity at our new International and club shirts now home, millions of youngsters, hang proudly on the walls, Beb funfairs, barbies and Ladies Hesford asked for his to be moved rugby to name but a few. to a more prominent position as it Our final pre season game wasn’t getting enough attention. was against our old adversaries It was great to see ‘Powerful Pierre’ Cleve. I was talking to a few of making a surprise visit at the Cleve their followers in the bar before match, he couldn’t believe the facilities. the game and they were talking about the Talking of French connections,your Oracle ‘sweeping’ changes they had been made since the was guilty of a massive faux pas whilst on last time we played, apparently this didn’t refer holiday in Pembrokeshire with his family. On a to the team but to what they would do with the Mackerel fishing expedition on a very hot day, changing rooms after. and wishing to be seen to be welcoming of Fitness has been top of the agenda this summer, some French visitors I announced that ‘Je suis Steve Plummer proudly told the AGM that the tres Chaud’ thinking I was saying I am very hot, lads had been on the weights since June. Well apparently I should have J’ai tres chaud (I have there has been dietary advice too. One of our great heat) My grandson pointed out that I had props was grossly overweight and went to see announced I was very ‘virile’ (he used a different Kelly for some advice. She told him”I want you to word.) eat regularly for 2 days, then skip a full day, and I trust all have booked their seats on the Bus repeat this procedure for 2 weeks. The next time I for next week’s derby at The Mall XV, should be see you, you should have lost at least 5 pounds.” interesting, let’s hope we get our normal huge When the prop returned, he shocked the Kelly away support which was the envy of all the by having lost nearly 60 POUNDS! clubs in the league last season. “Why, that’s amazing!” she said, “Did you follow Anyway, back to today, it won’t be easy, but I my instructions?” am sure we are up for it, so The prop nodded...”I’ll tell you though, I thought come on you lads, shove ‘em I was going to drop dead on the 3rd day.” up the M32.

A CLUB WITH ITS HEART IN BRISTOL 7 Player Profile: Charlie Taylor

This is a regular item each week and will feature a different player. To start off with is Charlie Taylor for no reason except we share the same scoring record and that I played alongside his old man.

Dings appearances: 140 Your favourite food: Can’t beat a good roast

Name: Charlie Taylor Your favourite film: Snatch

Height: 6ft 1“ The last film you watched:Ace Ventura

Weight: 115kg Your ideal date: I don’t believe in dates

Nickname: My old man’s a fan of “Ginger The funniest thing that has happened to you on Rodent” but luckily it’s never caught on a rugby field: That time I scored

Position: Prop Your favourite car: Vauxhall insignia

Rugby honours: Army U23s, Bristol Comibination

Dings rugby honours: Combination cup winner 2015, Promotion from last season

Date you joined the Dings: 2007

Job: Lift engineer

Your favourite rugby player: Martin Johnson

And why: An uncompromising hard bloke who was always leading by example

If you didn’t play rugby what sport would you do: Skittles

And why: Because there’s always plenty of drink breaks

Your favourite drink: Thatchers gold!

PHOTOGRAPHS INCLUDING FRONT COVER COURTESY OF JOHN WHITE MEDIA