John Barker Tel/Fax 01684 569527 e-mail [email protected]

21 April 2015

Dear Fellow Non-Player

NEARLY CLOSING TIME – A DISJOINTED SEASON?

I’ve found this rugby season at Malvern to be rather disjointed; have you? The smaller size League for the 1st XV has meant fewer home League fixtures. The insistence that our 2nd XV had to stay and play in too-high a West Midlands Reserve League meant that after early heavy losses they had to withdraw from the start of October and we ended up with a kippered fixture list. Our 3rd XV had matches in Hereford & Worcester Merit Table 2 but frequently found they were going into the Pool for last- minutes ‘friendlies’, with most opponents not available to travel to Malvern. So a number of times this season we have ended up with no home match on a Saturday; disappointing for us spectating non- players, hard graft away travel for the players. Presumably this has resulted in a heavy deficit in our club bar takings. Not for me to sort it out, but it needs sorting for next season. We are just one of many local clubs suffering. For sure, we should be aiming to recruit more playing and non-playing members.

You may have noted in the National press that the RFU has reneged on the 2016 Season timed implementation of the new increased number of Leagues at our levels, apparently because northern clubs could not agree it and were collecting enough club signatories to call for an RFU Extraordinary General Meeting. I just hope that any alternative suggestions take note of the current problems for the rest of us. Perhaps we shall all be reverting to friendlies as of old!

The Club has finished in 4th position in (South) League. The final fixture, at home against basement club Old Leamingtonians on 11 April, was won by us in a convincing manner (74-12) with fast-flowing attacking running rugby on a great day for it and bodes well for next season. So well done the whole 1st XV squad and the Club coaching team Billy McGinty and Nick Tisdale under Director of Rugby Dave Irish. However, they haven’t quite finished; the much-delayed North Midlands Shield away semi-final against this season’s high-flying Bridgenorth has been ordered to be played on Saturday, 25 April. Most of you will know that Bridgenorth’s fixture backlog arises from their wonderful RFU Intermediate Cup run, resulting in their appearance in the final at Twickenham on the next Saturday, 2 May; so goodness knows who will be playing for them against us on 25 April! Whichever club wins this 25 April semi-final will end up playing Kidderminster Carolians in the North Midlands Shield final on Sunday 10 May at Dudley Kingswinford, KO 1330: the Shield final will be followed by the North Midlands Cup final at 1530.

There will be an opportunity soon to thank players and coaches for what they have achieved this season. This will be done at the 3-course Club Awards Dinner in the clubhouse at 7 pm on Friday 8 May covering all the senior section. Tickets are available from our President, Dave Robins, 07877 309441.

Then on Friday 15 May in the Clubhouse, starting at 7 pm, is the Club AGM. This is an important date in the Club calendar when we hear about the last year and assess the successes or problems of the continued over/

present season as well as those to come. All of us non-players have some measure of responsibility for the future of the Club and so should make every effort to be present at this AGM. It will also be an opportunity to thank Alan Evans for his firm control of the Club as he comes to the end of his period as Chairman.

In the last newsletter I highlighted that Vince Hill’s sons Max and Ted had moved on from our Youth Development Section into trials for U18 and U16 teams. Both successfully made their England age-group teams. Max was the first, on 4 April, when he played at No 8 for the England Counties U18s v Ireland at Hartpury, a game which England won 13-11; Max was reported as having competed excellently, both with strong tackling and involved in countering. Ted’s game with the National U16 squad was on 19 April against Wales at Caerphilly when England won 36-0 and, so I’m told, Ted came off the bench and scored a 65 metre try. The Hill family, and MRFC, have done England proud.

Congratulations to both Max & Ted for, as Peter Wood put it, keeping the flag flying for the Malvern Youth Development Section. Perhaps some of our U17s this year will also be aiming to follow in their footsteps! The U17 team has had a good year, eventually losing in the North Midlands U17s semi-final by 22-38 against Sutton Coldfield. Their season results so far are played 22 ,won 17 , lost 5. Perhaps we will see them advancing to a Colts League next season. In their most recent games, they beat Hereford away by 21-17 and Dursley at home 62-10.

So as the season draws to a close, we non-players need to be getting into training for the Rugby World Cup, starting at 8 pm on Friday 18 September when England kick off against Fiji. Although I expect to be watching that game on TV, I did manage to get tickets for a couple of games not featuring England. May the best teams win, throughout the whole Cup competition.

Until next season

Sincerely

John Barker