The self-styled “Wolves” play in North One West and finished a creditable third last season, despite losing their last three games. In our all too short stay in the higher division, Wilmslow put 54 points on us at King’s Avenue in the first game of 2012-13 and added another 50 in the penultimate fixture back at Eastham.

They begin this season with a home game against Eccles next week, but, first, have to negotiate this Cheshire Vase fixture against a resurgent Anselmians. Older players will remember “The Cheshire Cup” as something to look forward to, with the opportunity to play twice in a weekend, often against a “senior” club not on the usual fixture list. When Sale, a nationally recognised rugby side, visited Malone Field in the 1970s and 1980s, it was a grand occasion and a chance to produce a “David v Goliath” shock. A cup run, as we had in 1980-1981 animated the whole club.

Nowadays, Cheshire has four competitions, all seeded, with names like Cup, Vase, Bowl and Plate, with a maximum of eight teams in a group. In fact, this year’s Bowl has only four teams, so, it’s win once and go into a final at the end of next April.
League rugby has relegated "The Cheshire Cup” and fixtures are thought of, at best, as warm-up games or, at worst, an irritant. Let us hope that both sides enjoy today’s match; a semi-final beckons for the victor!

(Apropos nothing in particular, The Saint has always thought that the partisan Wilmslow supporters would adapt “Jerusalem” as their anthem and, in times of triumph, would sing, in unison, “Wilms………Low, Sweet… Chariot…Coming forth…..”
Just a thought.)

Today's Squad
Mario Quitadamo
Tom Redfearn
Chris Davies
Josh JONES
Joe CAREW
Ant EVANS
Nick HEARN (c)
Harry O'Loughlin
Joe Loxham
Matt Brookes
Sean Stenhouse
Mark PETTERSON
Adam Bramhall
Martyn Brown
Jack Stopford
John Oates
Jack Richards
Chris McGowan
Jack Hennessey