If you, like the author, enjoyed slightly too large a weekend, you’ll currently be experiencing that combination of Mondays blues/anxiety that generally befalls our average club member on a weekly basis.

If you feel perfectly fine and decent because you didn’t go out, you are personally responsible for the lack of a gossip section.

Therefore to raise spirits (shudder…), here’s a quick round down of all things Northern in the last week!

Results
On the rugby field, we had a weekend of mixed fortunes.

The 1st XV went to Cavalry Park expecting a tough encounter and were on the receiving end of a difficult score line. Leading at the end of the first half, a strong second half saw Northern go down 29-10. Positives from the day included a first try for the club for Adam Ozay and a couple of good debuts.

For the 2nd XV, in David Muff’s final game as captain saw them take on a difficult Inverleith side with several faces from last year’s 1st XV bolstering their ranks. A debut try for Lewis Girvan, coupled with an excellent Stewart Morrison finish and his subsequent spectacular touchline conversion saw Northern run out 12-10 victors. A generally pleasing all round performance, with plenty to build on for next week lads.

This Weeks Fixtures/Availability
Last week was the best in terms of active availability since I started as team secretary (not bad for 2 years). Not only did we have a complete list by Tuesday’s training, but we were blessed with a huge amount of depth across the paddock. I’d ask if we can get the same in for this week, to give Selection Committee another week of tough choices!

In terms of this week’s fixtures, the 1st XV are at home to newly promoted Earlston. The last few encounters against them have seen us come out on top (a particularly impressive bonus point win at theirs springs to mind), but they are a vastly improved side and kicked off their campaign by dismantling Langholm at home. KO 3.00 p. at the Bunker – let’s see a crowd down to cheers them on.

For the 2nd XV, it’s Preston Lodge away. Last year in this fixture we scored in the last minute to win what was by all accounts a thrilling encounter. We didn’t get the chance to play them away from home (some shenanigans we shan’t be repeating this year), so we’ll have to base our summary on that! Hopefully we’ll be able to build on the result against Inverleith by getting bodies to training, which should see us turn them over away from home.

Training
Training is as usual this week. 6.30 p.m Tuesday and Thursday. A casual reminder that the warm-up is for your bodies benefit, so the earlier we can get down for that, the better in the long run for your shell!

Subscriptions
You should if you’re reading this have received an email from Drew Chapman and/or Neil Leith concerning your subs. If you haven’t, we’ve not got your email… Please fire us a contact form, or one of the two mentioned about an email and we’ll get that sorted for you.

Events
At the moment there are on going discussions for having an official opening of the ‘new’ club house – more information regarding that will be available nearer the time. This will most likely be a Sunday, so keep your eyes open and save the date!

We’ll be having an unofficial event on Saturday for the playing members (all welcome and it won’t be too different to usual proceedings on a Saturday), so if you can hang around after the game please do!

Gossip
There is none, other than honourable mentions for Lewis Girvan, Ross McConnell, Jason Thompson and Adam Ozay who all dispatched their boots (1st try, 1st appearance, engagement, 1st try) with consummate ease and professionalism. Even if the latter did require him eating sodden crisps from ground in the end…

Yours in rugby,

ENRFC.