Weekly Roundup
Latest news from Holmes Chapel RUFC
1st XV
And we're in the final! A terrific match at Station Road last weekend saw Holmes Chapel defeat Prenton 2nd XV 24-0 and seal our place in the final of the Lighting & Building Services Plate. The game was much closer than the scoreline suggests. At half time the score was 0-0 and the visitors had the better of the first half in terms of possession, territory and try-scoring opportunities. However, Chapel showed their fighting spirit by pulling themselves together after the break and eventually running out clear winners.
Read the match report here. Our reports are also being carried by The Crewe Chronicle and Knutsford Guardian so why not pick up a copy? As always, the heat of the battle was brilliantly captured by photographer Ian Murfitt (see main photo for a great example).
Here's what Chapel Number 8 Joe Maddock had to say after the game. "Yes! We've made it into the final! I haven't been this excited since I was given a BMX for Christmas when I was a kid. Man I loved that bike. Where was I? Oh yeah, the final. It's going to be a great way to round off a successful campaign. I just hope I stop getting stupid injuries all the time so I can actually play a few games first".
It has been confirmed that our opposition will be Linley 3rd XV and the venue will be Eccles RUFC. Makka is arranging transport and seats are going fast. If you are interested please let him know as soon as you can to avoid the disappointment, shame and self-loathing that will result from missing out. Win or lose it will be a fantastic occasion and the perfect way to complete a brilliant season.
Before then, of course, we have the not so small matter of 4 remaining league games starting this Saturday at home to Bowdon 4th XV. Chapel need to claim one more win to seal the league championship but will certainly not be taking Bowdon lightly. Our visitors have had a mixed season in the league but just lost out to Linley in the other semi-final last weekend so are clearly capable of raising their performance for big games.
Kick off is at 3pm with refreshments in The Swan afterwards. We would love to see you there.
Vets XV
Holmes Chapel Vets were back in action at the weekend with a visit to their counterparts down the road in Sandbach. The old boys in retro Blue & Gold narrowly triumphed in a high-scoring game thoroughly enjoyed by both teams. Hopefully it's the first of many more vets games over the next few seasons and with so many good young players coming through us old boys will need all the help we can to get a game!
Training
Don't forget training continues every Tuesday, 6.45 pm at Holmes Chapel Leisure Centre. With some big games coming up make sure you fight for your place by coming down to work on your skills.
Sandbach RUFC Annual Festival of Sport
Chapel are planning to enter teams in both the Men's Sevens tournament and Vet's Tens tournament this year. The event is being held on Saturday 30 May with a night out afterwards.
We entered the event last year and everyone involved had a great time. Rob Moore is the main man to speak to if you're interested.
6 Nations Prediction League
With one more round to go but loads of points still available it's still all to play for in the league standings. Remember, 5 points for a correct result, an extra 5 for the right score and another extra 5 if you guess the first tryscorer. On top of that there are 10 points on offer if you guessed the correct winners with an additional 5 points for every other position you called right.
Details will be confirmed in the event of a tie but it will most likely be settled on tour. Andy Davies and Mike Corfield are currently favourites for the Wooden Spoon. They are encouraged to enter predictions this week to try and avoid any repercussions!
Wales won a thriller in Cardiff to maintain faint hopes of winning the Championship. Despite some comedy finishing England were too good for Scotland with most people guessing the winners and quite a few also going for Joseph as first scorer. An awful game in Rome was won by France - although a few of us came a cropper by choosing Italy to win.
The Results (& 1st Tryscorers)
Wales 23 - 16 Ireland (Scott Williams)
England 25 - 13 Scotland (Jonathan Joseph)
Italy 0 - 29 France (Yoann Maestri)
The Standings
Dom Moss 50
Jon Griffin 50
Steve Hatton 50
Tony Steel 50
Ben Such 45
Biffa Watson 45
Dave Price 45
Doug Canavan 45
Jack Cottam 45
Mike Cottam 45
Terry Emerson 45
Andy Partington 40
Darren Saffill 40
Jack Baskerville 40
Rob Moore 40
Will Mitchell 40
Dave Steer 35
Gavin Paton 35
Jed Wragg 35
Jason Whitehead 30
Harry Jeanes 25
Jim Moss 25
Keith Ashford 25
Mike Corfield 15
Andy Davies 10
The Next Round
Italy v Wales
Scotland v Ireland
England v France
Make sure your predictions are in by 12.30pm on Saturday!
Ask El Tel
More expert advice from everyone's favourite Agony Uncle.
Dear El Tel
Please can you advise me? I'm fairly new to the club and I currently dissect cow dung and study grass cutting at a local college with the son of a senior club member, who always stands away from the bar. I'm actually from north of the border but as yet I've not had the courage to dress in my normal attire. Do you think the lads would accept me if I turned up in my skirt and red wig on a Saturday afternoon? PS Do you think The Swan could start serving haggis after games?
Junior Braveheart, South Cheshire Educational Facility
Dear Jock the Younger
We fully understand you being wary of showing your true colours, after all some of our supporters are that old they remember the fun days of hanging, drawing and quartering our Northern neighbours for mild amusement. Livers and kidneys were sautéed and washed down with a nice bottle of Chianti Classico. Sadly those days are no longer with us and we are accepting of all of our Celtic cousins and even those others from far off lands such as Swindon and Bristol! Why we even accept travellers from the land of the little people and allow them to draw lines on our pitch and play hide and seek on tour.
With regards to wearing strange clothing you will be right at home (have you seen the tour outfits of yesteryear!) and you will not be alone in wanting to wear a skirt (eh Gus?). Being at Reaseheath you will no doubt be aware of the affinity Cheshire dairy farmers have with green wellies, rubber overalls and long plastic gloves when they are around cows even if they aren’t milking them… Then of course there is our own red suited Father Christmas, the Hit Man in his Rick Stein barbecue outfit (did you know its Weber time!), our wizened Bear Grylls lookalike who likes dressing up as a bandsman, the South Walian who dresses like Little Dai except he’s bigger, and those of us who would like to wear our best red Armani diamond and sequin numbers for the end of season bash.
With regard to Haggis this is of course an acquired taste and although some of us have a liking for it many think it tastes offal… (get it awful, offal? Oh never mind). The Swan have said if you manage to catch a Haggis they will be happy to cook it for you…
Ock noo the aye!
Love and kisses
El Tel (from the tropical South)
2014 / 15 Social Calendar
This weekend! Stick around after the Bowdon match on 21 March for a few beers around the village to celebrate our promotion (and hopefully the title...)
Get these dates in your diary and come join us:
Post-match beers, The Swan and other HC pubs, Saturday 21 March
Last Game of the Season, Winnington Park, Saturday 18 April (Fancy Dress TBC)
Bus Trip to the Final! Venue is Eccles RUFC, Saturday 2 May
Tour to Southend-on-Sea, Thursday 8 – Sunday 11 May
End of Season Celebration, The Vic Club, Holmes Chapel, Sunday 24 May
Sandbach Festival of Rugby, Saturday 30 May