With no first XV or Colts games this week there were a number of players floating around looking for a game on Saturday. The Seconds took a few and went over to Old Laurentians and came back with a good 14-8 win. First half tries from wing forwards Si Gardner and Nathan Batchelor gave us a half-time lead, but it was desperate defence in the second period. The Spartans had a colourful bunch of around 37players (including three shades of Gray – Peter, Charlie and Edmund) available against Claverdon and rotated them throughout the game to win 25-12. The line-up was also notable for its distinguished membership, including the club President, the Immediate Past Club President, the club Chairman and the Chairman of Senior Rugby - that must be a first

This week it is back to league action and the first XV is due to visit Southam, who had a good debut season in Midlands 2 last year and will be looking to consolidate their position this time. They started with a one-point loss to Barkers Butts in their opening game, a match that was reported as being as close as the score-line suggests. We have met 9 times at first team level, with Leamington now leading 6-3 after 2 significant reverses last year. Both games were disappointing from our point of view with a bad start in the first game at home and a bad collapse in the last 10 minutes of the away gasme, when we had led or been level and potential winners up to that point.
The Second are at home to Southam and we are trying to organise a Spartans side at home. The Colts are not playing.

Congratulations to the under 16 side who opened their season in the new Warwickshire Under-16 Junior Cup and defeated a combined Atherstone/Spartans team by 39-10 with good solid performances from both the pack and the forwards. This week it is the turn of the Under-15 side who take on Old Leamingtonians in the Under-15 Warwickshire Cup. The game is on Sunday at 11.00 at Moorefields. The mini age groups are training.
We have heard today of the death of Terry Pugh at the age of 91 following Alzheimer’s related problems. Terry joined the Club from Coventry in 1959/60 and was a fairly regular player in the first XV during the 1960’s. As age caught up with him he played more down the sides and was club top points scorer with 110 in 1968/69. After retiring he was appointed club coach in 1975/76 and helped both the senior sides and the Colts. His funeral is at Oakley Wood at 11.30 this Saturday.

Some of you may know of Sam Kincaid, who was a popular member of the Warwickshire Referees’ Association and who officiated at Moorefields on many occasions. Sadly, he died suddenly at the weekend. No further details are available at this point.

Application now are invited for the Six Nations games at Twickenham. This year we are playing Wales on 10 February and Ireland on 17 March, so it should be an unhappy St Patrick's day for our friends from over the water. Under the new ticketing system we are allowed, as a club, to buy 28 tickets per game and these have been purchased at £82 , £99 and £105 . We may be able to buy more later, but extras were very limited for the autumn games and as these are the two most popular games I am not hopeful of getting any more – but I will try. The application form is attached confirming the details. I have spoken to the RFU about the away games and under the new system clubs can purchase tickets between 9-16 October. We don’t know how many we will be able to buy (it was 4 per game under the old system) but if you want any get your order in before the 9th. We still have a few tickets for the Argentina game

John Lyons

johnlizlyons@btopenworld.com
tomchandler@sky.com.
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