Skipton Stuff 2

Coming up.

Monday 20th - Training @ the club 7pm start

Thursday 23rd - Training @ the club 7pm start

Saturday 25th - Halifax 7s

Monday 27th - Training @ the club 7pm start

Thursday 30th - Training @ the club 7pm start

THE SEASON BEGINS

Saturday 1st August - SKIPTENS, 10am start, 2 teams from Skipton involved, all players required.

Other stuff:

Match report from Friday 17th:

Skipton XV 29 : 55 Bumble Gooders

by Simon Smith

Skipton RFC hosted a match against the Bumble Gooders at Sandylands in preparation for the 1st Mixed Ability Rugby World Tournament. The Bumble Gooders are a mixed team of able bodied players and people with learning and physical disabilities, based at Bradford & Bingley Rugby Club. They were formed in 2009 and were England's first mixed ability team. They play a full contact game in an effort to engender social inclusion.

The 1st Mixed Ability Rugby World Tournament, which has the full backing of the RFU runs from the 17th to 21st August at Bradford & Bingley Rugby Club. The Bumble Gooders are aiming to raise £50,000 to provide accommodation and hospitality at the University of Bradford for 400 disabled and abled bodied players.

After some spirited forward work by the Bumbles it was Skipton who secured the first breakaway try from winger Josh Smith, converted by Matty Langstaff to establish a 7 nil lead. Bumbles reply took them to the Skipton line but they couldn't cross and were denied a try. Their persistency paid off and soon put their No. 7 over for a converted try to level the scores.

The Bumble forwards soon had two further converted tries under their belt to stretch their lead to 21 - 7 before slick interplay between the Skipton forwards and backs put Langstaff over for the home side's second try, which he converted. Skipton then stepped up the pressure with a further unconverted Langstaff try.

Open play and sheer enjoyment of the game gave the Bumbles another try before half time and the sides turned round at 19 - 26.

Play continued in the best spirit of the game with two early tries in the second half to the Bumbles. For the final quarter of the match several players from each side swapped jerseys and play continued with two sides of mixed ability players. The Bumbles gained a further try before Skipton secured their fourth try of the evening via one of their "guest" players. A further try for the Bumbles was unconverted before Matty Langstaff, in the guise of a Bumbles player, ran in an easy try for the visitors.

The evening was rounded off by a fifth try for Skipton, giving a final score of 55 - 29 in the visitors favour.

This was a fantastic match, thoroughly enjoyed by the home crowd, with all proceeds from gate receipts and raffle going to the Bumble Gooders.