Mature rugby leads the way on FNL!

A special match took place at St Albans RFC on Friday night. It was Vets Rugby making an appearance at Boggymead under FNL. Vets rugby is making it's return where "mature" players who know what they want and how to organise themselves took centre stage under the floodlights where and a real game of rugby was played by "established" players.

A large crowd was treated to Saints forward dominance vs Verulamians back speed. Verulamians scored the first try through a fly hack by Ollie Gardiner. Unfortunately the conversion was missed, the try itself was magnificent. The St Albans pack rumbled into action and went through their gears, ably led by Captain Andrew Weldon and some old school rugby unfolded. St Albans missed a few attacking chances and the half ended with Verulamians taking a 5-0 lead.

The second half saw three further Verulamians tries to extend their lead (they were all backs apart from the props we lent them!). The scrums, however, were St Albans for the taking throughout the match and the Saints were content to win them. The last words were to be St Albans though as the ball was taken from a line-out and driven to the line with Andy Weldon claiming a deserved score. Unfortunately, he did miss the conversion though!

THANK YOU to everyone who turned up to watch and compete. Thank you to the players who played for the other team without complaint. Thanks to everyone involved in organising the game and getting stuff sorted: Mick for organising the sides, Bill for organising the ref, Jo for the cuisine, but people actually turning up is the reward. And we were packed out for a Friday!

As is always traditional after a great game of "mature" rugby, beers and slapping each others backs in the bar were order of the day, and just enjoying competitive rugby again. It means so much mentally and physically to the older gentleman! In the end, the score on the pitch didn't matter as rugby union won the day.

Next match Tues 27th December at Verulamians for Charity and 4th February vs David Scanlan's Welsh friends at Boggymead.

Thanks to Mick for the words.

St Albans Vets were:
1) Richard Marshall
2) Mick O'Shea
3) Mark Prangnell
4) Eugene Bruce
5) Andrew Weldon (c)
6) Tim Brickle (Berko)
7) Iain McIlwee
8) John Sayers
9) Danny Martindale
10) Toby Garrett (HQE2)
11) Matt Cain (Berko)
12) Duncan Sharp
13) Paul Morgan
14) Craig Shaky Wilson (Welwyn)
15) Steve D (Berko)
16) Tony Sculthorpe (Centurions)
17) Kyran Tibbles