by John Short
It's a small world. Does anyone remember Mike Keates in late 70s ex Poly, so here we are in Canada and his daughter is captain of under 20s! England defeated Canada 31-5 and then Wales 14-3 to qualify to meet Canada again in the final, winning 30-7 in a game played in a torrential downpour for the whole 80 minutes. As well, they defeated Canada A 22-5 so winning all 4 games that were played in a 10 day period from July 11 – 20. Juliet and Laura played in all four games. Laura captained the side from loose head and Juliet played second row and No 8 in the other three games with a stint at open side in one game to cover as a blood replacement, moving over from second row.
Juliet thanks all those who sponsored her to go on this trip - Norseman Travel, RHK, Abstractbottles, Ensafe Consultants, Corporate Architecture Ltd and Clem's Pirates (Doc English, Trevor Jackson, Paul Airey, Peter Sheen and Andy Oxenham) and Gosforth Rugby Clubs as well as Tynedale Sport Council and Usworth Sixth Form College.
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We took a 20 minute break to catch our breath. By now our legs were pounding but Steely had a plan and was going to stick to it! His encouragement kept Paul Murray and my self going! By now Chris Morris and Chris Morris snr had landed at Newcastle Airport from their holiday and were already on their way to join us. 17.45 and we were now 5 strong. Fresh water was taken on board and we had at least 5 hours walking to go before we could rest again!
We set up camp just before the rain caught us. A hearty meal was needed. Curry and rice cooked on our stove and Morris snr cracked open a full bodied red to wash it down. A welcoming nightcap. All retired early not knowing what the next day was going to do to us!
At 4am strange noises were causing unrest in the camp - apart from the snoring! Andy requested someone investigate, young Morris obliged and reported that the noisy cow was on the other side of the fence - we were safe! 5am - camp reveille. While the tents were being packed away, a cup of tea was what we all needed!
By 6am we had began our climb of the first hill. We reached Birdoswald Tony Patrick turned up with some fresh water, ham stotties and cake prepared by Debbie in the early hours! We needed a 20 minute break to digest the tucker.
The rest of our group was on route to meet us at Gilsland. Paul (Taj) Stoddart, his brother in law and nephew. We were now a group of 8. The pressure was on to keep up with the fresh legs. By this time we were more than 40 miles into the challenge. The steep inclines were starting to take their toll on our legs. Blisters were getting bigger and legs getting heavier. Our packs were starting to slow us down. The group started to split. At this point stopping for someone was difficult - you had to urge them on. The rain started again at 12.30. A relentless downpour accompanied by a wind that bit your hands. 3 hours later and no respite from the rain, the walk was slipping away. Paul M had jarred his knee between 2 rocks. A decision had to be made. Defeat was not on our minds, we had pushed hard and it seemed senseless to injure ourselves more. At this point we had to put the challenge on hold, self preservation was utmost. At 4pm we made the call to get picked up, we let the lads ahead know what we were doing, but they were determined to keep going.
Paul M and I could see the military road, about half a mile away but it seemed further! On our decent we had a near death experience! A pack of hounds ran straight through us. The expression on Paul’s face was priceless. I had no time to think - just froze on the spot! As they passed I told Paul hounds only chased foxes and deers - his reply “I wish you’d told me that 2 minutes ago!!” The rest of the group reached Chollaford and called it a day. What a fantastic achievement.
MIXED FEELINGS
Happy at what we had achieved, but also sad that the weather had got the better of us. We resumed on Sunday morning. Jonny Alexander, due to injury, joined us for the last 8 miles. We reached Segedunum around 12.30pm - ready for a pint!!
The group returned to Druid Park where there were a few friends to welcome us all back! The ladies had prepared a BBQ and made sure we all had a nice cold beer!
FINAL THOUGHT
Heartfelt thanks go to Steely, Paul Murray, Chris Morris, Chris Morris Snr, Paul Stoddart and his family, Tony Patrick and Jonny Alexander great back up support!
Also thanks to all who have given their time and support. A first thought has just come back to me so I‘m putting it in the final thought. At the start we said no matter what pain we go through - just think of the difference it’s going to make to one little girl - believe me, it has.
Thank you.
Andy Cokeley
From
left to rightCai Younger
Fraser Wright
Craig Wright
Will Green
Thomas Graham
Chas Green
Mick Cowley
James Weaver
Tim Wilcock
Scott Graham
Shaun Oconnell
Alice Green
Liam Wright
Tegan Younger
by Dylan Younger (Sports Writer For The Evening Chronicle)
Moortown 24 Gosforth
26
Gosforth 12 Wetherby 19
DAVE 'BOY' WEAVER's troops did the club proud with two lung-busting performances on Yorkshire turf in the climax of an epic 2008 tour.
The Gosforth Under-12s had been predicted to fall flat on their faces by some critics after their preparation had been marred by two controversial late night parties in the build-up to Sunday's games.
Tales of Coke binges, pea-shooters and fart spray had kept the boys on the front pages for all the wrong reasons as they defied club curfews to make mischief way into the early hours at York's Racecourse Centre.
But this is not the sort of team to let sleepless nights and sugar rushes go to their heads - they shrugged off the after-effects of their hell-raising with a barn-storming double display to keep the reputation of the famous green and white hoops intact.
A narrow win and a narrow defeat hardly captures the drama of a pulsating day's rugby at Wetherby's picturesque Grange Park.
First up were a strong-looking Moortown whose five-match unbeaten run seemed in tatters after a blistering start from the visitors.
Gosforth were three tries up within five minutes, with inspirational skipper Craig Wright getting the on pitch party started with a superb try almost from the off.
Fly-half James Weaver had no trouble with the conversion - and he repeated the trick after a powerful run from the irrepressible Callum Thompson had put his team 12-0 ahead.
Luck was against Weaver on this occasion as his effort hit the post - but Gosforth's No 10 missed nothing else all day with an immaculate kicking display.
A mazy run from Thompson - weaving his way across the pitch twice before finding the gap to touch down - and another Weaver conversion made it 19-0 and Gosforth were on easy street - or so it seemed . . .
Moortown had not gone five games unbeaten in the rugby heartland of Yorkshire without good reason, and, after they pulled a try and conversion back before the break, they brought on the big guns at half-time.
Another home score early in the second period brought Moortown renewed hope, though, crucially, they missed the conversion to leave the scores at 19-12.
Five minutes later, though, Moortown were level, and this time the kick sailed between the posts to leave the game tied - and the momentum with the resurgent Yorkshiremen.
Weaver Senior's boys needed to wake up fast - and they did. Earning the put-in for a scrum in enemy territory, scrum-half Cai Younger quickly released the ball straight to Thompson, whose determination to reach the line typified the spirit of this Gosforth side.
James Weaver's conversion put the team in control at 26-19, but Moortown were far from finished. Their strong running game had the green and whites working hard right to the death, and eventually their persistence paid off with a deserved score right next to the posts.
Gosforth breathed a sigh of relief when the conversion sailed wide - blown off course, no doubt, by the collective puff from the visiting touring party on the touchline!
There was still time for Weaver to stop a superb run from the Moortown wing just yards from the try-line, before Gosforth celebrated a hard-fought 26-24 victory.
Their real challenge, though, was just beginning. A slick all-round team effort from host club Wetherby ensured they saw off Moortown by six unanswered tries in the game's second win - and those who watched their all-round team effort immediately installed the red and whites as favourites for the eagerly-awaited finale.
But you write this Gosforth team off at your peril. They had shown the week before, when an under-strength side had seen off a determined Novos in a see-saw match right at the death, that they have forgotten how to give up.
Indeed, the visitors shocked Wetherby by taking an early lead when that man Thompson touched down. He narrowly failed to add the conversion and after some relentless home pressure, the scores were soon level as Wetherby breached the Gosforth defence.
The visitors went
ahead again with their best team move of the day as powerhouse Shaun O'Connell
applied the finishing touch after Weaver's reverse pass sent Thompson
through to the edge of the tryline - a move drawn by head coach Weaver
only the day before in a training session in the middle
of York racecourse.
Weaver Jr added the conversion, but this Wetherby team showed the all-round strength of their game by hitting back with two more tries, both converted, to edge the contest 19-12.
But Gosforth can take great heart from a spirited display of controlled aggression in which they never let up against a slick passing team which has played more than twice as many fixtures as the visitors this season.
Every man played their part in an epic battling display against Wetherby, in which the hoops kept their composure despite some underhand tactics from the clearly rattled hosts.
Skipper Wright took a punch in the face at a ruck, while Thompson was kicked in the back and tempers briefly flared on the sidelines before the referee stopped the game and did well to restore order.
Victory was not meant to be, despite a Herculean effort from the visitors in the final stages, but this was the day when Gosforth's team spirit really came to the fore.
If they can ally some of Wetherby's quick moving possession game to their undoubted aggression, forward power and brilliant solo efforts, Gosforth really will be a force to be reckoned with next season.
Supporters were heartened to see the the huge Gosforth pack show their potential, with O'Connell, Emeka Obasi, Scott Graham and Connor Maines always in the thick of some bone-crunching exchanges.
The forwards almost left the Moortown pack on their backs at one scrum, while one 30-metre drive upfield agaisnt Wetherby really set the pulses racing.
The running and tackling from Wright and Thompson was a pleasure to behold, while Weaver's kicking turned defence into attack time and time again.
Scrum-halves Tim Wilcock and Younger were as reliable as ever with some fast hands and sterling service from the set plays, while Wilcock's catch and kick upfield from a high ball under pressure against Wetherby was another moment to treasure.
Stand-in second row Reece Guthrie played with vigour throughout while backs Will Green, Scott Towt and Liam Hasson - who did so well at the death to read a misplaced place and come within inches of a dramatic interception in enemy territory - punched well above their weight with some relentless tackling.
With skipper Wright bellowing at his troops throughout, even Sgt Major Weaver was forced to admit his team had been "fantastic".
"They played their hearts out, and showed great spirit against two very good sides," he said.
"The Wetherby coach agreed that this was a great game of rugby - one of the best they have had all season. The team did me proud - now let's see themdo it against Northern . . ."
We'll, feed these boys on a diet of Coke, crisps, sweets, midnight wrestling matches and deodorant wars, give them two hours sleep a night for two nights before the game . . . and Northern won't know what hit 'em!
Gosforth Rugby Football Club’s players awards dinner took place at Kingston Park, Friday 25th April 2008, a new venue to go with the new format. To view photos Click Here
Unlike the players dinners of the past, the new format encompassed and recognised the whole of the club from the first XV down to the U7’s
The dinner was well attended with representation from all levels of the club, an international (Juliette Short) and a table of elderly gentlemen, who represented Gosforth of the past.
Our guest speaker for the evening was Mr Kingsley Hyland OBE who was in acidic good form.
The evening awards were as follows:
| Presentation of Honours - ’07-‘08 |
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| Peter
Southern Trophy Presented by Mal Bell |
Mal Stokoe |
| Roger
Swan Trophy Presented by Mal Stokoe (President) |
U15’s (Graeme and Simon) |
| Hilton
Cup Presented by Mal Stokoe (President) |
Todd Harrison |
| Nick
Shepherd Tankard Presented by John Short |
Juliet Short |
| Falcons’
Player of the Year Presented by Alan Scott (Team Manager) |
Dan Slater |
| Phoenix
Player of the Year Presented by Andy Cokeley (Team Manager) |
Rob Hearty |
| Young
Player of the Year Presented by John Coffey (Club Captain) |
Stu Campbell |
| Players’
Player of the Year Presented by John Coffey (Club Captain) |
Joe Woodhams |
| Mini
Coach of the Year Presented by Simon Campbell |
Dave Weaver |
| Junior
Coach of the Year Presented by Simon Campbell |
Tony Milburn |
| The club also recognised and thanked the following for their contribution to the club | Amanda
Short, Debbie Cokeley Alan Scott, Andy Cokeley |
An enjoyable evening was had by all who attended and congratulations for all those who won awards
| FIRSTLY Pictured right the Gosforth team that played in the final league game of the season against Sunderland (for the result and match report click here) Our second photo is of our new friends from Bective Rangers Rugby Club from Dublin, who dropped in for a pint or two as part of their over 35's Newcastle 'Brown' tour. An open invitation to visit Bective will be taken up when a small contingent of Gosforth alackadoos tour the bars of Dublin in the New year! |
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It is with great
sadness that we report the sudden death of Andy Cutter, aged 55
Andy, a banker by profession who was born locally and played rugby for
W/bay Rockcliffe, Newcastle University, Northumberland and Gosforth, propping
alongside Colin White and a key member of a successful John Player cup
winning Gosforth team, later going on to join Wasps.
Our sympathy goes out to Andy's family and friends and his funeral takes
place in Solihull, Monday 14th April.
| Gosforth are pleased to support Tom May's Website Everything Rugby. Everything Rugby is a fantastic resource from news and match report to web site builders and coaching tips. You can access everything rugby by clicking on the logo opposite, which also appears on our front page |
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We've had father and son moments, but not father and daughter. Pictured right is proud father John Short with daughter Juliet. Juliet had just played for England under 20's (26th March) against Wales under 20's, England won 43-0 Congratulations and well played Juliet. |
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by Mal Stokoe - Hon. President
| Each Saturday we have several father/son moments – as do most rugby clubs – but yesterday simply seemed a little bit more special! The photo, taken by our newly (self?) appointed Club photographer, Derek Reid, brother of our other committee man, Lawrence, who is willing to fill in just about any position that needs filling in! shows four sets of proud dads, who had just watched the First Team’s excellent performance in beating fellow Northumbrians, Alnwick. Pride of place has to go to Kenny Johnston and son, Gordon Ross, who not only was making his First Team debut, but scored the first important try of the game. Gordon Ross is a recent convert to the correctly shaped football and he, fortunately, has not inherited any of his dad’s funereal pace! Likewise with the Tuckers, where son, Dan, is often seen leaping like a salmon in the line-out. whilst dad, John, was more like a tin of John West’s! To be fair John does admit that if lifting had been allowed in his day, he might even have left the ground – if the props had been strong enough to shift him. The Bells are harder to work out with son, Adam, again getting a rare start in the Firsts. Nobody knows if dad, Stu, ever even played rugby, but he does drive a taxi for a living (Blueline of course!), so he does have his uses! Other son, Ben, couldn’t make this photo because he was away at Ashington helping the Phoenix to an equally famous Cup victory. The last pair is actually a threesome! Dad, Frankie, again MUST have played rugby sometime in his past, but his sylph-like figure these days does sow the seed of doubt in one’s mind! His eldest son, Max, has been a stalwart of the Firsts for several seasons, being willing to play anywhere when asked – and sometimes when not asked- and he’s still only 21! |
Younger brother, Freddie, has joined us this season, but is unfortunately crocked for the rest of it with medial ligament damage requiring surgery. Dads should be proud of their sons’ successes on and off the pitch, and it’s good to know the Club’s future is in good, safe hands. |
| The
Club held its first ever Christmas Club night last night at our new
home, Druid Park. On what was a very full day of activities starting at noon with the SGM of members re the CASC status application, which 44 members attended and passed all amendments to the Constitution unanimously, the clubhouse was busy all day. The Third XV had a home League game versus Ashington 2s on the 3G pitch, which they won by 19-7. Incidentally this was the only game to be played in Northumberland due to the severe frost and the plastic surface was perfect! What are opponents of the surface wary of? Morning rolled into the afternoon and through into the evening, when the party began. Attended by some 80 plus members and friends, the combined senior and mini sections function was a big success. The usual raffle, an unusual “heads and tails” for two Christmas hampers, kindly donated by the Committee members, and a “Name the bear” Competition in connection with the RFU Charity “The Wooden Spoon” managed to raise some much needed funds for both sections of the Club. Sincere thanks go to all the organisers, Mark from the Falcons, who did a manful stint behind the bar, and all those supporting us on the night. Merry Christmas to one and all! |
 Pictured above: Carolyn Ash with Bennie the bear w hich she won in the 'Name the Bear' Comp |
That occasion was at our former home Bullocksteads, a mere Metro stop from Druid Park. However, today we will be still be back at Bullocksteads if the weather is kind enough to allow a pitch that passes the exacting ground staff there. Yet, we have a pitch at Druid that will be playable irrespective of the conditions. Indeed, today marks the fourth home-away game of the season so far, with only three home games actually being played at our home Druid. I can see my Connacht friends being puzzled by this so let me explain by setting a conundrum. When are all these surfaces the same but which is different from the others: grass, clay, snow, sand and artificial grass? The answer, for all that know IRB Law 1.1 (b) relating to the playing enclosure for rugby, is easy: “The surface should be grass but may also be sand, clay, snow or artificial grass”. But which is different and less equal “inter pares”? While all surfaces must be safe to play on at all times (Law 1.1 (a)), in the case of artificial grass surfaces, they must conform to IRB Regulation 22. Regulation 22 covers all aspects of this playing surface which is not applied to any other surfaces. Needless to say Druid Park has been tested by the IRB and has met all the stringent requirements with respect to vertical and angled ball rebound, slip resistance, shock absorption, deformation (surface stability) , rotational resistance, energy restitution, infiltration, and HIC (relating to impact safety). The testers took 6 sample locations on the pitch and all locations passed all the tests comfortably. As well, the testers found zero surface undulations and 0.3% slope across the pitch. I wonder how many grass pitches would manage to meet all of these requirements?
I can now hear you ask then what is all the fuss about? The answer lies in Regulation 22 note #8 “The local National Union should ensure that all participants playing on the pitch understand and appreciate any inherent dangers in participating in the sport on the pitch and, in advance of their participation, they should voluntarily consent to be exposed to any such risk.” Herein lies the real difference in the surfaces – the one that has got set and stringent safety requirements is saddled with the sobriquet of inherent danger while none of the others with any set standards (other than must be safe to play on) has not been so restricted. Yet Regulation 22 Note #4 allows that “the local national union retains the absolute discretion in relation to the withdrawal of the permission and /or the imposition of further of and/or amended conditions of permission to use the pitch”. So why does the RFU who publicly encourage (and fund) these pitches not get off the fence and use this provision? The answer lies in the fear of to day’s litigious society that rugby has not escaped from. Until the IRB changes the regulation, the RFU, however much it would like to, will not! We are in Catch 22 territory.
Unfortunately, most, if not all, of the opposition that have invoked the equivalent RFU Regulation 17.1.2 have hidden behind it to remove our home advantage: the reality is we have won all three of our away home games to date but lost all of our three home home games. So then I hear you ask: why are you bothered? The answer this time is not the number 42, but lies in some simple economics. It cost £150 to hire Bullocksteads and we do not control the gate and cannot charge admission. The tendency for opposition to return back to Druid after the game approaches nil – so we waste the food we have bought for the opposition and the raffle for the meat draw supplied by George Payne Butchers (our draw sponsor) is under subscribed. The bar takings are down and we dare not organise a game sponsor for fear of not having the game at Druid. The net effect (not counting loss of sponsorship and bar takings) is a loss of £300 - £450 compared to the actual home games we have actually played. All of us who voluntarily assist in the administration of rugby will appreciate what these figures mean. In addition to this, is the morale sapping inability to grow Druid Park where it feels as Gosforth’s home. I wonder how many of the clubs who have refused to play at Druid have considered this angle and how it would impact on them?
This week there has been frost at night and the temperature has not been much higher during the day. There are two interesting scenarios out of this. Let us assume that Bullocksteads is deemed unplayable by the ground staff of University of Northumbria and Druid would be unquestionably playable. Would the game be played there? If not I would have to question why players bother to commit themselves to playing rugby at all. The second is this: say Kingston Park is unplayable for the Falcons – Connacht game. Under the European rules, an alternative pitch must be available. I wonder which pitch that would be? I know of one that would be capable of hosting both games, but perhaps only one of these might take place. Makes you want to wonder to quote Led Zep.
To night we have a club night and thanks to Mal Stokoe who has coerced contributions to a Christmas hamper for a prize for a game of “heads or tails”. My thanks to Mal and all the contributors. I hope some of the Connacht supports can join us on which should be a good night. Unfortunately I cannot make Kingston Park (or even Druid) on Sunday as I have a 06.00 flight to Amsterdam and reach Tirana at about kick off time.
The opinions expressed in this column are my own and should not be attributed to Gosforth Rugby Football Club.
John Short
Ex Chairman and ex County representative Season 2007-08
| Pictured right, the Scott-Smith Boot ( presented to the Club by Jenny Scott-Smith in her late husband's memory) was awarded to Clubman of the Year, Trevor Morrison by last year's winner Skevs at the Northern game. TM was a long time member of NFC before seeing the light! |  |
President's
Wine & Cheese Party - 28th October 07
by Mal Stokoe - Hon. President
Our first official function in the form of my Wine and Cheese party was a resounding success. The Clubhouse was full to the gunnels with well over a hundred members and guests in attendance, including NRU County President, John Saunders, owner Dave Thompson and other Presidents from Northumberland Clubs
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The
late arrival of two dozen cowboys/girls added to the “showdown”
( 1st XV squad in disguise!). After sampling the ample wine/cheese/buffet
on offer, the more formal part of the day took centre stage with
yours truly in the “pulpit”. |
| After
welcoming our guests and friends, the first presentation was to
Mrs Maureen Wreford-Brown, coupled with the names of her late
brothers Norman; Douglas and Johnny, in recognition of her generous
gift of the set of goalposts at Druid Park |
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Then,
on behalf of the Committee, I had the real pleasure of bestowing
the highest honour in the Club, that of Honorary Life Membership,
to Neil Jamieson and John Short in recognition of the selfless
years of devotion each had given to the Club both as players and
officials. It is an honour well deserved by both gentlemen! |
Traditionally the Scott-Smith Boot, awarded to the “Clubman of the Year” is also presented at this occasion, but it is to be held over to after the Northern match (watch this space!). After Cath Stoddart’s highly successful raffle draw the assembled managed to see off all the wine (plus quite a bit more as well!) etc until darkness fell! My sincere thanks go to Lawrence Reid, Myra and Neil Jamieson and Cath Stoddart for their usual excellent organisation- as a first event it will take some beating!